Check out our 2019-20 Annual Report (as a PDF)
Completed Programs: October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020
Egypt Jam, October 13-18, 2019, Fayoum, Egypt – This 6th annual Jam brought together 28 diverse change-makers, ages 20-40, from varying religious, ethnic, economic, geographic, national and professional backgrounds from around Egypt. It was organized and facilitated by a team of alumni of past Egypt Jams.
Toronto Jam, October 23-27, 2019, Mansfield, Ontario, Canada – The 5th annual Toronto Jam brought together 24 Torontonians for dedicated time in nature, away from the city, to think and feel deeply about social change in our world, in our communities, and in ourselves.
Visionary Business Live, November 1, 2019, San Diego, CA, USA – YES! will present its work and offer a small taste of a Jam at this weekend event hosted by co-founder, Ryan Eliason.
Eco Jam, November 3-9, 2019, Pune, India – The first-ever EcoJam in India brought together a community of 30 people from diverse backgrounds, ages 20+, who are passionate and concerned about the environment. They gathered to know themselves more deeply, build a community together, reconnect with Nature in a profound way, and find renewed vision, purpose, and support in their work in the world. It was organized and facilitated by a team of alumni of past India Jams.
Re-Storying Justice Jam, November 10-14, 2019, Bay Area, California, USA – This first-ever Jam brought together 26 practitioners in the fields of restorative justice, prison reform, prison abolition, and more, to generate deeper community, self-awareness and healing, and to help move the dial on what ‘justice’ can look like for our times.
Pakistan Youth Leadership Jam, November 21-26, 2019, Karachi, Pakistan – 6th annual event! 24 diverse change-makers, from all parts of Pakistan and working in fields ranging from women’s empowerment to youth development to human rights and citizenship, came together to grow in self, heal divisions, create support for each other, and vision a positive future for their families, communities and land. Organized and facilitated by a team of alumni from past Pakistan Jams.
India Arts for Social Change Jam, December 6-12, 2019, buffer zone of Pench National Park, India – This 4th annual Jam engaged 18 diverse artist-activists from around India — dancers, theater artists, visual artists, poet, musicians, filmmakers, graphic designers, photographers, and more. It was organized and facilitated by a team of alumni of past India Arts for Social Change Jams.
South India Jam 2019, December 14-20, 2019 Neredu Valley, India – This Jam brought together 25 change-makers who feel connected to South India to support self-discovery, sharing, deepening connections, systemic inquiry and building community.
Annual Holiday Party, December 15, 2019, 3-6 pm, Berkeley, CA – Jammers, program partners and community members from across the Bay Area (and beyond) were invited to YES!’s annual fun-, friend- and fund-raising event.
(Re)Humans Gathering, January 27, 2020, San Francisco, CA – YES! participated in this new network gathering ‘regenerative humans’ — people gathering together to build ways of being together that shift the needle on the change we are seeking now.
Northeast Changemakers Jam, March 10-15, 2020, Deerfield, Massachusetts, USA – The 4th annual regional gathered 27 dynamic and diverse changemakers for deep learning, listening, systemic inquiry, and community building, especially powerful as the news of COVID-19 was unfolding in its midst. It was organized and facilitated by a team of alumni of past Northeast Jams.
Jam Alumni Reunions – Happening continuously across Jam communities throughout March, April, May and June. Involving hundreds of alumni across 25 Jam teams.
Facilitation Workshop, April 8, 2020, online – YES! led a dynamic workshop on facilitation for the second cohort of Creating Freedom Movements, a powerful yearlong movement training focused on more justice and more joy.
Bizverds – Pakistan, Practicing Compassion & Community, April 10, 2020, online – YES! Executive Director Shilpa Jain partnered with Pakistan & Middle East Youth Leadership Jammer, Zain Goplani, to provide an interactive session on how to meet this moment with presence, kindness and connection.
SIMBA Community mini-mini-Jam, April 11, 2020, online – YES! partnered with New Stories to host a mini-mini-Jam, a two-hour online experience, for members of the Spokane Independent Metro Business Alliance, based in Spokane, Washington. It was an opportunity to support the network in these Coronavirus times, to deepen connections, and lift up possibilities for local resilient economies going forward.
Leading with Uncertainty, April 16, 2020, online – An offering with The People Piece to explore what it is to lead and support leadership within our organizations in these times.
Mexico Jam, Virtual ‘Taste of a Jam’ – May 14 and May 19, 2020 – The 2nd Jam for Mexico-based visionaries, artists, social entrepreneurs, innovators, dreamers, creators, activists, organizers and more, for connecting, healing, transforming and visioning the present and future together (en español).
