Earth Angels VA is rebranding what love, intimacy and vulnerability look like. The new BIPOC-friendly group is open to all the women and non-binary people of the 757 area.
From high school friends to recent college graduates and now co-founders of Earth Angels VA, Araceli Gordus Huizar and Azaria Ferrer have been dreaming of creating a safe and free space for community members to gather.
“Hearing the discourse online about platonic intimacy and decentering romantic love as the focal point of building intimate connections,” was a big inspiration for the group, said Gordus Huizar. “We wanted to shift focus to building community and third spaces.”
Quality alone time is still a priority, “[but] what comes after that?” asked Ferrer. Earth Angels VA is working to create connections in the community that allow people to be vulnerable and fulfilled.
“As adults, you tend to do a lot of catching up on each other’s lives,” said Gordus Huizar.
Whether it is post-graduation or life changes, dynamics in relationships tend to shift once people no longer live close to each other, attend the same school, or have the same job or friends. The new normal of these relationships is that time spent together is handled like a recap. “We want to live life together.”
Ways in which Earth Angels VA aspires to create community is through a sisterhood built around connection, spirituality, wellness and creativity. Creative activities such as painting, scrapbooking, sewing and pottery will be held at various group events. There will also be a book club within the group.
The spiritual aspect of the group does not refer to any specific spirituality or religion; Earth Angels VA is open to all. The spiritual goal of this group is to build a space for “people who value having a connection outside of themselves with something bigger than themselves. That can apply to believing in energy […or..] wanting a relationship with nature,” said Ferrer.
Wellness activities will take place at various events held by Earth Angels VA. Mindful practices will be held at different meetings such as yoga, meditation and breathwork. There are also hopes for educational professionals to share their knowledge with the group and open conversations about connections, intimacy and wellness.
Joining a new group and putting oneself out there can often be intimidating and nerve-wracking. It can be hard to engage in conversations or even know where to begin talking when with a stranger. Earth Angels VA has created conversation cards to make these interactions easier to navigate. In honor of Earth Day, the April meeting conversation cards will have questions based around nature. There are a range of questions on these cards, such as “What is your favorite memory of spending time outdoors?” and “Nature gives to us, how can we take the idea of reciprocity into your community and relationships?” explained Ferrer.
The first event held by Earth Angels VA took place on April 20. This meeting launched the new community organization and monthly events can be expected. At the first event, the group took a short walk through a wildflower sanctuary where they were led in a guided meditation before painting together.
Earth Angels VA is Ferrer’s and Gordus Huizar’s “labor of love.” The two Norfolk natives have had the idea for this group for nearly two years and have been putting hours of time into the organization. Everything from marketing, content creation, handing out fliers and contacting other local businesses has been in play behind the scenes.
To keep up with the group’s schedule and events, follow the instagram @earthangelsva. To contact the group, you can join the Discord that is linked in the Instagram bio or DM the account directly.