Pada emerged thanks to years of work with the unhoused.
For years, every Friday we offered a program called Street Wellness to persons currently experiencing homelessness. It created a safe space for the participants and offered mindful movement, periods of stillness, healthy foods and an honest discussion of life on the streets and simple ways people were coping with stress. It resulted in glimpses of what a supportive community could look like. The unhoused were offered a chance to express their connection and gratitude by tying a red string on each others wrist as a symbol of recognition of the connection we all felt.
Street Wellness conducted weekly on Fridays at the Harry Tompson Center in New Orleans
As time went on and trust was established, several regulars expressed wanting to be able to continue to carry the feeling they experienced at Street Wellness into their lives on the streets and beyond. We designed Pocket Wellness, a pocket sized bag that included essential oil, a candle, a small pamphlet of basic mindful movements, a loving kindness meditation and a connection string.
Pocket Wellness
Pocket Wellness Card
These along with our personal practices of daily journaling created the idea of Pada as both an offering and a fundraising tool. We hope that at our dream village, a copy of Pada will be provided to everyone who visits and stays as a reminder of what we ultimately value.
The proceeds from this journal go towards furthering the mission of Santosha Village, which is to co-design holistic modern communities accessible to all, especially the unhoused, people on disability, people earning minimum wage or those in a cycle of poverty. Santosha Village hopes to do this by creating hyper-affordable housing, providing access to healthy nutrition and wellness tools, making transportation affordable, and providing life skills/livelihood opportunities. We believe that through the power of community and the help of those who believe, this dream will surely come to life.