Rooted in Belonging and Rising in Spirit is a theme that invites us to ground ourselves in our identity and relationship with those we are in community with. We are called to sit with our sense of belonging and the shared understanding of Ubuntu - "I am because you are, and because you are, I can be also." We recognize that we are because we belong. To be rooted is to deepen our connection to God, to one another, and to the spaces we inhabit, while honestly reflecting on the internal and external empires that have defragmented our sense of unity and growth. From this grounding, we are called to rise and move toward a renewed vision of belonging.
These are words from Mother Yvonne regarding our time together:
"We will be coming together on holy ground, sacred ground -free from the walls and divisions that have divided us in the past. In this open space of Franklinton Center at Bricks - a living witness to resistance, resilience, renewal, we will be surrounded by ancestral blessings for a new chapter of sisters rooted in belonging and rising in spirit."
A limited number of full scholarships at the shared-lodging rate will be awarded on a first-come basis to AAWIM sisters who apply before the September 1 deadline. The scholarship request form can be found here: https://forms.gle/bW9iby9RSsJXioeL7; scholarship-related questions should be emailed to AAWIMUCC@gmail.com.
Hotel and Transportation
The event hotel is the Courtyard by Marriott Rocky Mount, located at 250 Gateway Blvd., Rocky Mount, NC 27804. Hotel accommodations are included in the $100 registration fee based on double occupancy. Participants who prefer a private room may request one for an additional cost, for a total registration fee of $200. During registration, participants will have the opportunity to indicate their preferred roommate by name.
AAWIM will provide transportation from the Raleigh-Durham Airport on this schedule:
- Wednesday, September 30, departs RDU 8:00am, arrives Franklinton at approximately 9:30am
- Wednesday, September 30, departs RDU 11:30am, arrives Franklinton at approximately 1:00pm
- Saturday, October 3, departs Franklinton 12:30pm, arrives RDU approximately 2:00pm
- Saturday, October 3, departs Franklinton 2:30pm, arrives RDU approximately 4:00pm
Please book flights that allow you to take advantage of this transportation option. There will also be transportation from Franklinton Center to the overflow hotel, which is the Courtyard by Marriott in Rocky Mount, NC.
Please click here for the agenda.