54165 Audubon Dr
Sandstone MN 55072
This summer retreat hosted by Illuman of Minnesota will focus on being in a true relationship with ourselves, others, and the world around us. These teachings will be surrounded by time in council circles, experiencing ritual and wandering in the beautiful natural environment of Osprey Wilds. The retreat will be led by Okoyeagemon, co-founder of Antiracism Studies Dialogue Circles with Margery Otto JD and current Executive Director of ASDIC Metamorphosis.
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND TO REGISTER
Okogyeamon (Herbert Perkins, PhD) is co-founder of Antiracism Studies Dialogue Circles with Margery Otto JD and current Executive Director, ASDIC Metamorphosis. In addition to his ASDIC Metamorphosis work – program direction, curriculum writing, workshop facilitation, Okogyeamon is pastor of First Congregational Church, Montevideo, MN.
Okogyeamon grew up in the lower-income community of Willowbrook-Compton-Watts, then, a Southern California, predominantly Latino-Black, poor, working-class community. After completing college and teaching at a SF Bay Area, Mountain View, California high school for a year. He took a teaching position in East Pakistan, now called Bangladesh. Then a monk, Brother of Holy Cross, he taught in the village school of Bandura-Hashnabad and a high school in the principal city of Dacca (1962-1969).
The intermingling of contrastive cultures of Willowbrook-Compton-Watts (Black, Latino, Asian) and of Bangladesh – contrastive experiences of color/colorism, caste and ethnicity, religion, language, and customs, provided the foundation for subsequent inquiry, study, learning and teaching. Bangladesh acquainted Okogyeamon with an ancient and culturally rich social environment allowing him space for critical questioning of the givens of ethnic-racial identity in a context absent anti-black racism. Working in this culturally diverse, religiously plural context – among Muslim, Hindu, and Christian people, he became well acquainted with Islam and Hinduism. This experience widened his perspectives and values (especially on spirituality) far beyond the limitations of his Christian upbringing and parochial education. Later cultural enrichment included study in Ghana (one month Fulbright-Hays, group scholarship) and travel in India, Kenya, Europe, and Mexico.
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