Our Time to Thrive: Rising in Beloved Community
About this Event
“Our mother told us that the world would change because of us. Those were her instructions, and I am still carrying them out.” -Fania Davis
“It is when we come together and bridge our differences that we create a society that truly thrives.” -john a. powell
Join us in Oakland and by livestream for Thrive’s 10 Year Anniversary Celebration “Our Time to Thrive: Rising in Beloved Community” with special guests Fania Davis, john a. powell, Melanie DeMore, Kazu Haga and Wildchoir.
Amidst the breaking storms of our time - extreme polarization, widening inequality, social isolation, climate despair and rapid technological change - we are gathering to remember and celebrate that this is our time to build a world in where we can all belong and thrive.
Belonging is a radical act in a divided world. When we gather in community and come together across our lines of difference, something bigger becomes possible. Our shared stories, struggles and songs become the threads of a living tapestry, a web of healing resilience and social renewal. Rooted in love and connection, we become stronger, wiser, and more whole. We unlock the power to transform the world.
On this night, we gather to celebrate 10 years of Thrive’s cherished work building a world of love and belonging; to give thanks to the countless hands, voices, and hearts that have made this work possible; to honor the power of building community through music, bridging, meaning-making, art, song, practice and ritual; and to celebrate our collective becoming, the strength of our movements and the work we are all doing to bring forth a loving, just and healed world.
Our Time to Thrive is both a celebration and an invitation — to move forward together into the opening doors of a new world. To commit ourselves fully to the path of collective healing and renewal. To choose bridging rather than breaking, love rather than hate. To play our role in creating a world where we all belong and thrive.
We invite you to be part of this sacred turning — a collective ritual of gratitude and becoming, filled with song, hope, wisdom and heart to carry us forward. This is our moment. We are rooted and rising. Our ancestors and future ones are with us.
“When you begin to imagine and act as if you are living in the world you want to live in, you will have company.” -Bernice Johnson Reagon
“It is time now, it is time now that we thrive.” -MaMuse, We Shall Be Known
IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL: Oakland & Bay area folks...join us in person and bring a friend. For folks in other locations, be part of the magic by joining our livestream with others on Zoom.
WHEN: Saturday, November 7, 2026 from 7pm - 9pm PT / 10pm - midnight ET (please arrive on time!)
WHERE: First Presbyterian Church - 401 26th St, Oakland, CA 94612 (near 19th St Bart Station)
Or virtually on Zoom (link shared when you register)
COST / DONATION: This event is a benefit to support the vital work of Thrive. We invite you to contribute as generously as you are able to. Please also consider buying a second ticket so support a community member with less access to resources and enter "Community Support" on the ticket name. If you are in need of a discounted ticket, please contact our team at: [email protected]
INVITE A FRIEND: Invite your family, friends, colleaugues and community to join you.
VOLUNTEERS for In-Person: We are seeking volunteers to help with the set-up and break-down of this event. If you are available to arrive early or stay late, please let us know at: [email protected]
We look forward to gathering!
In partnership,
the Thrive team
Accessibility: This venue is wheel chair accessible. Closed captioning will be offered for our virtual participants. Please contact [email protected] with additional accessibility needs and questions. Thank you!
Health Practices for our In-Person Participants
As we gather for in-person community events (while maintaining the option for virtual participation), we recognize that there is a wide range of health considerations and risk tolerance levels.
To support the health & safety of our entire community, we engage in the following practices:
- We invite folks to wear a mask if they feel called to and we provide masks and hand sanitizer at our Welcome Tables.
- For anyone experiencing symptoms that could be associated with a contagious sickness, please do not attend in person and join us virtually.
Thank you for your support and partnership. Clarifying questions can be sent to: [email protected]
ABOUT OUR GUESTS
Fania Davis is a renowned social justice activist, civil rights trial attorney, restorative justice practitioner, writer, scholar with a PhD in indigenous knowledge, and the founding director of Restorative Justice of Oakland Youth (RJOY).
john a. powell is the Director of the Othering & Belonging Institute and is a renowned scholar and advocate in the areas of civil rights, structural racism, housing, constitutional law, equality, democracy, and belonging.
Melanie DeMore is a 3-time Grammy nominated singer/composer, choral conductor, music director and vocal activist who believes in the power of voices raised together.
Kazu Haga an author, trainer, educator, student and practitioner with over 25 years of experience in nonviolence, restorative justice and fierce vulnerability.
Wildchoir is a diverse group of vocalists, artists, activists, educators, healers, and community organizers who join together in big harmony.
THRIVE is a community, network and movement building Beloved Community for these times. We bring people together at the intersections of meaning, belonging, music, the arts and social change.
Started in Oakland, CA as Thrive East Bay, we have grown into the Thrive Network as we work to build a world of love and belonging where everyone thrives. Through our in-person events, retreats, practice groups and online programs, we work to create cultures of love, healing, justice and connection. We have been blessed to host and share wisdom from many of the leading changemakers, community builders, and artists of our time.
We are guided by the following core principles:
THRIVING LIVES - We support each other in overcoming personal challenges and injustice, and creating lives filled with purpose, joy, and creative expression.
LOVE IN ACTION - We let love guide us toward compassion, gratitude, empathy, and community among diverse groups of people.
SHARED LEARNING & PRACTICE - We seek to expand our critical awareness and evidenced-based understanding of the world, and to grow together through shared inquiry and transformative practices.
SYSTEMIC CHANGE - We unite to build equitable systems where we can flourish as individuals, as communities, and as a planet.
Learn more at: https://www.thrivenetwork.org
Donate to support the vital work of Thrive at: https://www.thrivenetwork.org/donate
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 28.52 to USD 1068.91
