Writing Cohort B is a community for writers focused on developing authorial clarity and using writing as a tool for faith-rooted activism, advocacy, and social change.
WRITING AS SOCIAL IMPACT
The PAX Fellowship
In-Person Retreat
The Fellowship kicks off with an in-person retreat August 28-30 in Scottsdale, AZ.
12 Virtual Sessions
Instruction, learning, and connection with others journeying together for peace and justice.
2 Spiritual Direction Sessions
Attend one-on-one contemplative sessions for mental health and spiritual life.
One-On-One Check Ins
Meet with the Fellowship Director each quarter to check in on how you’re engaging with PAX Fellowship.
Monthly Keynotes
Featured voices from world-class speakers on faith, justice, and contemplation.
Mentorship + Instruction
Learn from expert facilitators in your area of focus and contribute to the PAX showcase.
The Writing as Social Impact Cohort is a community for writers focused on developing authorial clarity and using writing as a tool for faith-rooted activism, advocacy, and social change.
Learning goals include discerning the purpose behind one’s writing, identifying desired justice-oriented outcomes, developing an authorial brand, and exploring how writing can inspire readers toward Jesus, justice, and personal transformation.
The cohort is facilitated by Chanté Griffin, an award-nominated journalist and author known for her work on race, culture, and faith.
Runs from September to May with biweekly sessions that include prayer, teaching, hands-on activities, discussion, and topics ranging from brand-building to audience, purpose, and platform.
Fellows receive support through collaborative groups and an online community, where they can discuss work, receive feedback, and collaborate on a culminating project.
Expectations include active participation, collaboration, adherence to community guidelines, and completion of a final project.
Chanté Griffin
Writing Cohort B Facilitator
Chanté is a journalist and essayist who writes about race, culture, faith, and Black hair. She is the author of Loving Your Black Neighbor As Yourself: A Guide to Closing the Space Between Us, a 2025 NAACP Image Awards Nominee for “Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional.” Chanté has written for Christianity Today, Red Letter Christians, and is a contributing writer for Faithfully Magazine. She’s also worked as a contributing writer for The Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Root. When she isn’t writing, she coaches creatives through Spirit & Scribe, an online workshop that sits at the intersection of writing craft & spiritual formation. Read more of her work via her Substack.
-
Early Admission is open February 16 to February 27, 2026. Early admission is only offered to those on our waitlist.
Open enrollment is open from March 2, 2026 to June 15, 2026, or when enrollment has reached capacity. There are a limited number of spots available in each cohort for a total of 100 fellows. -
PAX Fellowship In-Person Connection + Contemplative Retreat
Aug 28-30, 2026
Virtual sessions will take place on Tuesdays, 4pm-6pm PST / 7pm-9pm EST.Session 1: Sept 8, 2026
Session 2: Sept 22, 2026
Session 3: Oct 6, 2026
Session 4: Oct 20, 2026
Session 5: Nov 3, 2026
Session 6: Nov 17, 2026
Session 7: Jan 5, 2027
Session 8: Jan 19, 2027
Session 9: Feb 2, 2027
Session 10: Feb 16, 2027
Session 11: Mar 2, 2027
Session 12: Mar 16, 2027
Session 13: Mar 30, 2027 Keynote & Survey
Session 14: April 13, 2027 Showcase
Session 15: April 27, 2027 Goodbye Session
-
The PAX Fellowship Connection + Contemplative Retreat kicks off the PAX Fellowship and is an integral part of the experience as a PAX Fellow.
Start Date: Friday, August 28 at 5:00pm
End Date: Sunday, August 30 at 1:00pm
Location: Franciscan Renewal Center
5802 E. Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
Just 20 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.Lodging, meals, and materials are included in the cost of tuition. Fellows are responsible for their own travel arrangements to the retreat.
Additional details will be included upon admittance to the PAX Fellowship. Should you have any questions about the Retreat and the impact it has on your cohort, please reach out to our Fellowship Director, Rachel, at fellowship@madeforpax.org.
-
The cost for tuition per fellow is $2,005.50. While this figure reflects the true cost of architecting the fellowship per Fellow, we believe that opportunity for mentorship and instruction belongs to all Christians of color and we are committed to reducing financial barriers to participation. That’s why we’re offering three tuition tiers, affording you the agency to choose one that best aligns with your current financial circumstance.
These tiered tuition options are made possible by the generosity of donors and foundations.
Early Admission: Must be on waitlist
$350 x 2
Tiered Pricing
$400 x 2
$450 x 2
$500 x 2
First tuition payment is due within 3 days of Fellowship acceptance. The second payment is due 30 days after the first payment has been submitted.
Beyond our tiered tuition, if finances prohibit your participation, then we encourage you to consider asking your family, church, mentor, or employer to support your continued education by using the sponsorship letter provided.
