And then came the rona. 2020 has been cataclysmic, confusing, and rife with cancellations. The Summer Olympics got postponed, classrooms from kindergarten to grad school have been vacated or limited to dodging penises and swastikas on Zoom, and the yoga studios and gyms are mostly still empty.
The U.S./Canadian border has been sealed for two months, which forced the cancellation of The C.O.W.S. Toronto Retreat scheduled for May. Lots of losses this year.
In the midst of global protests about Race Soldiers routinely suffocating black people and a novel respiratory virus that's reported to also be strangling black people (literally and economically), making time to breathe is all the more important for Victims of Racism. During our debut counter-racist retreat in Virginia, we affirmed and experienced why self-care must be a critical component of all counter-racist efforts. The System of White Supremacy is designed to drain the vitality from non-white people. It's imperative that we engage in self-maintenance, activities that replenish our life force and inspire us to make improvements and solve problems.
And it's always a good time to have healthy, delicious food!
This is why The C.O.W.S. is moving forward with plans to host the summer counter-racist yoga retreat in Washington, D.C. If Covid-19, protests against Racism, or other unforeseen 2020 catastrophes occur, we'll notify as soon as possible of changes.
We'll take adequate safety measures, including:
- An abundance of soap for hand washing.
- Cleaning materials to sanitize the residence.
- Social Distancing
Originally, we planned to visit the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress. But.. the rona. It's unclear what public venues will be open come August or how interested people will be in wanting to be in a large crowd. As they say, we'll wait and see.
Even if we can't frolic throughout the nation's capitol, we will have healthy delicious meals - like what's pictured above, calming yoga, and constructive counter-racist dialog. They might still be protesting by the time we get there.
Date: Wednesday, August 5th to Sunday, August 9th.
Where: Washington, D.C.
There are a relatively small number of Washington locations that can adequately house a dozen people, so time is of the essence.
The investment for the D.C. retreat is $680. This includes:
- All meals (Plant-based breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. We'll enjoy the versatility and deliciousness of veggie-based cooking. No one will be hungry.)
- Lodging
- Morning and Evening yoga classes taught by Gus T. Renegade (200hr certified/ 85hr prenatal certified)
- Counter-Racist Workshops
- Cooking Workshops
- Quality contact with like-minded Victims of Racism
This does not include:
- Transportation
- Travel Insurance
- Yoga Mat
A $400 deposit is due by June 22nd. The deposit is non-refundable. The remaining $280 is due by July 19th. Payments can be submitted using PayPal (https://www.paypal.me/TheCOWS), CashApp (https://cash.app/$TheCOWS), or check/money order. Please, email Gus for mailing information.
For Parents!
There were a number of attempted parents who mailed Gus with sincere interest in attending the retreats with their offspring. However, Racism makes many things financially challenging for non-white people. To compensate, as long as there are eight paying adults signed up for the retreat, the cost for children ages 14 and under is $340. All adults and children are expected to participate in all workshops and yoga sessions during the retreat. Children must be at least 10 years of age.
Parents must submit a deposit of $170 by June 22nd to reserve a spot for your child. The remaining $170 is due by July 22nd.
Hopefully, the last half of 2020 will be astronomically better for black people, Victims of Racism. Make The C.O.W.S. Washington D.C. Counter-Racist Yoga Retreat a part of the improvement. #EatWellUseLogic
