WORKSHOP PREVIEWS
SHE SPEAKS
~Silence intensifies the impact of trauma and trauma that goes unspoken, un-witnessed, and unclaimed too often “outs itself” as more violence to self ~
FIRST OF ALL IF YOU ARE A FEMME or WOMXN ... CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE A SURVIVOR !!!
The solution to the silent suffering of survivors of traumatic events is education, connection, realization of self, and empowerment. It is paramount that survivors/womxn/girls are motivated to identify and vocalize their assets while acknowledging any barriers that are present in their lives. Empowering and educating survivors on how to move through fear and social conditioning and use their voices to(identify and express their wants, needs, and desires) in a group setting brings them out of isolation, allows them to feel increased compassion, and results in increased freedom of expression.
Through establishing mutually empathetic relationships, survivors are able to alleviate the shame and increase levels of well-being thus being able to move toward becoming the woman she envisions herself to be
CAN I TALK TO YOU BLACK MAN ?
“We should place less emphasis on whether Black men are resistant to therapy and more on understanding the contexts in which they already feel comfortable talking about their feelings and traumas. “
~ Howard C. Stevenson, PhD
Black men have been socialized to suppress their emotions while being led to believe that anger and aggression are the only socially acceptable emotions that they SHOULD possess and can express. Black men have not been provided with the luxury or opportunity to live in their full humanity and openly display the wide range of feelings and emotions that all humans have. Black men have been targeted and abused mentally, physically and emotionally which has resulted in the transference and horizontal violence against and within our communities. This workshop was created to initiate dialogue with Black Men, share some communication and emotional regulation tools and study the history of oppression in West Society.
THE ART IN HE(ART)
I FORE -C a future of
~ Creativity, Compassion, Collectivism, Connections~
The ART in HE/ART: A Spoken Word Poetry Workshop that focuses on healing,
connection, transformation, and collective liberation.
Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how spoken word poetry/art can
be used to activate our bodies, stimulate our minds, and open our he/art center. We will
embark on a journey to deepen our connection with ourselves, the elements, and our
community through processing and collective writing. Participants will be encouraged to utilize spoken word poetry/art as an apparatus for personal and societal transformation, a strategy for organizing, and a method to introduce political education.
WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS
Preview /
“The Black community suffers from an increased rate of mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression" - Thomas A. V
The “When it Rains Workshop” uses the transformative art of poetry, movement, education and a variety of active learning strategies to engage clients on the cognitive, emotional and spiritual level. One of our goals is to create a non-judgmental space for black community members to evaluate and address their emotions as well as identify distorted thinking patterns that lead to increased levels of stress. We also connect the social, historical, and systemic problems that lead to an increase in anxiety in marginalized and black communities. field ”
FREEDOM DREAMING WORKSHOP
~Creating a culture of care, self determination and community ~
In this workshop we will discuss a variety of topics related individual & collective accountability as well as the need for community based systems of safety to reduce state violence. We will use storytelling, poetry, dreaming and visioning to unlock our imaginations and create tangile solutions to our current society ills. This workshop will challenge us to challenge ourselves and reflect on our our personal capacity to love and transform.
WHO ARE YOU & YOUR PEOPLE?
Poetry, Movement, Connection & Movement Building
In this workshop we will discuss a variety of topics related to Movement Building, Connection, and Transformation. Our goal is to build a culture of belonging, by listening to our people and all sources of intelligence within us. Before we are able to transform harmful systems we must be willing and courageous enough to connect with and transform ourselves.
