On the Home Front

By Miracle Fletcher                                                                            

NLIHC convened its second annual Collective Retreat on October 6-9 in Albany, Georgia. This year, NLIHC staff and members of the Collective – a group or tenant leaders from across the nation – returned to the sacred grounds of the Resora on Cypress Pond, a property of New Communities, which was founded by the late Reverend Charles Sherrod and his wife Shirley. The Sherrods were revered civil rights trailblazers, instrumental in creating the first community land trust (CLT) in the U.S. The Resora is now used for retreats devoted to promoting racial equity, learning, and community. Members of NLIHC’s 2023-24 Collective gathered to discuss their shared goals for achieving housing justice and to engage in community healing in preparation for their upcoming work. In attendance was Rutha Mae Harris, one of the original Freedom Singers. In this piece, the Collective’s Miracle Fletcher reflects on her experiences during the event.

Let me start by mentioning that before I arrived at the retreat, I had no preset expectations. My arrival didn’t start as planned due to issues with my flight. I ended up missing my flight and was faced with not attending the retreat – only to find out I wasn’t the only person experiencing turbulence during their arrival.

Rather than flying, myself and another attendee were able to drive down to Albany, Georgia, despite our flight mishaps. Upon our arrival at the Resora, the vibrations from the drums in a drum circle radiated a high positive energy that welcomed and embraced us as we approached the porch of the main house. The rhythm of the drum circle grabbed my heart instantly, and the anxiety of missing the flight and not being on time disappeared as we entered the circle.

As I toured the land, walking through the green grass and hearing the wind echoing through the trees, I began to imagine the harsh realities that our ancestors endured on this land. Yet now I was standing there free to walk, free to run, realizing that the bloodshed and tears this land experienced were not in vain because we (the Collective) are the very representation of all the things those ancestors fought and died for. My consciousness was altered, and the defeated mentality of feeling alone and insignificant that I carried with me upon my arrival was dismantled.

The pride that I felt learning and understanding the history of our fight as African American people, the work and sacrifices that the Sherrods and Ms. Rutha made for us to even be able to be present on this specific land, the Resora, and the rest of the retreat inspired me to continue to learn my history and understand that no matter how small you may feel, no matter how many closed doors or barriers are placed in front of us as advocates and community leaders, our strength and superpowers come from us being compassionate to one another, practicing active listening to learn and understand our diverse backgrounds, and building from experiences to create laws and communities that are equitable for everyone.

My time at the Resora transformed my views and allowed me to see that we are all humans with pain and trauma, but we have the ability to love and grow as individuals through healing and acknowledgment of the disparities and traumas we experience from oppressive systems. This experience showed me how creating safe spaces for healing, listening, and expressing is a significant tool to enhance the overall success of our work as leaders. I am grateful to be a part of the Collective Family and look forward to continuing to learn and grow with this amazing group of passionate leaders.