2023 Moon & Mirror BIPOC Apprenticeship
Hi! Welcome to the application page for the 2023 Moon & Mirror BIPOC Apprenticeship Program!
The Moon & Mirror BIPOC Apprenticeship is a 7 month long herbal immersion program where folx of color can learn the foundations of plant medicine through the lenses of intersectionality, decolonization, and liberation.
Moon & Mirror supports apprentices to decolonize and unlearn the ways we've been taught to interact with our bodies, our minds, our spirits, the land, and each other. We aim to co-create brave space for apprentices to reconnect and reclaim their ancestral healing ways & deepen into their personal and collective healing journeys.
The apprenticeship is a 7 month long program divided into 2 seasons [Spring & Fall] with a 6-week summer break in between.
All of your classes will be taught by BIPOC/QTBIPOC healers, some of whom are past apprentices. The program is also facilitated by a council of past apprentices.
The apprenticeship is based in what is now called Portland, Oregon, USA - that rests on village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla, & many other tribes both recognized and unrecognized who tended these sacred lands by Nch'i-Wàna - the Big River (Portland Indian Leaders Roundtable - Leading with Tradition).
Program Overview
The 2023 program will run from Wed, March 29 - Sun, October 22, 2023 with classes primarily on Wednesday evenings, and a few Saturdays and Sundays. The cohort will consist of a small, intimate group of approximately 11 BIPOC apprentices. The program includes all classes listed below as well as an immersive botanical summer campout. We will begin the program with two required workshops on Internalized Oppression & Gender Competency to help us co-create a loving and liberatory container together.
season
one: spring
Our first season together will last from April to late June. We will begin with an Opening Ceremony. We will also co-create a Summer Solstice ceremony before summer break. The plants we will work with this season are Western Red Cedar, Sage, Nettles, Chickweed, Rose, Cottonwood, Motherwort, California Poppy, & Klamath Weed. This season’s classes will be:
Broths & Nosh [Decolonizing Food Series]
Pestos [Decolonizing Food Series]
Salves [Medicine Making]
Energetics [Foundations]
Bitters [Plant Actions]
Astrology & Herbalism 101
Dream Club I & II
Generative Cycle Support
Herbalism & Trans Healthcare
Botany 101
summer break &
campout
We believe in time to rest and play, so this year we have incorporated a 6 week summer break from Mon, June 26th - Sat, August 5th, 2023.
We will come back together for a fun summer campout at Oxbow Regional Park from Fri, August 11th - Sun, August 13th, 2023.
season
two: fall
Our second season will gather from August - October. This season we will co-create a ceremony to honor the Fall Equinox in September. Our final Closing Ceremony will be in October. The plants we will work with this season are Skullcap, Milky Oats, Calendula, Tobacco, Mugwort, Elder, and Hawthorn. This season’s classes will be:
Fermentation [Decolonizing Food Series]
Oxymels & Syrups [Decolonizing Food Series]
Tinctures [Medicine Making]
Formulations [Medicine Making]
Aromatics, Stimulants, Relaxants [Plant Actions]
Demulcents [Plant Actions]
Flower Essences
Working with Ancestors: Using an Altar for Connection
Mushrooms 101: An Intro to Medicinal Mushrooms
Cost Investment
$2,500-2,750 sliding scale. If accepted into the program the first half of the program fee will be due by Wed, March 29, 2023. Second half will be due by Wed, May 31, 2023. This year we have a couple partial scholarships available.
Application Process
Applications for the 2023 program have closed! We will announce on this page when applications open back up.
What To Expect
Who is this apprenticeship for?
This apprenticeship is for any person who self identifies as Black, Indigenous, and/or as a Person Of Color (BIPOC) and is seeking a healing space to support connecting with their ancestry, ancestral medicine, and intuitive healing practices through food, ceremony, intentional time in nature, plant medicine, community and more.
Where will classes be located?
Classes will be primarily hosted at two community centers in Northeast Portland - Alder Commons, with a few gatherings at Leaven Community Center. There will also be a handful of outdoor excursions for some classes in other parts of the city.
When will classes take place?
All classes take place on Wednesday evenings and 1-2 Sundays per month. There will also be 2 additional Saturday medicine making days at Alder Commons.
Who is this apprenticeship facilitated by?
This apprenticeship is facilitated by a small council of past apprentices.
Who will my teachers be?
All of your classes will be taught by BIPOC/QTBIPOC healers, some of whom are past apprentices.
How much does the program cost?
$2,500-2,750 sliding scale for the full year program.
What are important dates to know?
Wed, Dec 21 2022: Applications Open.
Wed, Jan 18, 2022, 6.30-8.30pm PT: Virtual Open House for interested program applicants.
Mon, Jan 30 2023: Applications Close.
Mon, Feb 13, 2023: Invitations to participate sent out.
Mon, Feb 20, 2023: If accepted into the program, confirmations due.
Wed, March 29, 2023: If accepted into the program, 50% program fee due.
Wed, May 31, 2023: If accepted into the program, full program fee due.
What are your Covid safety protocols?
Currently, all facilitators, teachers, and apprentices regardless of vaccination status will be required to be masked in any indoor class and practice social distancing. Indoor spaces will be well ventilated & equipped with quality air filters. Outdoor classes will also require masks when the group is in close proximity for demonstration or instruction. We will have hand-washing stations & hand sanitizer available during class and will work to sanitize all work stations before and after each class. This year we will have a limited apprenticeship cohort to allow for more ease in keeping each other & our community safe.
How do I apply?
Applications closed January 30th, 2023. We will announce on this page when applications open back up.
