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Reflections on All Together Rising

Karen February 20, 2026 Leave a comment

"What do you need to feel supported?"

This can be a tough question for adults to answer, let alone youth. Two years ago, in response to requests from our OCF community for a resource to support youth facing adversity, OCF created All Together Rising: Sessions for Youth in Adversity, a collection of supplemental Circle sessions that "address the complexities of eight different adverse childhood experiences."

Whether it’s community violence, food insecurity, or loss & grief, youth need opportunities to develop coping skills informed by lived experiences such as these. “Our partners share that All Together Rising offers language and activities that resonate deeply with youth, helping them feel understood and empowered. Two years later, these lessons remain timely and closely aligned with what youth are asking for in their communities,” says Shayla Benson, Director of Curricula. The relevance and quality of these sessions are why I am proud to share this resource with organizations seeking trauma-informed tools to foster conversations with youth about these difficult topics.

Since I joined OCF, I have spent some time learning about All Together Rising, and I have heard stories from my colleagues and Circle facilitators around the country about their experience using the sessions. I am continuallyinspired by the thoughtfulness of this resource and by how brilliantly Circle facilitators have used it to empower the youth they support.

"Our youth have loved engaging in the All Together Rising curriculum because they feel like they finally have a voice in big topics that impact them. We are excited to continue to use the curriculum to provide a safe outlet for deep conversations and thoughtful solutions with our youth." Noelle Chavez, H2 Academic Solutions, Valencia County Juvenile Justice Advisory Board.

Over the last 20 years, I have seen topics and trends come and go and return. What has not changed is the need for youth to have a routine and be in a space where they can feel safe, heard, and connected. Youth need an opportunity to share with their peers, practice coping skills, reflect on their own experience, and learn that sharing in a community of their peers can be empowering. All Together Rising is appropriately designed for this audience.

All Together Rising sessions are easy to use, but attention should also be paid to the evidence utilized to create each supplemental lesson. OCF is grateful for the incredible organizations that conducted research and released the data that supported the creation of these high-quality activity guides. I want to take a moment to highlight and thank them.

But first, I invite facilitators to add All Together Rising to their resource library. For anyone who has not yet become a certified facilitator, join us! You are always welcome in the Circle.

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

American Journal of Surgery

Ballard Brief

Bridging Freedom

California Mental Health Services Authority

Center for American Progress

Center for Disease Control

Center for Disease Control - VetoViolence

Coalition to Support Grieving Students

Congressional Hunger Center

Covenant House

ECPAT