We have had the honor of working with some amazing humans who are doing innovative work in the fields of conservation, education, communication, and creative endeavor. We are proud to introduce you to some of our 2023 Scholars here.
Community Scholarship Fund
These scholars are supported by our Community Scholarship Fund, which is made possible by individual donations from our Freeflow community.
CAROLYN HARMON
Arizona
The Desert Eye
“I sought this course out to honor an intention I set for myself this year regarding my writing. Fortuitously the Freeflow course “The Desert Eye” combined many resonate and personal elements: the desert southwest as the setting, a cherished author as a mentor, peer feedback for support, and the opportunity for unabashed creation. Being able to slide off the grid for five days with only the lingering responsibilities of writing, reflecting, and sharing was the greatest gift I’ve ever given myself. In addition to that, the cohort of writers in attendance with me provided support and perspective in the most compassionate manner. This experience empowered me to raise my voice as a writer; I am so grateful for the foundation the Freeflow course created along the Dolores for me to continue building upon as a writer beside many other desert rivers.”
ROBIN BABB
New Mexico
The Desert Eye
“The two things writers want when they go to a workshop, I think, are time and space—and I found an abundance of each out in Big Gypsum Valley. Craig Childs and the writers in my cohort were so inspiring and encouraging that I came away more determined than I’ve felt in a long time—both to write and to spend more time out in the wild. I can’t wait to do another workshop with Freeflow.“
MARK MARTIN
Idaho
The Desert Eye
CAROLINE BEAN
Montana
The Law of People and Place
“What. A. Week. I was blown away by my time on the Missouri River with Freeflow. I often feel pressure to be able to see four steps ahead, to be ready with the plan or the answer or the contingency plan. Freeflow put a giant (and welcome) pause in that thought process and made me feel held, both by the water and the people I was sharing it with. I was startled to realize how much I needed it. Now, a few weeks after the course, I can look back at my journal from that trip and see just how calm and quiet my busy mind was while spending time on the Mighty Mo. My big takeaways from the tip that I’ll carry with me: trust your gut, there’s nothing better than a good belly laugh, and open yourself up to spend time with strangers.”
EVERETT JOHNS
Montana
The Law of People and Place
“I felt so lucky to be able to join Freeflow for a third Law of People and Place trip. Each trip has been renewing for me; a source of energy. During the course, I made plenty of time to sit alone in silence, something that is my bread and butter. Those moments of decompression were essential to me. Without my inbox to compulsively check, or Instagram to scroll, or fires to put out at home or work, I felt the presence of something new. Sitting on the loose sand in the canyon at Hole in the Wall, I finally identified it: sadness. With the chores, the work, the parenting, everything else gone, it was finally quiet enough mentally for me to recognize that it was there and spend time sitting with it. I am endlessly grateful for that.“
WILL ROSE
Montana
The Law of People and Place
“I was very curious as to how a law class that was also a canoe trip would work. I’d also never been on a multi-day river trip before, so I was very excited, but also a little apprehensive about how things would work out. The class was great and it was so interesting and impactful to learn about law and history on the actual land we were reading and learning about. Having only nine students and three instructors, it really didn’t feel like a class, but like we were just one big group on an outdoor adventure. The course really exceeded my expectations and I hope that I’ll be able to go on next year’s iteration.”
KAYLA STUHLMANN
New Mexico
Writing the Nonhuman
“I loved being a part of the Writing the Nonhuman course. I’m so grateful for the time I could devote to just writing. It felt special to be in community with the other writers, all who were thoughtful and funny. Each person in the group inspired me in some way and enhanced my perspective. I’m someone who escapes through fantasy/sci-fi, but during this course it felt the other way around – like the magic was being brought into my life.”
