https://www.healingincommunityss.org/events-2 daily 0.75 2025-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1625676063342-DY17RCHMN34KZ18NTQO4/IMG_1619.JPG Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities - Healing and Rebuilding Our Community H ROC {He-Rock} The Story In the latter part of the 20th century, Rwanda and Burundi both experienced devastating internal conflict between their Hutu and Tutsi communities. In Burundi there were many eruptions of communal violence, predominantly Tutsi on Hutu. In Rwanda there were also many conflicts, predominantly Hutu on Tutsi, violence there came to a terrible peak in 1994, when hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were killed during an 8-week period, now known as the Rwandan genocide. In both countries, many people were left deeply traumatized and in great need of healing. In 2003 Rwandan and Burundian Friends began to develop HROC in response to this great need, with support from the African Great Lakes Initiative. Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities, established in 2003 in Rwanda, provides trauma healing community workshops and mental support of its own psychological approach. Despite having been plagued by a brutal history of colonization and genocide, Rwanda has developed into a country striving for peace. “Before we [survivors and released prisoners from the Rwandan genocide] could not even talk to each other or sit next to each other, but after the workshop we could talk. The one who killed my family asked for forgiveness, explained what he did and accepted it. It was not easy for me to forgive him, but I did and little by little he became close to me.” She went to Burundi in 2011 to learn more and facilitate workshops. Santa Rivera Sorenson was the first to facilitate a HROC workshop in the United States. The work continues……… Photo by Santa: A workshop in Burundi during a break. The beautiful smile belongs to Florence Ntakarutimana, HROC Facilitator https://www.healingincommunityss.org/events-2/event-five-zhxkm monthly 0.5 2020-08-28 https://www.healingincommunityss.org/events-2/event-three-54s39 monthly 0.5 2020-08-28 https://www.healingincommunityss.org/events-2/event-two-7m34e monthly 0.5 2020-08-28 https://www.healingincommunityss.org/contact-me daily 0.75 2025-11-18 https://www.healingincommunityss.org/about daily 0.75 2025-11-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1625071431779-3AONRXCKIXQQG2331X64/IMG-0135.JPG Santa Sorenson - Santa Sorenson Pronouns: she, her, hers Santa is the Founder and CEO of Healing in Community and is a certified facilitator in the following: AVP, Alternatives to Violence Project, a curriculum for the incarcerated HIP [Help Increase the Peace], a youth empowerment /activist program Peer mediation Restorative Healing Circles Trauma, Grief and Peacemaking Circles Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities - An African initiative for trauma-healing She served as the Conflict Resolution Program Director, Conflict Resolution Chair and lead facilitator for the Richmond Peace Education Center for 17 years. She served as a board member for the peace center and for the Healing Justice Project, a sister of the Innocence Project, which seeks to provide support, reconciliation, and recovery in cases involving exonerations. She served as a commissioner on the Richmond Human Rights Commission. Santa has extensive experience working with children, youth, adults, non-profits, African refugees, immigrants, veterans of war, the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated. In 2010 Santa initiated the first trauma healing training in the U.S., HROC, Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities Program, an initiative for trauma healing. HROC is a community-based reconciliation program that addresses trauma caused by violence, war, and genocide. This curriculum was developed in Burundi and Rwanda in 2003, where she trained. She is also trained in the Eastern Mennonite University’s STAR program, Strategies in Trauma Awareness and Resilience. In March 2020 Santa was nominated for an International Women’s Peace Award through the International Women’s Peace Group. Santa is also a Reiki Master, retired registered nurse, wife, mother of 3 and recent Grandmother who loves to be in community, dance, cook and sit on a mountain top enjoying the view with her husband, Denny. