Hindu YUVA, Prescott College host Dharmic sustainability residency

By AI, Created 2:26 PM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – Hindu YUVA and Prescott College ran a five-day residency in northern Arizona from May 21 to 25 for Hindu students and young professionals. The program mixed outdoor activities, service work and Dharmic study to connect environmental responsibility with Hindu philosophy and campus-led climate action.

Why it matters: - The residency aimed to show Hindu American youth that sustainability, service and stewardship can be rooted in Dharmic values. - The program framed climate action as a community issue and a spiritual practice, not just an academic topic. - Participants were encouraged to carry those ideas back to their campuses and local communities.

What happened: - Hindu YUVA and Prescott College hosted Dharma and the Experience of Sustainability, a five-day immersive residency certificate program. - The program ran in northern Arizona from May 21 to 25. - The cohort included Hindu students and young professionals. - Participants spent the week rock climbing, stargazing and doing local service work.

The details: - The curriculum covered the Five Koshas, Pranayama, the Chakra System and cultural ecology. - The program linked Hindu philosophical frameworks with socio-environmental justice and humanity’s relationship with Mother Nature. - Organizers designed the residency to build a deeper relationship with nature and personal responsibility toward it. - Instructors included Galeet Farrow, associate faculty at Prescott College; Laura Bebee, senior adjunct instructor at Prescott College; and Bhavini Patel, executive director of Sustainable Pittsburgh. - The program gave participants a practical look at how Dharmic sustainability can be applied outside the classroom. - Participants also explored native plant identification, composting and garden-to-table initiatives. - The residency emphasized the Hindu ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or the idea that the world of living and non-living beings is one family.

Between the lines: - The collaboration positioned environmental education as a cultural return as much as a skills-building exercise. - Galeet Farrow said the cohort brought a wide range of fields and perspectives, which added depth to the discussion of Dharma and Vedic ecology. - Likhitha Yettela, who led the first cohort, said the program built a network of peers who see the Hindu community as a force in climate mitigation. - Yettela said attendees brainstormed sustainability workshops, initiatives and campus events tied to Hindu YUVA’s mission.

What’s next: - Hindu YUVA plans to use the residency model to strengthen sustainability work on campuses. - Participants are expected to apply the program’s ideas in local community efforts and future student-led events. - The organization said the program reinforces a long-term commitment to sustainability grounded in Dharmic traditions.