Los Amigos de la Esquina

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Los Amigos de la Esquina is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Native Mayan and Mexican children in Tulum, Mexico. LADLE gives kids the opportunity to be their most authentic selves. It is a safe space in the community that radiates love and acceptance. The organization is currently focused on a few programs: 

Nutrition Program: Workshops on what nourishes the body and gives energy to fuel true creativity and problem solving. They focus on meals that highlight traditional dishes from Mayan and Mexican culture and incorporate vegan/vegetarian alternatives so that the meals are accessible to all families. The kids practice their cooking techniques as they learn from chefs, and the moms and grandmas from the community. Their goal is for kids to understand the power of ingredients they use, to have the techniques to create their meals. We invite the families to participate in the workshops as well so these new recipes are incorporated into day to day life. 

Yoga and Well-being Program: Their goal as an organization is for kids to feel safe.  Feeling safe is the primary pillar in the hierarchy of needs and is the basis to making choices that create more wellbeing. Kids who know how to auto-regulate in times of stress and can understand how their emotions and their actions are linked, grow up to be adults who create safe households, safe schools, and safe communities. They use the techniques of Conscious Disciple to help hold space for the kids as they process more challenging emotions and combine those techniques with yoga, meditation, and breathing methods to help increase their capacity to handle challenges while still maintaining their inner peace.

Arts Program: What a wonder it is to be able to express yourself through the arts. Whether it be drawing/painting, music, singing, theater, or dance. Art is what makes us human. We see the kid’s boundless joy as they create their ceramic pieces, sing on stage, and enter their flow state when they draw. Their imaginations and free expression radiate in this space.


Habitas RISE

LADLE is one of the projects housed under Habitas Hotel Group’s global impact initiative RISE. Far Away Projects is a fiscal sponsor for Habitas RISE which focuses on empowering local communities by creating economic and educational opportunities for the local people, building micro-economies, creating jobs and working closely with them to address social and environmental issues. To learn more about their initiative click below.


Far Away Radio

Two new episodes are now streaming! Each week, join Desiree Tavera (Executive Director of Far Away Projects) as she dives into the uplifting world of humanitarian and environmental activists. If you haven’t listened yet, head over to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher and check out the interviews with changemakers using art, tech, and science to improve ocean health. To support our work, make sure to rate, review, and share the podcast with a friend.

Episode 3

This week we hear from Tom Green, the CEO and co-founder of Vesta, a public benefit company harnessing the power of the ocean to turn shoreline protection carbon-negative. Tom talks about his background in biological science and business, and how he applies his wealth of knowledge to the global challenge of climate change. Vesta’s fascinating technology speeds up the natural process of coastal carbon capture by grinding the mineral olivine into sand and adding it to coastal areas. Learn more about their approach and research at www.vesta.earth.

Episode 4

Last week we sat down with Gaelin Rosenwaks, a marine biologist, explorer, and storyteller who has conducted field work throughout the world. Gaelin is the founder of Global Ocean Exploration, a company devoted to bringing cutting-edge expedition science to the public through photography, writing, and film. She shares about her first expedition to Antarctica, where she spent two months on an iceberg studying plankton. She is now one of the most inspirational storytellers for ocean conservation on the planet. To purchase Gaelin’s book visit www.gaelinrosenwaks.com and follow @gaelingoexplore’s for more adventures!