Pacific Northwest Changemakers Jam, Virtual ‘Taste of a Jam’ – May 21 and May 27, 2020 – The first-ever Jam to gather multi-generational change-makers from around the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, British Columbia) to explore the realities of the region, create lasting relationships, and deepen in self-awareness together.
The Impossible Summit, May 20, 2020, online – YES! Executive Director, Shilpa Jain, hosted a public workshop on ‘Engaging the Power of Intention and Ritual to Make the Impossible’ for this first-ever Summit that included many Jam alumni and friends of YES!. Here’s also the panel on Impossible Innovation that she also hosted.
Virtual World Jam for Jammers, May 30, and June 1, 2020 – A virtual offering to gather Jammers from around the world, to deepen, listen, share and learn together towards living in this moment and co-creating the future we want to see.
Tools for the Work of Uprooting Racism, June 17, 2020 – In partnership with Social Venture Circle, YES! Executive Director Shilpa Jain will be hosting an interactive session sharing Jam tools to support this pivotal movement of facing systemic racism and police brutality.
Our Moment of Choice, June 24, 2020 – YES! Executive Director Shilpa Jain, and Arts for Social Change Jam leader, Gino Pastori-Ng, shared in the launch of the new book by the Evolutionary Leaders Network, in which they both have chapters.
Conflict Transformation Online Summit, June 15 to July 15, 2020 – YES! is thrilled to be supporting and part of ‘Coming Down to Earth: A Journey to Explore Pathways to Regenerative Cultures in a Time of Breakdown.’ Shilpa Jain, Executive Director, hosted a workshop on July 7, 2020: “From Breakdown to Breakthrough: Facing and Changing Conflicts in Our Lives.”
Education Transformation Jam, Held Virtually, June 23-July 1, 2020 – How is education transforming in this COVID-19 world? 24 intergenerational and dynamic change-makers in the field of education came together to (re)weave an oft-divided education transformation fabric. Learning from our life experiences, healing from education pains, co-creating a robust support system, and generating new visions and practices of education were at the heart of this 7th annual Jam.
This Is Us: DISCOVER program, Held Virtually, July 21, 2020 – YES! facilitated this virtual workshop on leadership and empathy for 30 young women from all over Pakistan to enhance their knowledge, confidence, and interest.
HOME (Healing Our Movement Ecosystem) – An Environmental Movement Jam, Held Virtually, July 29 to August 1, 2020 – 31 change-makers from the intersecting environmental, ecology and environmental justice movements gathered to heal the movement ecosystem at all levels. This was our first-ever virtual gathering of this 5th annual Jam. Grassroots leaders, conservationists, indigenous peoples, alternative builders, eco-justice warriors, scientists, and policy advocates, and more, explored their stories, learnings, struggles and hopes, and find ways to amplify vision, balance, well-being, connectivity and collective effectiveness within this vital movement. Core partners: Elias Serras & Ecovillages, Kyle Lemle & Lead to Life, Tianna Arrendondo & 350.org, Rene Henery & Trout Unlimited, Anwen Baumeister & The Well/Cozy Bones Farm.
Law and Social Change Jam, Held Virtually, August 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 – This 6th annual Jam happened online for the first time! We brought together 31 diverse lawyers and justice practitioners, who are vital to co-creating a better world, in environment, human rights, criminal justice, land rights, immigration, alternative economies, and more, and who want to heal and deepen their connections on personal, interpersonal and systemic levels. Core partners: Susan Brooks, John Lopez, Chris Tittle, Judi Cohen, Jeff Carolin, Demarris Evans.
Our Moment of Choice, September 1, 2020 – YES! Executive Director Shilpa Jain, and Arts for Social Change Jam leader, Gino Pastori-Ng, shared in the public launch of the new book by the Evolutionary Leaders Network, in which they both have chapters. Shilpa also appeared on the Voice America radio show on August 26, 2020 and on the Beyond Words platform on September 17, 2020, both times to share more about Jamming and the chapter in the book. You can also see more about Our Moment of Choice here in Light on Light magazine.
Transforming Ourselves, Transforming Our World: Attending to the Personal, Interpersonal and Systemic – August 19, August 26, September 2, September 9 – YES! Jam leaders, Shilpa Jain and Hanzade Germiyanoglu, created this four-part series in partnership with The Peoples’ Hub. 12 participants got a taste of YES!’s work on slowing down, finding your purpose, cultivating supporting, and transforming conflicts.
Shift Summit & Music Festival, September 18, 2020 – YES! Executive Director Shilpa Jain participated on the Women’s Empowerment breakout-stage with Claire Zammit, Jean Houston, and Jam alum Devaa Haley Mitchell to explore women’s critical role in going forward in these times.