I am because we are. Because we are, I can be.
Ubuntu is more than a word—it’s a way of being - and the truth beyond our perceived limits and illusions of separation. A deep recognition that our survival, our evolution, and our emergence are interconnected.
In a time when division is profitable and crises feel overwhelming, Ubuntu reminds us that we are not alone. It offers a different model for leadership, one rooted in interdependence rather than individualism.
We do not solve the poly-crisis by outpacing collapse. We solve it by remembering that we belong to each other.
And that’s what we are building with EMERGE—a template for open-source knowledge, experience, and transformational leadership tools that allow us to move through this time, not just survive it.
Lions, Tigers, and Bears—Oh My! 🌀
Following the epic Warner Brothers release of the movie Wicked last year - which has taken the world by storm - it demonstrates that not all witches (or our perceived enemies) are born evil, that they are forged through disconnection, powerlessness, and separation.
This reminded me of a scene In The Wizard of Oz, where Dorothy didn’t navigate the uncertainty alone. She found her strength (and ability to stay on the golden path) in community.
That’s the road we’re on.
Instead of getting lost in fear, we stay on the proverbial Yellow Brick Road—following the guiding principles of mutualism, and letting nature lead the way.
EMERGE is that roadmap. A living, breathing blueprint for how we navigate the poly-crisis by drawing on ancestral wisdom, emergent leadership, and nature’s unified intelligence (now more accessible than ever with the age of artificial intelligence).
Through open-source tools, storytelling, and experiential learning, we are creating the kind of world that keeps us together.
Ubuntu in Action: Journey with Kabbo Hue Qua
One of the ways we remember who we are is through the voices of those who have preserved the wisdom of our ancestors.
Meet Kabbo Hue Qua, an Indigenous Afrikan storyteller whose words, sounds, and movements bridge the past into the present.
🌀 Based in Bristol and deeply rooted in his South Afrikan heritage—spanning Goringhaíçona, Barbadian, Cape Malay, and Huguenot lineages—Kabbo uses his craft to honor ancestral stories while creating healing spaces for the future.
Through ceremonial drumming, poetry, and storytelling, he explores how culture, sound, and lineage can serve as tools for remembrance and reconnection.
🎥 Filmed and edited by: Soul Focus Media
🎶 Music: "Obiero" by Ayub Ogada
The Poly-Crisis & The Power of Ubuntu
We are living in what many call a poly-crisis—a tangled web of global challenges, from climate collapse to economic instability, political unrest, and AI disruption.
The problem isn’t just the crises themselves. It’s how we respond to them.
🚨 Fear keeps us trapped in separation, blame, shame, and division.
🚨 Survival mode tells us it’s ‘every person for themselves.’
🚨 The old system thrives on us vs. them, making it hard to imagine another way.
But Ubuntu shows us another way.
🚀 Celebrating Our Movers, Shakers & Visionary Makers
💛 A huge thank you to our most recent paid subscribers! You are the heartbeat of this movement—fueling our work, keeping our community growing, and showing that collective leadership is the future.
🌟 Want to be featured in our next
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🔥 Milestone Moment!
A huge shoutout to
, a simple act of sharing made our last Substack, “Break in Case of Emergency,” a viral sensation.The impact of a single ripple is immeasurable. Let’s keep the momentum going.
📩 Share this or restack to support our EMERGE initiative, where we are learning to lead like nature, by leading like a cell.
The Miracle Foundation & My Personal Foster Care Experience As A Case Study For EMERGENCE
Ubuntu is not an abstract idea. It is a lived experience.
My own journey of resilience, adaptability, and emergence is deeply tied to this work.
I have walked through systemic abuse, breakdowns, and impossible odds—and emerged not just standing, but standing for something.
That something is the belief that every child deserves to grow up in a home where they can thrive.
That is why I have been working with The Miracle Foundation (celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this year), bringing the vision of EMERGE into action—ensuring that the next generation has the tools, the support, and the leadership models they need to build a better future.
This is also an invitation to care—for ourselves, each other, and the planet. As
, my mother, the one who cared for me through life, and the author of Your Wildest Dreams so beautifully articulated, caregiving is a sacred act, a way of honoring life itself.Cheryl, your birth mother, introduced you to caregiving in a hard and painful way—one that, over time, has come to serve you. -Michelle Terrill Heath
For me, caregiving (and receiving care as an orphan) has been woven through my life in ways both painful and profound.
And Michelle Terrill-Heath, my mother who cared for me, showed me that care is more than survival—it is love in action.
🎙 Watch my testimonial on YouTube or listen to our podcast episode to learn how we are creating systems of thriving, not just survival.
Because the next generation isn’t just the future—they are the reason EMERGE exists right now.
📚 A Free Gift for You: "How to Rebuild Civilization"
We know the system is broken.
But we have everything we need to rebuild if we have to.
This book is THE ultimate guide on how to rebuild civilization—a toolkit for resilience, collaboration, and regenerative design
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Because in moments of emergency, we don’t just break… we EMERGE.
🌍 An Open-Source Regenerative Renaissance
This isn’t just a newsletter.
It’s an open-source movement for those who are ready to lead like nature.
🌱 Want to deepen your leadership? Explore our tools & resources.
🎙 Want to make ripples with our luminaries? Check out our podcast.
🌍 Want to connect & collaborate? Join the EMERGE community.
🔗 Navigate all our free open-source tools for regenerative impact.
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