Thank you from Camp Equity
Camp Equity began as an idea on July 23rd, 2020. Our goal was to bring young people together in a world forced to be apart, give voice to and resources for the racial justice uprisings in the U.S., and uplift lived experience leadership so desperately needed for our times. We are proud to say that in our 17 months of operation we ran eight programs, reached over 250 campers and family members from over 25 states, distributed over $20,000 to our instructors, and provided thriving-wage part-time jobs to our 20 powerful counselors. Please take a moment to read this letter from four of our counselors, Cameron, Dominique, Michaela, and Stephanie, who led our final session of Camp.
While Camp Equity held its last session on February 8th, 2022, our legacy lives on in the lives we touched. Campers have already reported speaking at rallies, engaging their teachers on issues they discovered, writing letters to their local government, and initiating school programs on equity and justice. A better world is here and young people are leading its charge! If you’re looking for more ways to get involved, want more social justice resources, or are simply a family wanting to know what else is out there, we created a resource guide to fuel your activism. You can download it here.
This website will remain up through the remainder of 2022 as a testament to our work and what can be built in a short period of time with collaborative hearts, hard working hands, and a whole lot of hope. Thank you for being a part of our journey!
In Community, The Entire Camp Equity team.
My Social Justice Dictionary
As our capstone project, our staff, counselors, instructors, and supporters worked together to publish “My Social Justice Dictionary: 150+ Words for Young Changemakers.” After a successful Kickstarter campaign and offering donated copies to our campers and partner agencies, we distributed over 400 copies of this indispensable resource in March of 2022.
We have a hunch that there just may be more demand for this work after our closing and, while there are no plans to make the book available beyond the above-mentioned campaigns, we are open to the possibility! If you are a publisher, nonprofit partner, or school interested in wider distribution of the book (500 copies or more) please email our co-founder, Lauren Burke, at lauren@theposslab.com. If you are an individual or small group who wants to be kept updated as to possible future prints of the book please fill out this form and we will contact you if we have updates to share! And if you received a copy of the book and want to share how much you love it you can let us know here! We worked so hard on it and would love to hear what you think!
As bell hooks said, “The world would be a paradise of peace and justice if global citizens shared a common definition of love which would guide our thoughts and action.” We are honored to add these shared definitions to the toolkits of the changemakers of tomorrow.
With love, The Camp Equity Team
Welcome to Camp Equity!
Camp Equity is a virtual camp that educates young people on social justice movements by connecting them with grassroots leaders from across the U.S. Our programs enable youth to meet a diverse array of peers with whom they explore topics in breakout cabins, inspiring growth, building community, and encouraging them to become changemakers in pursuit of a more equitable world.
We Offered Three Types of Camps!
Camp 101
An overview of social justice topics where we explore a different movement each week.
Camp 201
For more experienced campers and those who want to engage with materials outside of camp, our 2.0 camp allows us to go deeper into an array of topics.
Deep Dives
These six week long sessions go deep into a specific community or movement, allowing us to explore it from multiple lenses and perspectives.
In addition to camps we run Affinity Groups for campers to find a safe space to grapple with their personal experiences with others who experience the world through a similar lens.
Finally, all of our campers are invited to attend special sessions which may include documentary screenings, dance parties, debrief sessions about current events and more.
Finally, all of our campers are invited to attend special sessions which may include documentary screenings, dance parties, debrief sessions about current events and more.
Kids love Camp Equity!
"I like Camp Equity because I get to expand my horizons and think about other things besides school, Covid-19 and our country. I look forward to this every week because it's a chance for me to learn, ask questions, and engage with others who have similar thoughts to me."
"Camp Equity makes me see things from other people’s point of view, and I have learned so much about what’s going on, and how to be a better ally, and how I can make a change. I would not be the same without it.”
"I have never felt more welcome and excited to connect with people across the U.S. about the social injustices.”
“The speakers (at Camp) make me feel like I can inspire other people with my ideas if I try hard enough and put a lot of work into what I want to be!”
“The whole camp is like one big family.”
“This is one of the best online programs I have ever taken. it should be required in school”
"Camp Equity has made me want to change a lot of the things in the world."
“What I love about my counselors is that they are so fun and have such a great energy.”
And here's what parents and guardians think!
"My son has grown so much in his level of compassion towards other humans that are different from him. I'm really grateful to this program”
"This camp has been eye-opening and a sense of self-empowerment to my daughter. I couldn't be happier and look forward to it being held again."
"As a parent, listening from the other room, I am learning too, in particular perspectives & points of view I had not considered before. Camp conversations on important social justice issues have led to an awareness and enlightening opportunity for our family."
"Camp Equity has given (my daughter) even more vocabulary, information, and confidence to contribute to our conversations. We learn a lot from her."
"Talking about and reflecting on the different Camp Equity topics has helped us realize how we can be impacted by equity issues, how sometimes we have privilege, how we can be an ally to others, has raised our awareness of the world around us, and increased our understanding of different communities."
Meet our Core Team
Our core team is filled with passionate leaders and friends with over thirty years of combined experience in youth development and social justice.
Meet our Instructors
Our instructors are all lived-experience founders who are actively creating a more equitable world.
Meet our Counselors
Our counselors come from all over the United States with rich personal and professional experiences to bring conversations to life.