The Lighthouse closes for two weeks of intentional rest, will return August 17

The "Grown Black Girls" podcast explores the value of rest

The Lighthouse's Black girls log off for two weeks of rest. image credit: Shutterstock

The Lighthouse | Black Girl Projects takes a rest, perfects the OOO email 

If you call a member of the Lighthouse team over the next two weeks, you might not get an answer. If you decide to email, you’ll most likely receive some version of this out-of-office reply: 

Thank you for reaching out.

Our team is away for a season of rest, renewal, and restoration from Monday, August 3rd through Friday, August 14th. We will not be checking email during this time.

We appreciate your patience and look forward to connecting with you. We will respond to your message after we return on Monday, August 17th.

With care,

The Lighthouse | Black Girl Projects

Rest: not just a reward for work The Lighthouse believes that the conditions that help Black girls and women flourish should also shape the way we work. That's why for the last 10 years, The Lighthouse pauses for two weeks each August. Rest isn't a reward for finishing the work. It's part of how the work is sustained. By stepping away as an organization, no one has to choose between resting and falling behind. 

The Grown Black Girls explore what it truly means to rest

In the most recent episode of the Grown Black Girls podcast, Natalie and Charity discuss what it means to truly rest.

Natalie: “There’s a difference between rest and time off. …Time off is useful, but rest is more important.” Charity: “That’s a fact. … You gotta figure out what type of rest you need. If  physical tiredness isn’t the thing that’s draining you. Physical rest may not be the thing that recharges you.” 

Not all rest is created equal: four question to decide what kind you need Sleeping, longer or more often might not be the type of rest that truly restores you.

Ask yourself:

1. What kind of rest do I need? 
   

2. What do I need rest from? 
   

3. What actually feels restful? (Editor’s note: making lists about what you need to do when rest is over is not resting, even if you’re lying down.) 
   

4. What tools can I use to set boundaries about rest? (Can you change your calendar settings, silence your phone's push notifications to support your dreams of rest?)

For Black women (and sometimes girls) who have yet to throw their superhero capes into the fire, rest might not look like sleeping. It might look like:  spending extra time reading, traveling, spending time with loved ones, tending a garden or simply enjoying a slower pace. Whatever vision of rest you come up with, the hope is that all of us find space to return to the work of serving Black girls and women with renewed energy, curiosity and imagination.