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1625677229809-AUP2QI8BJZN921T6HKAS/unsplash-image-8qudl9pDZJ0.jpg Santa Sorenson - Santa has partnered with: Armstrong Leadership Program African Fellowship for Peace and Reconciliation Chesterfield County Public Schools Communities in Schools - Richmond Public Schools Communities in Schools - Petersburg Department of Juvenile Justice First Unitarian Universalist Church Ginter Park Presbyterian Church Goochland Correctional Center for Women Hampton University Hanover Public Schools Henrico Public Schools The Innerwork Center International Rescue Committee of Richmond Mayor's Youth Academy Norfolk State University Old Dominion University Petersburgh Community in Schools Re-Establish Richmond Richmond Boys and Girls Club Richmond City Jail Richmond Peace Education Center Richmond Public Schools First Unitarian Universalist Church Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia State University Waldorf School Women's Correctional Center in Goochland YWCA Grateful to be of Service https://www.healingincommunityss.org/home daily 1.0 2025-05-17 https://www.healingincommunityss.org/reiki daily 0.75 2022-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1661445587082-N19S9NCFK7I68H5E1MMT/unsplash-image-iQWvVYMtv1k.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1658250867857-LLJJ6KGBQIEYPPT1TKQ8/unsplash-image-YXl3e6S0oso.jpg https://www.healingincommunityss.org/trauma-responsive-conflict-resolution-training daily 0.75 2025-04-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1625251852839-D6ATEER2Y8CH68BM2YDG/20200821_112235.jpg Trauma Responsive Conflict Resolution Training https://www.healingincommunityss.org/team-1 daily 0.75 2022-02-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1629315028240-XBQDHC7BVZPWJ8DGVIKS/Bunny+Photo.jpeg Healing in Community Facilitators https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1629314584266-3Z01P7CKVBQEBA9Z63DH/DSC_0125.jpg Healing in Community Facilitators https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/522ad70d-1a6d-4a16-a59e-5765026f9bf3/FullSizeR.jpg Healing in Community Facilitators - Elham Khairi is a servant leader, certified facilitator, nonviolent practitioner who has over 17 years’ experience in the field of Conflict Resolution, Multinational Violence Prevention, Restorative Circles, and Interpretation for Vulnerable Populations. She is passionate about facilitating growth, healing and transforming lives who is skilled in creating and holding space for complex experiences, and identities. She received her degree in Political Science from Alneelin University and a postgraduate diploma in Translation from Juba University, Sudan. She is a certified trainer in the following curriculums and pedagogy: Alternatives to Violence, Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities, The Voice of Love and Healing Voices. She studied with Lee McKenna: Partera.org, Dr. Ram Bhagat: Drums No Guns Foundation, Kay Pranis: Restorative Justice Circles and continues to study with Santa Sorenson: Healing in Community. She specializes in community trauma healing, survivors of war and sexual violence, linguistically appropriate social and mental health services. *Awards* Diversity/Inclusion/Outreach Leadership Award – Richmond/Henrico Health Dept. Community Serving Award- The American Sudanese Association in Richmond Va. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1629315138330-T1L3PSJHZOILX8BE4GQY/Selfie+2.jpg Healing in Community Facilitators https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1629314970605-TPVU049BAXVN4GEKOF6Z/Rachel.JPG Healing in Community Facilitators https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/1631040760138-8CLDCMOW397ZQ82O6B7F/LyonsSanchezconchaHS1.png Healing in Community Facilitators Lyons Sanchezconcha is an experienced educator passionate about education equity. Born in Peru and raised in Northern Virginia, Lyons has made Richmond his home and is dedicated to serving the diverse RVA youth. Lyons has facilitated many sessions ranging from restorative practices, conflict resolution, and equity in education. He also serves as a board member for the Virginia College Access Network, Asian Latino Solidarity Alliance, Scholars Latino Initiative, and the Governor's Latino Advisory Board. Lyons is currently working on an M.Ed. on Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Richmond. https://www.healingincommunityss.org/who-we-are daily 0.75 2025-11-01 https://www.healingincommunityss.org/contact-pau-r daily 0.75 2025-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847917362-BH5ZKYOM2QYQL4AY633Y/image-asset.jpeg https://www.healingincommunityss.org/newsletter-events daily 0.75 2025-07-30 https://www.healingincommunityss.org/appointments-5 daily 0.75 2025-11-28 https://www.healingincommunityss.org/store daily 0.75 57285-08-09 https://www.healingincommunityss.org/store/p/promote-act-uplift-richmond monthly 0.5 2025-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f10591cd991aa4d33dd4ab1/ef0e1165-3eb2-4424-9d25-96655cab0fa3/EmailTempImageHEV_1756218786100.jpg Store - PROMOTE, ACT, UPLIFT-RICHMOND