Street Poets awakens youth to their own true nature by bringing them out of the city into active relationship with the natural world. In addition to hikes, trips to the ocean, and community rituals designed to inspire healing and transformation, we facilitate annual initiation retreats for both boys and girls in collaboration with Youth Mentoring and Rhythm Arts Alliance. Street Poets is also in active relationship with several Sweatlodge communities here in Southern California, all of which support our community in ways both seen and unseen. We draw inspiration, sustenance and guidance from the wisdom found in many of the earth’s indigenous healing traditions, and we are grateful for that wisdom’s profound influence on our mentoring and rites of passage work.