We aim to raise the vibrations in urban spaces – and save the lives of those who exist on their streets.
We believe that calling the police shouldn’t be the default answer to poverty and desperation.
Our society can’t address trauma, addiction and mental illness with the same approach we use to tackle crime.
Police are trained to respond to active threats, not to individuals in the throes of a psychotic break or someone who has been overwhelmed by their emotions and is acting out of desperation.
A person who is unkempt and screaming in the middle of the street might be an alarming sight, but they’re probably not a danger to anyone other than themselves.
Most people confuse feeling uncomfortable with feeling unsafe.
Unlike 99% of the population, our team can tell the difference between danger and distress.
They know how to de-escalate a conflict, how to save someone from an overdose, how to build trust with a person who is afraid or suicidal, and how to teach people to care for their surroundings when sometimes they struggle to even care for themselves.
Urban Alchemy makes public areas safer so that people are no longer at risk of being assaulted, harmed or left alone fending for themselves.
Our Practitioners are a compassionate and peaceful presence that restore safety and cleanliness in the streets.
When an area loses its sense of pride, Urban Alchemy helps communities find it again.
The meaning behind our name.
Urban Alchemy describes the process of spiritual and social transformation that our Practitioners engage in, both internally and with members of the public. Alchemy is the mysterious ancient practice of transforming lead into gold.
What we do creates a tangible social value – but is no less miraculous. Instead of lead, we seek to transmute human suffering. Instead of gold, we create peace.
The nature of our work requires us to be impeccable in our heart, words and actions.
Meeting people where they are takes us into some dark places.
In order to enter and leave unharmed, our Practitioners must be armed with a powerful spirit that communicates with kindness, non-judgement and self-awareness. We strengthen this inner light through our deeds and actions.
Our logo contains a“third eye” that represents this inner wisdom.
It represents the part of us that cannot be cheated, manipulated or deceived. It’s a reminder that there’s a deeper part of ourselves that watches over our egos to make sure that decisions made in the heat of the moment are rooted in love and come from the heart.
On the streets, we call this No Fuckery.
It’s a loaded word that has many meanings, but a single truth.
It’s a code of conduct everyone can understand.