Intern – Nathan Holst

As an outgrowth of the Organizing in the Biocommon class (http://test.ecofaithrecovery.org/ecology-of-grace-and-justice/) in the Spring of 2012, Nathan will spend his internship over the next 6-10 months creating and developing a curriculum for a youth camp based on the content of the course, which brings together the relationship of economic analysis, theology, and the biosphere. He will be preparing to lead a 4-7 day long youth camp during the summer of 2013. The camp will include teaching, conversation, experiences of the biosphere (hikes, canoe/kayak outings, Cosmic Walk, Rivers Lament, etc.), and games.

Originally from Duluth, Minnesota, Nathan came to Portland in 2009 to go to grad school for social work and community based practice. He currently works at Sisters Of The Road (http://sistersoftheroad.org/) as a cafe co-manager, learning the sometimes challenging work of building cross class relationships and working in a collective, anti-oppressive organization. He also works as a part time youth director at Central Lutheran Church (http://test.centralportland.org/) with an amazing group of high school youth.

In the last few years, Nathan has been involved with the Office of Humans as a trained facilitator for multi-racial dialogues on race and racism, as well as beginning to organize space for dialogue and action specifically in the white community, based off a group in LA (http://awarela.org/). His home faith community is Wilderness Way Community .org/), which nurtures his love of rest and creativity, particularly as it relates to music and camping in the woods. As a part of his spiritual practices, Nathan is exploring a commitment to inner/outer call through meditating for 45 minutes each morning and using the Ignation “examines” each night as a way of reflective journaling. Finally, in case all of this sounds just a little too serious, Nathan has been known on occasion to get pretty silly and crack a few dorky jokes.