Here are some frequently asked questions from the Stress Protest page:
1. What is the Stress Protest?
The Largest Gathering of Black Women in the Wild. Stress Protest is a three-day life-altering outdoor experience rooted in radical self-care.
Our labor is endless and our bodies need rest—and we know without a doubt that slowing down is the most radical thing you can do to heal.
Set in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Stress Protest is the reprieve you need to release the weight of the world you carry year-round.
It is an opportunity to restore your joy; an experience to exhale by engaging in outdoor activities, mindful moments, and soul-rejuvenating workshops. It is permission to put yourself first. For three days, we will come together to heal in nature and replenish our spirits as we protest anything and everything that brings us stress.
Imagine it… Black women coming together to hike to the mountaintop, burn our burdens in the campfire, learn the healing traditions of our ancestors, set our fears on fire, experience life-changing breakthroughs, meditate and make magic as we skate, swim, and shimmy with our sisters, plus more!
2. Will there be another Stress Protest? When?
Yes, Stress Protest will return in the future. Please check StressProtest.org and you email for news updates.
3. What time should I arrive?
We ask all attendees to arrive at Denver International Airport no later than 2pm MT on Friday. The earlier you arrive, the better and more quickly you can be transported to the YMCA and settled in.
Once you arrive, you will be directed to gather at the welcome lounge at the Westin Hotel, which is connected to the airport. You will sign in at the welcome lounge and be transported to the YMCA by bus. It is about a 2-hour commute.
The final bus will depart at 3pm MT and arrive to the YMCA by 5pm MT. Upon arrival to the YMCA, you will check-in to your rooms. Dinner will be provided before the opening ceremony, which will kick off promptly at 7pm MT.
Anyone who arrives after 3pm MT on Friday may have to arrange their own transportation to the YMCA. We highly encourage everyone to arrive as early as possible on Friday in time for the start of the opening ceremony.
There is no scheduled programming for Monday so guests can choose to leave anytime that day. Transportation will be provided from Estes Park to Denver International Airport as early as 3am MT to arrive to the airport around 5am MT.
4. I would love to come but can’t find any friends to join me. Is it ok to attend alone?
Absolutely! Hundreds of women have come over the years and left with new friends from all walks of life. We are intentional about pairing participants in rooms with sisters with similar interests.
5. What is your cancellation policy?
We sure hope you don’t have to cancel.
Hundreds of beautiful Black sisters from all over the world are looking forward to seeing you on the mountaintop. Keep this promise to yourself sister. You are worth it.
However, we understand life can happen, so we have the following cancellation policy that allows you to cancel for a partial refund in case of extenuating circumstances:
- Initial Deposits are non-refundable
- Processing Fees are non-refundable (late fees included)
- Up until June 15 – 50% is refundable (including the non-refundable items stated above)
- As of July 1 – 25% is refundable (including the non-refundable items stated above)
- As of August 1 – 0% is refundable, 100% penalty applies
There will be no refunds for arriving late or leaving early. We will not be held responsible for any additional travel expenses incurred in preparation for canceled retreats including airline tickets, travel delays, flight cancellations or illness. Therefore, we recommend that you purchase a travel insurance (with trip cancellation coverage) policy.
If you absolutely must cancel, consider being a sisters-keeper. Your registration is transferrable and allows you to transfer your registration to another woman in the unfortunate event that you are unable to attend.
To cancel/transfer your registration, you must send an email stating that you wish to cancel/transfer your registration to StressProtest@GirlTrek.Org by the above cancellation deadlines.
In the event that COVID-19 cases begin to spike and prevent us from hosting this year’s event, GirlTrek will be forced to cancel. If this occurs, refunds will not be administered. However, payments can be rolled over to account for registration the following year (2023).
You may want to consider getting travel insurance:
- Although travel insurance is not required, we do recommend that you consider purchasing it.
- The basic purpose of a standard travel insurance policy (with trip cancellation coverage) is to reimburse travelers for their insured pre-paid and non-refundable trip costs in the event they have to cancel their trip due to a covered reason.
- Travel insurance can be purchased through your travel agent, or you can visit www.worldnomads.com to purchase your own.
6. How do I redeem a registration discount code?
If you have a discount code for registration, you can redeem it during checkout on the registration page.
There will be a box designated “coupon” where you will input the code your were provided by GirlTrek.
7. How do I select my roommate?
When registration closes, all registered attendees will receive an email that includes a form that will enable you to select your roommate(s). Please be advised your roommate(s) will need to already be registered to attend Stress Protest.
If you do not have a roommate, not to worry. We will provide a questionnaire to all attendees in need of a roommate. The questionnaire will provide us with insights on your personality and interest, thus informing how we pair attendees as roommates. This is the method we have used for room assignments for the past 2 years with great success.
8. Will there be an informational session ahead of the event?
Yes! We hosted an informational session where we shared tips on what to expect, things to pack and how to prepare for the event.
You can watch the recording HERE if you missed it.
9. What should I pack?
Like Badu taught us, we ain’t no bag ladies!
Please review the packing list HERE and commit to only bringing the necessities on this trip.
10. Do I have to be in shape to attend?
We’ve designed #StressProtest for a variety of health and fitness levels. We have activities for the very active and for those who may not be engaged in any fitness at all. We do hope that you will at least try a low-impact activity for the sake of getting the blood flowing and your body pumping.
GirlTrek’s mission is to get one million Black women to walk 30 minutes a day. But when it comes to #StressProtest, this is YOUR self-care retreat, and the ultimate goal is for you to relax and destress.
11. I’m excited to hike! What do I need? How do I prepare?
We are so ready to have a transformational outdoor experience with you! Please check out the Stress Protest Hike FAQ to prepare physically and mentally.
12. I have an alternative eating lifestyle. Will there be food for me to eat?
Yes. We have lots of vegetarians and vegans in our tribe. We’ve made sure that there are food options to accommodate most food types.
13. Is this a spiritual retreat?
While #StressProtest is not designed with a specific religion or spiritual practice, the weekend does offer many different faith systems and healing traditions in the forms of workshops and experiences.
14. What are the accommodations like? Will we be sleeping outside?
Although we describe the retreat as rustic, we’re not camping. The venue is the YMCA of the Rockies. All participants will be housed in lodges that are comparable to 3-star hotel accommodations.
It’s not a glamour getaway but it isn’t necessarily “roughing it” either. We chose modest accommodations to keep the prices affordable for the average Black woman.
15. What ages of women typically attend?
#StressProtest caters to all Black women ages 18 and up. We host everyone from budding college students to seniors with swag.
16. What are the weekend activities and when can I sign up for them?
There will be an abundance of activities to engage in throughout the weekend. We will have nearly 50+ facilitators leading various workshops and adventures including yoga sessions, archery, rock climbing, hiking, sound baths, and various spiritual healing sessions to help make the retreat the most transformative experience. Registrants will be able to sign up for their preferred sessions once the final schedule is released in late August.