[Newsletter] June 2025
local stewards at the base of Mauao (Mount Maunganui) in Tauranga Aotearoa.
(June 20, 2025)
What’s Ahead: Rising with the Collaborative
After nearly two decades of service, leadership, and innovation in Indigenous public health and systems transformation, Red Star International, Inc., is preparing to sunset at the start of the Fall Equinox on September 22, 2025.
As shared in a heartfelt reflection from our Founder Aleena M. Kawe, the Restoring Balance Collaborative will relaunch as a fully-supported and community-led project dedicated to carrying forward our work of honoring and uplifting Indigenous land and water stewardship.
Between now and September, you will learn more about the Collaborative and the work ahead via our social channels.
The Collaborative in Action: A Look Back at Our Shared Growth
Guided by the Māori proverb, Ā Mua, i Muri ō Kōrero—walking backwards into the future—we reflect on the past and look ahead with the Restoring Balance Collaborative. What impact have we made, what lessons shaped us, and where do we grow next?
This three-year impact report highlights the progress, achievements, and impact of our growing practice community. It tells the story of our creation, growth, and celebrates what we have built in community together, creating systemic change centered on Indigenous values and perspectives.
Exciting Announcement: Sacred Waters 2026 is Coming!
Our journey began with water. Water is the living source, the lifeblood of all ecosystems, flowing through rivers, streams, and washes, forming lakes and oceans.
We are water; it connects us. Water is sacred. And so, the Restoring Balance Collaborative is preparing for the return of our global gathering, A Meeting of Sacred Waters 2026.
Building on the success of A Meeting of Sacred Waters 2024, we will explore pathways to heal our ancestral waters and lands through Indigenous-led systems change. More details, including dates and location will be revealed this summer!
Stay Connected
Moving forward, you will continue receiving email updates and news through the Collaborative’s quarterly newsletter, Heron’s Flight. If you have any questions or want to connect, please contact: collab@restorebalance.world.