Cultivate: The Welcome Table - SUMMER Gathering

Cultivate: The Welcome Table – SUMMER Gathering

A Global Celebration of Story, Flavor & Belonging
You’re Exuberantly Invited!

Dear Seeds family—old friends and new,

Mark your calendars and RSVP today—because something absolutely magical is cookin’, and we want YOU at the table!

️ DATE: Saturday, July 19, 2025
⏰ TIME: 5:30–8:30 pm
LOCATION: Details provided upon RSVP (evite link)

Join us for Cultivate: The Welcome Table, one of the four soulFULL gatherings in our Seeds of Exchange Cultivate Series. This night is so much more than a shared meal. It’s a feast of culture, story, belonging, and celebration—rooted in love and overflowing with joy.

SUGGESTED DONATION: $40 to pay Fatouma a little honorarium-gift, buy groceries, & fuel the mission of Seeds of Exchange via Venmo or PayPal

But please know—you are wholeheartedly welcome to pay what you can or come as our guest. Truly.

WHO’S THIS FOR?

Everyone. Truly.

✨ You, your hubby or wife, your bestie, your neighbor, your teen, your grandma.
✨ The weary, the curious, the joyful, the seeking.
✨ The foodies, the activists, the storytellers, the introverts, the extroverts, the not-sure-what-to-expect-ers.

All are welcome. Come just as you are. Leave a little more whole (and happy!).

️ WHAT TO EXPECT

We’ll gather around a lovingly prepared, vegetarian Ethiopian meal—
Injira (sourdough flatbread), misir wat (red lentils), atkilt (spiced veggie stew), and a fresh herb salad—made fresh by our team of kitchen angels.

As we eat, you’ll be invited (if you’d like!) to share a bit of your story. This is a feast of food and friendship, of sweet and deep connection, both new and old.

Then we’ll pause.

️ A PoP (Place of Pause) invites us into a short, soulful reflection to center and uplift. Take a deep breath, and let the goodness settle in.

And THEN comes the heartbeat of the night:

MEET FATOUMA: OUR STORYTELLER

This is a story you’ll carry with you.

Fatouma’s journey from child bride in Ethiopia to refugee, asylee, and proud U.S. citizen is one of grit, resilience, heartbreak, and radical hope.

This is a space to witness, honor, and be moved by a story that breaks chains and builds bridges.

AND YES… WE DANCE!

We’ll close the night with joy-filled Amharic beats—clearing dishes with shoulder bumps, impromptu dancing, and that heart-expanding sense of community that lingers long after the last bite.

Because joy is part of the journey, too.

WANT TO HELP?

We need kitchen companions!
Come early to prep, chop, stir, and soul-connect.

Ideally at 1 pm (but later is okay too!)
Email connect@seedsofexchange.org to sign up.

Bring your apron—or just your beautiful self. Hang in the kitchen or by the backyard fountain. Be with us.

OPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION

Want to chip in for food + Fatouma’s honorarium?
Venmo: @seedsofexchange

We’re grateful for your generosity and partnership!

RSVP + SHARE

Click here to RSVP + share the invitation with your people:
evite.me/9Q86rr6f7E

✨ WHY WE GATHER

This night is part of our Cultivate Series—a journey of:

Creativity & Connection – forging hope & beauty in every day life
️Place of Pause – guided reflection and soulFULL practices
Compassionate Activism – justice-rooted action and advocacy
The Welcome Table – global celebration of story, flavor, and belonging

We believe in the power of story, shared meals, and sacred pause to heal and unite. These gatherings are how we live out the heartbeat of Seeds of Exchange: To cultivate spaces of belonging, purpose, and global connection.