-
Hospitality and Belonging
PAX holds to Franciscan spirituality rooted in radical hospitality for all God’s image bearers. We honor each person’s God-given uniqueness, background, story, and identity, believing they can encounter the Divine through the created world, others, and experiences. We strive to uplift voices from diverse perspectives through embodied faith expressed under the tent of belonging. We welcome, accept, and affirm every individual’s worth as a reflection of God’s love made plain in creation. Our Franciscan way embraces the primacy of Christ and the richness of Christian faith expressed through incarnational presence. In our effort to pursue justice, peace, and care for all creation, we reject supremacy that harms image bearers or God’s beloved world.
Wonder and Tension
We understand that with diversity comes disagreement and tension. Therefore we value thoughtful dialogue and embrace tension, as these are key components of contemplative Christianity. We challenge PAX Fellows to wonder with the topics presented in the PAX Fellowship, and encourage thoughtful prayer and reflection. Our aim is to support Fellows in a deeper relationship with the Divine and others. Fellows are expected to interact constructively with those holding different denominational and theological perspectives. We recognize the difference between healthy disagreement and harmful behavior, therefore we do not allow bullying, harassment, hatred, or violence.
Contemplation and Action
We are contemplative activists. Our practice holds silence and stillness as sacred tools for transformation; personally and collectively. We draw from Black and Brown Christian faith traditions that have long practiced deep reflection, communal prayer, and creative resistance first practiced by the Desert Mothers and Fathers of North Africa and later embodied by the Civil Rights Movement. Contemplation for us is not withdrawal from the world, but a way of grounding our action in love, justice, and presence. Rather than emptying our minds, we fill our mind and heart with the knowledge and presence of Christ in our contemplative practice.
-
View the full syllabus for the Writing B Cohort here.
FELLOWSHIP FAQ
Here are the most frequently asked questions about The PAX Fellowship.
-
The PAX Fellowship is for you if you…
identify as a Christian of color, are between the ages of 25-45, and practice a non-syncretic* expression of Christianity
can commit to attending the in-person PAX Fellowship Retreat in August 2026 in Scottsdale, AZ
are able to attend and engage in 12 virtual sessions between September 2026-May 2027
desire to be with Christians of different theological and denominational backgrounds with the shared values of justice, peace, and contemplation
maintain your sense of self in spaces with people of differing perspectives
engage in civil discourse and disagreement respectfully
wish to learn practical ways of Christian contemplation and apply these principles into your everyday life
seek opportunities to deepen your relationship with God
are committed to upholding the PAX values statement for the entirety of your engagement with our community and programming
*We define non-syncretic expression of Christianity as an expression of Christianity that does not blend, incorporate, or combine elements of other religions or belief systems, and is exclusively Christian in nature.
-
Each cohort will vary in size, but each cohort will have a minimum of 5 people and a maximum of 15 people. Last year, the Writing as Social Impact Cohort had 15 Fellows.
-
The PAX Fellowship kicks off with an in-person retreat in Scottsdale, AZ.
The PAX Fellowship Connection + Contemplative Retreat is the time to meet in-person with your Cohort and Facilitator, engaging in fellowship, instruction, worship, and community. You will also be able to connect + grow with other PAX Fellows and leaders in PAX community.
Lodging and meals are included in the PAX Fellowship tuition.More details included upon admission to the PAX Fellowship.
-
Please reach out at fellowship@madeforpax.org and the PAX Team will get back to you as quick as we can!
TESTIMONIALS
Here is what PAX Alumni have to say about the Writing As Social Impact Cohort and the PAX Fellowship experience as a whole.
“It is impossible for you to not be affected by this fellowship. Whether it's becoming more contemplative, more active for causes bigger than oneself, or growing in a craft that you would like to use to spread the Good News, there is growing for you to do here. There is a peacemaker inside of you who needs iron sharpening iron.”
Desiree Smith
PAX Alumni | 2023-2024 Fellow
| 2024-2025 Fellow
“Because of The PAX Fellowship, I've caught momentum in my writing journey, gotten in touch with an editor, and begun interviewing clergy women about how they've overcome church hurt. Being a part of the Writing as Social Impact cohort has helped me lean into a journalistic style of writing, and write for a broader audience. I deeply appreciate how this group has gathered around the intersection of faith, justice, word, and deed.”
Christine Teng-Henson
PAX Alumni | 2024-2025 Fellow
“The fellowship has influenced both my personal and spiritual life in that it increased my understanding and approach to pursuing social justice and peace in my everyday life and finding ways to enhance and maintain peace through active resting.”
Nathalie Alcime
PAX Alumni | 2023-2024 Fellow
| 2024-2025 Fellow
