Origin Story

In January 2016, a small group of younger and older Unificationists gathered in Phoenix, Arizona with a simple but hopeful goal: to imagine a new kind of educational experience—one that truly met people where they were.

It didn’t take long to realize something important. There was a significant gap between our experiences, expectations, and assumptions about one another. So instead of rushing into planning, we chose a different path.

For several days, we simply listened.

With open minds and open hearts, we shared stories, questions, frustrations, and hopes. In that living room in Anderson, Arizona, real connection began to form. Assumptions fell away. Empathy grew. What surprised us most was how deeply we connected—and how transformative that experience felt.

That moment became the spark for Project Phoenix.

We set out to create spaces where others could experience the same kind of honest, heart-to-heart connection we had found. Over the next eight years, Project Phoenix traveled to 24 communities across the United States, as well as Canada and Europe, hosting in-person workshops and gatherings. When the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the world, it also gave rise to a new chapter for us: virtual experiences that allowed people to connect across distance and difference.

Like the people we serve, our team, mission, and vision have continued to grow and evolve. While intergenerational harmony and the Unificationist community remain at the heart of Project Phoenix, our work has expanded beyond those original circles to meet the changing needs of individuals, families, and communities in different life stages.

Over the past two years, we’ve taken time to reflect, listen, and adapt—updating our mission and vision, creating new content, and beta-testing programs shaped by real experiences and real feedback.

As we approach our 10-year anniversary in Spring 2026, Project Phoenix is entering an exciting new chapter. This year, we will be rolling out the next iteration of Project Phoenix, offering a wider range of workshops, courses, retreats, and community-based experiences—each rooted in the same core values that sparked our beginning: authentic connection, honest listening, and shared growth.

We believe healing happens in relationship. And we’re just getting started.