Honoring the Soul of Place
The Problem
Around the world, people have lost a meaningful connection with the places they call home.
When the land is no longer seen as sacred or alive, care and responsibility fade — and so do the cultures and ecosystems rooted in that relationship.
Many of today’s biggest challenges — biodiversity loss, damaged ecosystems, disappearing cultures, and weakened communities — are rooted in this loss. These are systemic, place-based problems, yet we try to address them with standardized solutions that ignore the unique spirit, knowledge, and living fabric of each region.
For generations, Indigenous and Native communities have carried wisdom for living in balance with their lands.
As these voices are displaced or ignored, their guidance is lost, and so is the identity, health, and soul of each place.
Rebuilding that bond—guided by Native stewards of each place and rooted in reciprocal relationship with the land—is essential to healing and restoring both people and the planet.
Our Focus
We’re helping shift both the narrative and practice of place-based change — from siloed, extractive approaches to systemic ways of seeing and acting.
Based on the power of grassroots leadership, we amplify community-driven solutions that already work and fill gaps in practical guidance so both Native and non-Native communities are equipped to make lasting change together.
Our guiding questions:
How can Indigenous and Native communities expand their cultural and ecological leadership?
How can non-Native communities grow their capacity for true partnership and right relationship?
How might reconnecting to the sacredness of place help bridge divides — between movements and peoples, and within ourselves?
We don’t have all the answers — but we’re helping shift the paradigm of change itself through partnerships, pathways, and playbooks. Our approach integrates environmental, cultural, and economic efforts, centering Native leadership in place-based stewardship and collective wellbeing.
Our Vision
A world where communities live and lead in respectful relationship with their lands and heritage communities—revitalizing culture, regenerating ecosystems, and restoring balance between people and planet.
Where We Are Now
Soul Swell is a nonprofit initiative in formation, collaborating with Indigenous communities and partner organizations to refine our first playbooks and pilot models.
If this work resonates with you, we welcome conversation, collaboration, and guidance from anyone on similar paths towards systemic, place-based change.