Learn More About Us
We are a community organization that uplifts the values of care, self-determination, and systems change through collaborative processes that provide tangible tools for survival and address the lived experiences, values, resources, challenges, and dreams of community members. Through feedback-oriented, person-centered, and culturally competent methods, circular processes, and with the power of heart and spirit, Inside the Sun practices an alternative way of being (by being the change we want to see). We cultivate circles of support for projects that improve material conditions, while generating shared and internal resources that are beneficial among communities affected by all forms and systems of domination*. Through coming together for the better of our community, we become more resilient, capable of transformation, and skilled at community-based well-being.
Our Mental Health and Well-Being, Participatory Defense, and Keep on Trucking programs are steps through which we are being the change we want to see.
* Systems of domination include racism, mass incarceration, exploitation, poverty, toxic patriarchy, war, punitive justice, violation of Mother Earth, and violence in all its structural, cultural, and direct expressions.
How we are together - the personal & the political:
Inside the Sun builds pathways to an alternative, holistic, community way of being based on community self-care—as an example of what it means to really be human. Inside the Sun is collaboratively stewarded by concerned community members from all walks of life: prisoners, ex-prisoners, friends, relatives, professionals, youth, and others (whose futures are at stake). We value individuals within our community, as well as the whole community.
The Personal involves healing work from trauma-world, decolonization and un-indoctrination of our Minds, Hearts, Bodies, and Spirits; which translates into the Process of how we treat Ourselves and Others as world community members.
The Political is self-determination, building-structures to make the vision tangible ~ the world we want to see, the world we want to breathe. Without attention to how we be together, we replicate dominant culture dynamics.
Inside the Sun is an extension and expression of the will, gifts, and needs of the community. At the core of our efforts is a philosophy of inclusion and collaboration that puts what is valuable to the community at the forefront in complete opposition to dominant culture individualism.
Learn more by seeing the April 2021 "Open Letter in response to trauma world from the historical debris of deep soul sickness"