Western Gate Roots and Wings Foundation has a list of partner organizations on their website. One of the organizations is called “Youth Mentoring Connection.” This is how Western Gate Roots and Wings Foundation describes Youth Mentoring Connection:
YOUTH MENTORING CONNECTION
HThe (sic) Mission of Youth Mentoring Connection is to awaken at-risk youth to their power, unique gifts and purpose by matching them with caring adult mentors and placing that “match” within a structured group dynamic that provides the resources youth need to reach productive, conscious adulthood. We further seek to awaken society to the needs, promise and value of this overlooked population.
Source: Western Gate Roots and Wings Foundation - Partners
Direct Link: https://www.wgrw.org/partners
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/vTi9D
There are two excerpts from Youth Mentoring Connection’s website below. Bold text was added by me for emphasis.
Initiation Weekends
Our four-day Initiation Weekend mountain retreats are where our deepest work is done. This intensive experience uses initiation rituals drawn from indigenous cultures to create a community in which youth begin identifying their wounds and discovering their gifts. YMC’s partner organizations, Street Poets, Rhythm Arts Alliance, and Western Gates Roots and Wings, help provide opportunities for creative expression through poetry, writing, music, dance, and ceremonies that awaken the ancestral wisdom living deep within their bones. Other activities include a ropes course, drumming, climbing walls, and hiking. The retreat is followed by nine months of innovative mentoring.
Source: Youth Mentoring Connections
Direct Link: https://youthmentoring.org/
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/xhSC1
ECHO
ECHO is a monthly gathering where we come together to share stories, uncover wounds, and discover gifts. We use indigenous rituals, ancient stories, poetry and sometimes music to create a space for deep healing conversations. Facilitated by Youth Mentoring Connection staff, men and women meet in separate concurrent spaces for two or more hours of open sharing. These gatherings are open to all guests, though the nature of discussion is usually best suited for high school age and above.
Source: Youth Mentoring Connections
Direct Link: https://youthmentoring.org/
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/xhSC1
Youth Mentoring Connection touts using “initiation rituals drawn from indigenous cultures” and “indigenous rituals.” Considering how heavily Youth Mentoring Connection’s model seems to rely on (alleged) indigenous initiation rituals and ceremonies, I was surprised to see the graph of race and ethnicity on their GuideStar profile. It doesn’t look like any of the 11 board members, 13 staff, or 5 senior staff are Native American. Western Gate Roots and Wings Foundation, as a partner, doesn’t improve the situation based on what Fairbanks has posted.
These people and organizations look like an interesting rabbit hole.
