THE INAUGURAL SUBVERSIVE SOJOURN
The Philadelphia Subversive Sojourn
Friday, August 28, 2026
SOLIDARITY & SOVEREIGNTY
A full day spent in the company of ancestors. We walk the sites of 1838 Black Philadelphia, where free Black communities built a parallel infrastructure of housing, banking, employment, and safe passage. We make art together at the African American Museum in Philadelphia. We share dinner at Honeysuckle on Broad Street. We go home changed.
WHY THIS CITY & WHY NOW
Philadelphia is home to something we need to remember.
In 1838, free Black Philadelphians were building something most of America was not ready to see. A housing system to receive people coming out of slavery. A financial system with its own banking available to Black people. A network of employment, of safe passage, of mutual aid. They did not wait for permission to be free. They built the conditions for freedom themselves.
This is a story about alternative timeline building in America.
We are going to witness it together.
The theme of this Sojourn is Solidarity and Sovereignty because the ancestors of 1838 Philadelphia teach us something we still need to learn. That real solidarity is only available when you are sovereign in yourself.
Being in solidarity does not mean giving up your own sovereignty. Sovereignty allows us to be safe without needing external validation, which is the gateway to solidarity.
This is what we are walking toward.
THE ITINERARY
What the day looks like.
9:00 AM
Gather • Light breakfast at our shared house in Old City. We meet each other before we walk together.
9:45 AM
Group Ride to tour • A short walk ride to where the tour begins.
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
1838 Black Metropolis Walking Tour • A two-hour guided tour through the sites of the free Black community and the Underground Railroad.
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Lunch Break • Some of us will go with a group for a choose-your-own-adventure lunch in community. Others will want a quiet break alone. Both are welcome.
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
African American Museum in Philadelphia • We make art together. Collage, paint, prompts, time. We process what we saw through our hands before we try to find words for it. Then we talk about what came up.
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Dinner at Home Base • Head back to the shared house for a beautiful meal on catered by Black-owned restaurant, Honeysuckle. A cozy setting. The real conversation about Solidarity and Sovereignty and what alternative timelines we are inspired to build next.
Two Ways to Sojourn
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Local Sojourner
For those who live in or near Philadelphia
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Light breakfast and gathering space
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The 1838 Black Philadelphia walking tour
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Afternoon at the African American Museum with all art supplies
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Dinner catered by Honeysuckle
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A welcome tote with a journal, a bottle of water, and a small gift from a local Black-owned business
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Inspiration for creating alternative liberatory timelines
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Connections with fellow Sojourners on the journey with you
Price: $1,499
Traveling Sojourner
For those coming from out of town
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Everything in the Local Sojourner package, plus:
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Shared lodging at the Diplomat, a beautiful duplex in Old City (private bedroom and private bathroom) on Thursday & Friday night
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Thursday evening gathering for early arrivals
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Saturday morning breakfast at the house before you depart
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Price: $2,199
Split your purchase into smaller, manageable payments with Klarna financing.
Financing provided by Klarna. Subject to credit approval. Plans range from 3-24 months with interest rates beginning at 0.00% APR
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
A few things to know about the day
This day is intentionally small. We are capping the Sojourn at 22 people. Most spots will go to leaders local to the Philadelphia area. A smaller number are reserved for travelers.
The walking tour involves walking. Around two hours on your feet, with movement between sites. If accessibility is a concern, please reach out before booking and we can talk through.
The tour material is heavy. We are walking through the history of slavery, escape, and Black community-building under harsh conditions. We have built rest, art-making, and reflection into the day for this reason.
This is not a workshop or a training. No slide decks. No takeaways document. No framework lecture. The teachers are the city, the ancestors, and the people at the table.
We are investing in the community we are witnessing. Every venue and vendor we are working with is locally owned.
Our witnessing is on the land of the Lenape. The land stewarded by the Lenape was stolen by European colonizers, who repeatedly broke treaties and promises to the Lenape. We are donating a portion of our proceeds to the Lenape Tribe to support their ongoing efforts to honor their Lenape ancestors by strengthening their sovereignty, preserving their culture, and promoting the well-being of Lenape citizens
AT THE TABLE
Who comes on a Subversive Sojourn
Leaders who are tired of being told the choices in front of them are the only ones.
People who have spent time studying the ancestors of freedom and want to spend a day walking with them.
People who don't know much about ancestral freedom communities but are inspired to learn more.
Anyone who has ever read about the 1838 free Black community of Philadelphia, the Maroons, the Beguines, or any of the freedom communities and felt a quiet jolt of recognition.
You do not need to be an expert in any of this. You need to be willing to witness, to make, to eat, and to talk honestly with the other people at the table.
MEET OUR PHILADELPHIA CO-HOST
Meet Stephanie Zhong
Stephanie is a brand alchemist and Human Design leadership coach who helps purpose-driven entrepreneurs, coaches and leaders turn their brilliance into a movement-worthy message that grows their visibility and impact.
A NOTE FROM ALLI
This is the first Subversive Sojourn. Philadelphia was the first city I lived in as an adult, and it feels right to begin here, where there is so much of the nation's complex history on display.
I am building it with my co-host Steph, who lives in Philadelphia and knows this story from the inside.
I have wanted to make something like this for a long time. A day that is part walking, part making, part eating, part listening. A day where the ancestors are the curriculum. A day that ends with you knowing something in your body that you did not know in the morning.
If that sounds like something your spirit needs, come.
- Alli
RESERVING YOUR SEAT
Booking Now Open!
22 seats remaining.
A few notes on payment logistics:
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Full payment reserves your seat.
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25% of the payment is nonrefundable. Refunds are available based on the following schedule:
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75% refund is available through June 29, 2026.
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50% refund is available from June 30 to July 29, 2026.
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25% from July 30 to August 14, 2026.
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After August 14, the Sojourn is non-refundable, but your seat is transferable to someone else with notice or to a future Subversive Sojourn.
Split your purchase into smaller, manageable payments with Klarna financing.
Financing provided by Klarna. Subject to credit approval. Plans range from 3-24 months with interest rates beginning at 0.00% APR
BEFORE YOU BOOK
A few things people ask...
Is travel included for non-local guests? No. The non-local price includes one night of shared lodging at the Diplomat in Old City. You are responsible for getting yourself to Philadelphia.
Can I bring a partner or a friend? Each ticket is for one Sojourner. If you would like to come together, please each book your own seat. The day is built around the cohort being together.
What if I want to come early or stay later? We love this. Reach out and we share some ideas to help you make a weekend of it. Philadelphia has more to offer than one day can hold.
What if I have dietary needs? We will ask about dietary needs after booking. Our caterers can accommodate most needs with notice.
What if I need to cancel? A A 75% refund is available through June 29, 2026. 50% refund is available from June 30 to July 29, 2026. 25% from July 30 to August 14, 2026. After August 14, the Sojourn is non-refundable, but your seat is transferable to someone else with notice or to a future Subversive Sojourn.
How are you making the Sojourn trauma-informed? The history we are walking through is heavy. The day is designed with intentional rest, art-making, and community to hold what comes up. We've developed the experience with care, to ensure Sojourners have agency and the information they need to support their selves.
Will there be more Sojourns? Yes. Houston, Oakland, Detroit, and Alabama are in development for 2026 - 2027. Sign up for the email list to hear about them first.
Come Witness with Us.
Friday, August 28. Philadelphia. Solidarity and Sovereignty.
Split your purchase into smaller, manageable payments with Klarna financing.
Financing provided by Klarna. Subject to credit approval. Plans range from 3-24 months with interest rates beginning at 0.00% APR