KALANI PADILLA
Montana
Good Ancestors
LEAH BERRY
Montana
Good Ancestors
NATASHA BUFFO
California
Running To Stand Still
“After receiving a scholarship and re-reading the workshop description, I thought I would gain more confidence to pitch articles to publications and maybe have better insight on where to try and get my memoir published. However, what I walked away, in regards to my writing career and goals, was so much more. First, I received the support and the push to simply write the damn thing and get it out into the world. I spend so much time and energy trying to perfectly capture a story in two paragraphs and convince someone else they want to read it, only to let the pitch sit in my drafts. However, Brendan encouraged us to put our writing wherever we can easily get our stories out there! I have a website that I have not published on for years! The story ideas are a constant flood and I feel I’ve been given permission to open the flood gates rather than allowing other gate keepers to decide what is shared with my audience. Secondly, and more importantly, I learned that I am funny! I can not only write stories of emotion and adventure, but I can also craft humor into those experiences, well. I truly couldn’t have asked for a more impactful outcome from this workshop.”
ANJA SEMANCO
Colorado
Place, Power, and Purpose
SARAH SAVANNAH KNIGHT
Pennsylvania
Place, Power, and Purpose
“Beyond the thoughtfully led conversations, discussions and activities led by our course hosts, I was super pleased in the surprise connections made with the entire group. The combination of talking conservation in the west while traveling downstream in one of the most important water systems of the west really puts things in to perspective. Regardless of the creatives project, its all applicable in the great webbed system of our planet and its health. This course and its lessons really highlighted that for me.”
ARIEL BERNATH
Wyoming
Place, Power, and Purpose Course
“Attending Freeflow Institute’s Place, Power, and Purpose course was one of the best, coolest, nicest things I have ever done for myself. Moving through the spectacular beauty of Lodore Canyon, creating intentional writing and creative space, and bonding with my brilliant cohort will be cherished memories I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. It was inspiring. This entire experience gave me space to excavate my creative purpose and to bask in a community of other purpose-driven creatives. I learned so much about my voice and values, and I am re-entering the world refreshed, renewed, and reignited. None of this would have been possible without the help of the Freeflow Foundation, and I’m beyond grateful to be a Freeflow scholar.“
KYLE NICKEL
Wyoming
Place, Power, and Purpose Course
“I left my Freeflow Institute course with a renewed sense of purpose, a reaffirmed belief in the power of storytelling. I did, indeed, meet some remarkable people and experience a landscape so old and immense that an adequate description eludes language. The real surprise, the thing that was not in the course description, was that I left feeling born again. I left having had the joy of my salvation returned to me.”
MARIANA KRUEGER
Texas
Place, Power, and Purpose Course
“Participating in the “Place, Power, and Purpose” Course with Ed Roberson was one of the most rewarding experiences of the past few years of my life. I came in admittedly having never even heard of Dinosaur National Monument or the Green River, yet left with a deep appreciation for both and an ignited curiosity in water rights and river systems across the U.S. I feel encouraged and motivated by my newfound peers and mentors to step more fully into environmental storytelling, and to continue to create moments of joyous reflection within my communities.“
ALLIE RIGBY
California
Toh’nlįbizaad: The River’s Story
“I think I’ll remain in tender awe of those six days on the river forever. Toh’nlįbizaad: the River’s Story was a course that offered expansiveness, humility, and tenderness. It feels amiss to call it a writing course at this point, as it quickly became a spiritual, philosophical exploration of how to live well, how to live gently, and how to honor language – most specifically, how we use language to connect with people and causes close to our hearts.”
MARDI FULLER
Massachusetts
Toh’nlįbizaad: The River’s Story
“The Freeflow experience was just what my mind and soul needed to breathe life into my writing practice. I spend time in the backcountry regularly, and I know that it nurtures me, but I had never taken a writing workshop of any kind, or blended nature activity with writing, or even written without the aid of a computer. Chandra and the river guides created the conditions necessary for me to have the physical and mental space to lean into Sherwin’s promptings, my cohort’s ingenuity and my own latent creativity. I left the course a better listener, more patient with my practice and equipped with mental pathways to give me access to deeper wells within me.“
AJ WILLIAMS
Montana
Rewilding Bodies, Rewilding Writing
American Whitewater Scholarship
American Whitewater and Freeflow Institute offered three scholarships for emerging outdoor communicators, advocates, or storytellers in 2023.
