Interdependence Day

Interdependence Day: A Gathering for Collective Resilience

As democratic structures erode and violence reshapes our world, we believe the antidote lies not only in resistance, but in relationship. Not just in strategy, but in solidarity. Not in isolation, but in interdependence.

That’s why we gathered forty people from the East Bay two weeks ago to celebrate Interdependence Day—a day-long experience devoted to building community with others committed to shaping a more connected, life-affirming future.

Interdependence Day—co-created by HAPPI, Social Change Sanctuary, and Divine Mother’s Love—offered a practice ground for the world we long for. It was a space to grieve and imagine, to connect and collaborate, to be as we are while becoming something new—together.

Through dialogue, play, movement, and collective imagination, we explored what it means to be in the right relationship with ourselves, each other, and the Earth.

The day was opened in prayer and grounding by Kanyon CoyoteWoman Sayers-Roods, a California Native woman of Ohlone and Chumash lineage, and CEO of Kanyon Konsulting. She welcomed us in the spirit of reverence and responsibility, and reminded us of the sacredness of place sharing the urgent call to Save Indian Canyon, the only federally recognized “Indian Country” between Sonoma and Santa Barbara.

Over the course of the afternoon activities to help participants identify what they need and what they have to offer others were held. The group also enjoyed a nutritious lunch together in the park, which was followed by collective singing and sharing.

Here’s what participants shared:

“Interdependence Day broadened my circle of friends and enabled me to better understand the differences in viewpoint and worldview between my generation and new friends.”

“The location was integral—being outdoors, anchored by the trees and visited by birds. We became a bigger 'us'—affirming what I know to be possible. Thank you.”

“I felt more embedded into, and seen within, the fabric of the community of this land.”

What has inspired Interdependence Day? 

Our ancestors did not survive by rugged independence, but through mutual care, ritual, and resource sharing. Indigenous cultures across the globe continue to embody this ethic today. Many of those who joined us are already working to create a more interdependent world.

Interdependence Day is inspired by these deep, often overlooked roots of participatory democracy—especially the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Their Great Law of Peace, developed centuries before the U.S. Constitution, modeled governance grounded in consensus, accountability, and care for the collective. Though the U.S. borrowed from these structures, it ultimately excluded the very people who embodied them.

We gather in remembrance and renewal of that original vision: that governance begins in relationship, leadership must be accountable to the people, and true democracy is rooted in care—for each other and for future generations.

What’s Next? 

We imagine a future where communities gather twice a year—Interdependence Day in summer, to honor our history and relationships, and Inheritance Day in winter, to celebrate the world we’re building.

On December 13th, we will celebrate Inheritance Day together, and fast-forward 150 years into a future of peace, sustainability, and justice for all. Poverty is gone, the planet is healed, and every person has what they need to thrive. We gather with loved ones to honor the ancestors who helped make it possible.

Inheritance Day includes a special dinner, where course marks a key milestone in our shared journey, introduced with a ritual bell—Bell 1, Bell 2, and so on—and includes reflection and celebration of our diverse lineages.

Should you be interested in joining us please contact us!