Love Well

Love Well Details and key programs

1440 MULTIVERSITY ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE. Our work is purposeful, organized and designed to be sustainable over time to positively benefit society and make the world a better place. We facilitate programs and conversations that inspire action, while empowering individuals to live more fulfilling lives with a desire to impact the greater good.

In undertaking a spiritual life, what matters is simple: We must make certain that our path is connected with our heart and deepest love.

Community Building

1440 Multiversity supports community building and charitable collaboration as a vital role in maintaining community morale and cohesion. We invite social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, community groups, or recreational or special-interest clubs to join us in our work at the local level to meet our community needs. Missionaligned groups committed to organizing efforts around issues like the negative health effects of food insecurity, community hunger, and the unequal burden and impacts of such effects on oppressed and marginalized communities help us in our mission of creating hope for living well.

Belonging & Unity

At 1440 Multiversity the invitation to participate is extended to all, unbound by the range of human differences. Our Belonging & Unity courses afford all of us ways to appreciate the unique qualities that make us special and build skills needed to appreciate and love one another. We invite groups and organizations interested in this work to allow 1440 to help you foster deeper and more meaningful relationships to improve your personal and professional lives by sharing a like-hearted approach to the world. Advocacy

1440 Multiversity encourages and supports several forms of advocacy, each representing an approach to initiate positive changes in society. Many organizations meet at 1440 to work on advocacy initiatives that impact (but are not lim-ited to) education; youth and family issues; justice reform; homelessness; abuse and neglect; and human trafficking. If you are a social service agency, nonprofit organization, community group, foundation or corporation committed to organizing efforts around these advocacy issues, 1440 looks forward to collaborating with you to play a vital role in creating hope for those in need.

Love Well in Action Ashanti Branch: Inspiring change in the community

ASHANTI BRANCH, MEd, founder and executive director of the growing nonprofit the Ever Forward Club for boys, develops new ways to engage at-risk youth, inspiring them to stay in school, realize their voices matter, and believe they can become role models in their communities. Recently, Ashanti launched the Ever Forward Summer Arts Experience, which included a special talk with Wynton Marsalis, an open rehearsal at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and a rehearsal and performance of The Comedy of Errors by Santa Cruz Shakespeare. 1440 Multiversity was pleased to partner with Branch to offer 1440 signature classes, nourishing meals, and pod-style living on campus to his group. Learn more about Branch’s remarkable program at everforwardclub.org.

Creative Leaders Meet at 1440

The idea for the Summer Arts Experience began during the first Service Week at 1440, in 2017. Service Week is a unique campuswide program designed for teams from nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit employees, board members, and stakeholders are invited to apply for this week of free, best-in-class professional development underwritten and hosted by 1440.

Service Week guests have time to connect, share ideas, and expand their reach in between workshop sessions, which is when Ellen Primack, executive director of the Cabrillo Festival, approached Branch. She asked if he’d like to bring a group of his boys to the festival, which hosts renowned artists from around the world. From that moment on, Primack and Branch collaborated on the Summer Arts Experience for 2019, along with 1440 and Aimee Zygmonski, managing director at Santa Cruz Shakespeare.

Words of Wisdom

Of the whole experience, Branch says the most telling part was at the end when the boys said, “I don’t want to go back yet.” Branch believes they found comfort at 1440, so he reminded them, “Ever Forward was created to show how learning can be fun. And, if you work hard, then amazing opportunities will come your way." Important takeaways occurred throughout the weekend, including in the 1440 signature improv class when the group experienced new ways of collaboration and communication, and in the talk with Wynton Marsalis who encouraged them to pay close attention to the music they listen to — to really listen to the words and ask themselves is it uplifting in any way, and how much are they investing in what goes into their ears that can uplift them?

Any Moment Could Be the One

Anyone can attend a workshop, create a career that aligns with their values, and even take daily walks outside to seek invaluable inspiration, but individuals can’t know which moment will contain a sound bite of wisdom or bring a new person, perspective or joy into their life in a way that will change the course of a project, a relationship or a life. These moments catalyze inner evolution and growth, rejuvenate and give hope when things feel stuck.

Branch created the Ever Forward Summer Arts Experience for atrisk boys with all this in mind. His goal is to give them a variety of new experiences trusting they will get something they need, and they will have evidence that people see and support them.

“If you know that you have people that look up to you, people who want to support you, and that you mean something to them, then it’s harder to want to do nothing,” Branch said. “If you are here with us in this club, then you can’t say that you don’t have someone who wanted to support you.”

With deep gratitude to all the partners, Branch says the Ever Forward Summer Arts Experience is going to change those lives, and he looks forward to doing it again. •

“Whether you relax into moments of curiousity by walking along the redwood trails, sharing locally sourced meals at Kitchen Table or connecting with others around the fire pits outside Common Grounds café, you can spend your moments here being present with whatever comes