SUZANNE STRAZZA
Colorado
AMERICAN WHITEWATER SCHOLAR
Place, Power, and Purpose
“Spending five days with brilliant, creative, and magnificent human beings was such a joy. Every member of my cohort inspired me to do more with my writing and in fighting to preserve the places that I love. My cohort was unique, interesting, and knowledgeable; it felt like every day I learned something new. Ed was inspiring and supportive, enthusiastic and so knowledgeable. I went into this Freeflow journey with the beginnings of a memoir and quite a bit of imposter syndrome. I came out of it inspired, motivated, and determined to write, finish the book, then write some more. Equally important as being inspired is that I feel accountable to my cohort. This will help me on writing days when I doubt myself or can’t tap into any creativity. I also have more determination than ever to use my words, my stories, to fight for protection of the places that I love. I feel catapulted into a new chapter of my life committed to storytelling and the conservation of our precious western rivers.”
LACE LAWRENCE
Washington
AMERICAN WHITEWATER SCHOLAR
Toh’nlįbizaad: The River’s Story
ANNA LE
Oregon
AMERICAN WHITEWATER SCHOLAR
Toh’nlįbizaad: The River’s Story
“The Freeflow course was the perfect intersectionality between place-based education and the arts. I was able to challenge myself physically, emotionally, and artistically throughout the week while canoeing on a unique river bordering two countries and seeing some incredible scenery. It was a great learning opportunity to be in a cohort of other amazing artists and writers who provided the space to share each others’ work without judgement. It was enlightening to be called a writer and artist for the first time in my career.”
NRS Open Waters Scholarship
We partnered with NRS to provide a scholarship to an emerging content creator—writer, photographer, filmmaker or storyteller.
WILLA ZHANG
Montana
NRS OPEN WATERS SCHOLAR
Toh’nlįbizaad: The River’s Story
American Rivers Southwest Emerging Artist Scholarship
Freeflow Institute partnered with American Rivers in alignment with The Southwest River Protection Program to offer a full-tuition scholarship to one emerging writer, artist, or storyteller.
SARAH SAO MAI HABIB
New Mexico
AMERICAN RIVERS SOUTHWEST EMERGING ARTIST SCHOLAR
Toh’nlįbizaad: The River’s Story
American Prairie Scholarship
Freeflow Institute partnered with American Prairie to offer a full-tuition scholarship for a student enrolled at the University of Montana to support their participation in The Law of People and Place course.
AMBER ELLISON
Montana
AMERICAN PRAIRIE SCHOLAR
The Law of People and Place
“Having been domiciled within the Rocky Mountains for the past few years during law school, the Law of People and Place Freeflow course conducted on the Upper Missouri appeared to be a great opportunity to reconnect with the prairie environment that reminds me of home. I left the course with a deeper appreciation for the Great Plains’ unique history, people, and wildlife—as well as an enhanced interest in how the law can shape its future for the better. It was a blast—and a great challenge—to continuously learn so much about the issues facing this public land while traveling so much of land in question itself. Such an interactive course allowed me to further conceptualize the importance of restoration in conservation efforts.”
Running To Stand Still Scholarship
ALICE HELD
Running To Stand Still
“While I prepared for Running to Stand Still, I knew to expect the obvious: lots of running, lots of writing, and connecting with like-minded creatives. What surprised me and truly rounded out the experience were the unexpected, not-so-obvious benefits that came from spending a week away in the woods. The freedom of not having to focus on anything besides running and brainstorming opened up so much space in my brain and provided a resurgence of mental energy I hadn’t realized I was lacking. In considering how I can prioritize creative outlets in my day-to-day life, I also found myself in the larger reflection of what matters to me most in my life overall. The week was a total re-calibration that changed me for the better.”