Generation Waking Up

After a smashing success of reaching our goal of 5,000 WakeUp participants for 2012, we are already off to an amazing start to 2013!! Just since the New Year, the GenUp network has inspired and engaged over 1,500 young people, with over 43 WakeUps worldwide. These are some highlights from what WakeUp facilitator across the country and world have made happen:

• Denver University - Denver, CO   Charlotte Vetter organized and hosted a WakeUp facilitated by Joshua Gorman and Cherine Badawi with 50 of her peers.
• Texas A & M University, -
• Berkeley High - Berkeley, CA   Barbara Jefferson & Valerie Love presented a fast-paced 1-hour GenUp experience to 100 Berkley High Leadership students.
• Auckland Girls Grammar School - Auckland, New Zealand   Sam Dyson & Nalini Singh facilitated a WakeUp for 25 students - they said it went great!
• Students for a Just and Stable Future Conference - Boston, MA   Dan Jubilier led an innovative, interactive WakeUp to strengthen bonds between students and bring a unifying and empowering narrative to this climate justice conference.
• St. Josephine’s Academy - Detroit, MI   Peg Downing, Cathy, and Mary Beth and Pauline led a WakeUp for 21 overwhelmingly enthusiastic high school students, 18 of whom are interested in learning how to facilitate.
• Woolman Semester - Berkeley, CA  David Brostein, Joshua Gorman and Valerie Love led a highly interactive, one-day WakeUp experience delving in deeply with bright, committed young changemakers as part of an alternative high school program.
• Agape Youth Revelation Conference - Los Angeles, CA  David Brostein, Destiny, Luis and Shireen led a powerful, spiritually vibrant WakeUp for Agape youth in Los Angeles. 
• Portland State University - Portland, OR   Sara Ennis, Dan Mahle, Porter Eichenlaub, Jane Carr comprised an all-star team leading a WakeUp with 28 students and community members as the kick-off before a one-day WakeUp facilitator training.

Thank you to all of you who poured your heart and energy into these and many other successful WakeUp events. Please send stories and photos to wakeup@generationwakingup.org so we can feature you in the next WakeUpdate!

If you have been wanting or waiting to host or lead a WakeUp, now is the time to plan a WakeUp for the summer or to kick off next school year! Email valerie@generationwakingup.org and we will support you in making it happen. With Deep Gratitude and Love, -Valerie, Joshua, Cherine, and the GenUp Team  

This summer, Generation Waking Up is seeking highly creative, smart, motivated, and skilled interns and summer fellows to join our team!  We are working to empower an entire generation of young people across the globe that is waking up, standing up, and taking action with allies of every generation, helping to bring forth a thriving, just, and sustainable way of life for all.   In our third year as an organization, we look forward to growing our programs, building sustainable operational systems and structures, and reaching and impacting more young people than ever.  Your purpose will be to work closely with the GenUp staff in one or more program/operational area to increase our overall organizational efficiency and impact.   We explicitly build into our work new ways to innovate, collaborate, empower, support each other, take care of ourselves, work hard, and have fun all along the way. If this calls to you, we may be a great fit!   For more information on how to apply, please visit:

[gallery] Every summer in North America, Generation Waking Up hosts an intensive seven-day leadership training that brings together a diverse group of young changemakers from campuses and communities across the continent, and from around the world. This year's GenUp Summer Leadership Training is taking place from July 28 - August 4 at the EarthRise Retreat Center at IONS located forty-five minutes north of San Francisco, California. Participants will build community, engage in experiential activities and skill-building, learn the art of story-telling for social change, and develop a broad range of leadership capacities to support their passions and changemaking projects. Interested in applying? Know a young person who would value this opportunity? Learn more and apply here!

Generation Waking Up is excited to be moving into HUB Oakland in the fall of 2013. HUB Oakland is a new co-working space, entrepreneurial incubator, and community of socially engaged people that is coming alive in the heart of downtown Oakland. A place for startups and nonprofits that are changing the world, it is part of a growing network of 50 HUB's around the globe. With many partner and allied organizations that are based in Oakland and a diverse culture of resilience, creativity, justice, and innovation that is closely aligned with our work, GenUp is thrilled to be rooting deeper in the Oakland community as our work also continues to spread around the world. Help HUB Oakland launch into the world by supporting the HUB Oakland Kickstarter Campaign and see design images of the space. We'll keep you posted on when our new office doors open!