challenging the narrative - On Tyranny community journaling practice | March 9 - 29, 2025 + optional zoom session on March 31, 2025
challenging the narrative (CTN) is a guided community journaling series designed to cultivate connection as we process the complexities of life, challenge inherited narratives, and reclaim the power of our voices. Each CTN community cohort will explore a different theme, drawing from history, literature, and political thought to deepen our understanding of power, truth, and what it means to be human.
our first cohort inspired by On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder launches March 9, 2025
We’re living through a moment of profound fear and uncertainty—one many of us never imagined we’d face in the United States.
Amid relentless attacks on people and institutions, terrifying headlines, and constant calls to action, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, powerless, and unsure of how to take meaningful steps forward.
In times like these, writing is more than an act of reflection—it’s an act of resistance, helping us stay rooted in courage and connected to our values. Writing in community deepens that impact, offering a powerful form of collective care and connection—something we need now more than ever as isolation and despair, so often born from collective trauma, begin to settle in.
Inspired by Timothy Snyder’s powerful book, On Tyranny, our first 21-day practice will help us:
Understand how authoritarianism takes root and spreads
Recognize the parallels between history and our current lived experiences
Cultivate the moral courage to defy illegal and unethical demands from those in power
Build community with others who are navigating the same questions, concerns, and calls to action
This practice is low-pressure and flexible—you can engage as deeply as you choose to.
HOW IT WORKS
📧 Daily Prompts: Delivered straight to your inbox via Substack
💻 Private Community Chat: Hosted on Substack for daily discussion and connection
🎥 Optional Zoom Gathering: A live community care + discussion circle on Monday, March 31 to share our final reflections, talk about what comes next, and close out our time together.
DAILY TIME COMMITMENT
30 minutes or less per day:
⏳ 10 minutes – Read the short essay from On Tyranny
📝 15 minutes – Reflect and journal on the day’s prompt
💬 5 minutes – Share your daily insights and takeaways on Substack & engage with others (if you choose)
If you want to spend more time journaling, reflecting, or engaging in discussion, that’s totally up to you. At the end of our 21 days, we’ll gather virtually via Zoom for an optional community care + discussion circle to talk about insights, takeaways, and how we carry this work forward.
📖 It’s highly recommended (but not required) that you have a copy of On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder on hand so you can read each essay before responding to the prompts.
TIME, INVESTMENT, AND PLATFORM:
30 mins per day (approx) (see breakdown above)
90 minute community care + discussion circle via Zoom on Monday, March 31, 2025 from 7:00-8:30 pm EST
Registration costs $129, which includes a one-year paid subscription to /rōot/ by dimple dhabalia (a $100 value).
If you want to participate but aren't in a position to pay the registration at this time, please email me at hello@rootsintheclouds.com.
Please note that a percentage of all sales will be donated to the ACLU.
Your voice in this movement matters. I hope you’ll join me in community to reflect, connect, and challenge inherited narratives that no longer serve our world.
NOTE ON ACCOUNTABILITY - to maintain the integrity and safety of this community, I reserve the right to remove any participant who does not comply with community guidelines.
MENTAL HEALTH DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a therapist, and this journaling practice is not a substitute for therapy or professional mental health support. While writing and gathering in community can offer therapeutic benefits, this space is designed for reflection, connection, and collective care—not clinical guidance.
If you think you need additional support right now, I encourage you to engage in this practice alongside therapy or other forms of professional care. Your well-being matters, and it's important to have the resources you need to navigate this moment with strength and support.
OTHER WORKSHOPS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: