D216 MANIFESTO
Humans are in the midst of a confluence of paradigm shifts: political, technological, spiritual, and medical. The dogmatic systems that have ruled the land – dictating what to believe and how to behave on each of these fronts – are constraining our collective consciousness. Psychedelics are the key to break free from these old, ingrained patterns of thought. By altering our state of mind, we will craft new policies, unlock and integrate new technologies, and connect more fully to ourselves, our healing, and others. We will rediscover the properties of ancient medicinal plants and extrapolate to new pharmaceutical applications. It is time to unlock our potential and establish new paradigms for the next generation.
The District216 Manifesto lays out guideposts for our community as we come together to pursue these new pathways. It encourages us to surrender to the flow and bridge the gap between what has been and what will be.
PRESENCE - Be here now and fully experience life. Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream.
COMMUNITY - Show up fully and join in wholeheartedly, for the sum of us is greater than each of us alone, and we all belong here.
AWARENESS - Move with curiosity to explore within and without for greater wisdom.
AUTHENTICITY - Allow identity constructs to melt away so we can each reveal our true self.
HONOR - Know who and what have come before – cultures, traditions, and lifeways – and carry their wisdom into the future.
ART & SCIENCE - Unravel the most effective answers at the intersection of intuition and data.
DISRUPTION - Challenge the status quo to inspire our greater good.
NATURAL SELECTION - Evolve through constant refinement, looking to nature for answers while recognizing the imperfection of human systems.
EXPANSION - Escape the feedback loop of our own bubble with diverse perspectives that dissolve preconceptions and usher new ideas, networks, and people into our lives.
PATIENCE - Pause, as it is the silence between the notes that makes music.
PLAY - Channel your inner child’s lighthearted wonder, curiosity, and thirst for fun to create elevated experiences and solutions.
ONENESS - Look to the stars to honor our cosmic blueprint; gravity’s got ahold of us all, and we are all starstuff.
LOVE - Open your heart to the people, experiences, ideas, and vulnerabilities that show up.
COURAGE - Transmute fear to courageous acts of consciousness expansion.
LET IT BE - Leave judgment at the door; what will be revealed, is. It’s all understood.
Manifesto dedicated to Darryl Tell, written by Jacob Tell.
Darryl Tell (1949-2022) was a poet, educator, and humorist whose life was shaped by a profound appreciation for language, justice, and the richness of human experience.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Darryl spent his adult life in San Diego County — a region he adored and took immense pride in. A lifelong student of literature and a former English major, he had an insatiable curiosity and a love for the arts, travel, food, and meaningful conversation. His humor was sharp, his wit unforgettable, and his worldview uniquely shaped by his Jewish upbringing — a lens through which he passed down critical thinking, cultural awareness, and compassion to his children.
Darryl worked for decades as a high school guidance counselor, where he became a lifeline for countless students and families. He had the rare ability to see people clearly and meet them where they were. After his passing, stories emerged from former students who shared that “he saved me.”
He was a passionate Padres fan (after years rooting for the Dodgers), a barbecue master, and a soulful traveler in the spirit of Anthony Bourdain — seeking truth and flavor in every corner of the world. He loved live music, film, and television (all genres but horror), and he authored several volumes of poetry, with more unpublished work to come, lovingly curated by his children, Jacob and Sarah.
He believed in causes that mattered — supporting the ACLU, Amnesty International, the Humane Society, and other pillars of human and animal rights.
But above all, Darryl Tell was a devoted family man. His love for his wife, children, siblings, and the wider web of aunts, uncles, and cousins was fierce, loyal, and unconditional.
This Manifesto — and the vision it dares to express — is dedicated to his legacy.
