Kafenia offers welcome, refuge, and real human connection in an ever more virtual world. Our community is inspired by diverse voices from village cultures who understand the value of relationship and our shared humanity. We weave ourselves into a Village of all Together, listening and sharing our voices, stories, cultures, visions, callings, through circles and creative community offerings. In the process, we build a more humane, interconnected Silicon Valley & a more peaceful, inclusive world.
DEEP PEACE BUILDING
SILENT WALK FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Take a pause from your busy schedule. Walk together in silence by the bay to reflect on what peace means to you and how we might live together. No words, except for a brief take-away at the end. It’s an invitation to feel each other’s presence and heart.
DEEP LISTENING CIRCLE
How does the war in Gaza touch you? How does it intersect with your life or family history? What feelings does it activate?
This session is to listen deeply without comment, to take in the heartfelt stories of others with awareness and appreciation, no matter how much their background, experiences, and perspectives differ from our own.
It's one step on a long journey, but if we can take this step together, we might be able to stay together on the journey.
DEEP ACTION CIRCLE
There are immediate urgent actions we are all taking or feel we need to take to stop the violence and build lasting peace. How are things going? What is working? what isn't? We will take some time to journal, reflect and share on what is the emerging? Do you have some ideas? These impossible times demand new approaches. What do you feel called on to do to promote peace and what support would you like from Kafenia?
To learn more, scroll down and sign up for our mailing list. Or send email to welcome@kafenia.org.
For suggestions on organizations working on humanitarian relief in Gaza and other war-torn areas, see our Action page.
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OTHER PROJECTS - CURRENT AND PAST
Edu-Kits: educational and practical support for children & their families living in RVs
in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto & Mountain View (with Evelyne Keomian / Karat School Project).
DONATE AT KSP.
Umoja Health Vaccine Equity
for East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and North Fair Oaks / Redwood City. Bringing vaccinations and health care to local communities, 'for us, by us.'
Community members can join Mondays, 5-6 pm
Email Barbara to join.
WordSlam4 Youth Poetry Contest for Youth
in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven (Menlo Park) and North Fair Oaks (Redwood City).
Learn more Here
Donate through Kafenia (put "Poetry" in note)
Ottoman Healing House
This is a journey to heal ancestral wounds and reclaim our diversity, with descendents of the Ottoman Empire. This project blends a personal journey and expressive arts with a deep study of history.
WordSlam Had 3 Poetry Contests in 2021 & 2022
First of the Month Rent Fund. From March - November 2020, the fund provided multiple months rent to 350 families to help them weather the COVID lockdown.
SILENT WALK FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Take a pause from your busy schedule. Walk together in silence by the bay to reflect on what peace means to you and how we might live together. No words, except for a brief take-away at the end. It’s an invitation to feel each other’s presence and heart.
DEEP LISTENING CIRCLE
How does the war in Gaza touch you? How does it intersect with your life or family history? What feelings does it activate?
This session is to listen deeply without comment, to take in the heartfelt stories of others with awareness and appreciation, no matter how much their background, experiences, and perspectives differ from our own.
It's one step on a long journey, but if we can take this step together, we might be able to stay together on the journey.
DEEP ACTION CIRCLE
There are immediate urgent actions we are all taking or feel we need to take to stop the violence and build lasting peace. How are things going? What is working? what isn't? We will take some time to journal, reflect and share on what is the emerging? Do you have some ideas? These impossible times demand new approaches. What do you feel called on to do to promote peace and what support would you like from Kafenia?
To learn more, scroll down and sign up for our mailing list. Or send email to welcome@kafenia.org.
For suggestions on organizations working on humanitarian relief in Gaza and other war-torn areas, see our Action page.
______________________________________________
OTHER PROJECTS - CURRENT AND PAST
Edu-Kits: educational and practical support for children & their families living in RVs
in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto & Mountain View (with Evelyne Keomian / Karat School Project).
DONATE AT KSP.
Umoja Health Vaccine Equity
for East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and North Fair Oaks / Redwood City. Bringing vaccinations and health care to local communities, 'for us, by us.'
Community members can join Mondays, 5-6 pm
Email Barbara to join.
WordSlam4 Youth Poetry Contest for Youth
in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven (Menlo Park) and North Fair Oaks (Redwood City).
Learn more Here
Donate through Kafenia (put "Poetry" in note)
Ottoman Healing House
This is a journey to heal ancestral wounds and reclaim our diversity, with descendents of the Ottoman Empire. This project blends a personal journey and expressive arts with a deep study of history.
WordSlam Had 3 Poetry Contests in 2021 & 2022
First of the Month Rent Fund. From March - November 2020, the fund provided multiple months rent to 350 families to help them weather the COVID lockdown.
Thank you on behalf of our 'Village of All Together', which we need now more than ever before.
The Kafenia Peace Collective is growing a community of "bridge builders" with roots around the world who stand for a Silicon Valley & world where everyone is included and thrives. We call this a "Village of All Together." (Inspired by this.)
We do this by creating a village-spirited cross-cultural deeply connective HOME BASE (right now, temporary, but eventually permanent) from which we can grow this spirit, share our cultures, prototype new inclusive paradigms and wreak some loving creative havoc in SV. You are welcome!
What is the Kafenia?
The Kafenia is a reimagining of the traditional Greek kafenio where men shared food, friendship and social and political life together. My grandfather had a kafenio at 16th and Folsom in San Francisco in the 1930s to keep the village alive in a bustling metropolis - but it was only for men. Now, as his granddaughter, Mary Jane, whose father was a WW2 refugee and who has done peacebuilding around the world, I am reimagining it as a multicultural village in Silicon Valley- with women front and center. (see World Pulse story.)
We do this by creating a village-spirited cross-cultural deeply connective HOME BASE (right now, temporary, but eventually permanent) from which we can grow this spirit, share our cultures, prototype new inclusive paradigms and wreak some loving creative havoc in SV. You are welcome!
What is the Kafenia?
The Kafenia is a reimagining of the traditional Greek kafenio where men shared food, friendship and social and political life together. My grandfather had a kafenio at 16th and Folsom in San Francisco in the 1930s to keep the village alive in a bustling metropolis - but it was only for men. Now, as his granddaughter, Mary Jane, whose father was a WW2 refugee and who has done peacebuilding around the world, I am reimagining it as a multicultural village in Silicon Valley- with women front and center. (see World Pulse story.)