Goings Ons:
Let's Journey Together! |
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Our spirits are encouraged by the generosity of two donors who have offered a combined gift of $20,000.00 for the i am We Global Village end of year matching appeal. This campaign allows us to continue the work we all share. | | |
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Learn more about the journey by watching the video below. Many thanks to American Family Insurance for producing the video! |
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Dane Counter Shelter Home i am We Global Village continues to co-create a holistic, trauma-informed approach with staff at Metro - Madison Metropolitan School District’s program for youth who are court involved. Most recently, Rudy and the teaching staff at Shelter Home are exploring writing, digital art, podcasting and music production with young people. Space is co-created with students to explore aspects of their identities, lived experiences, hopes, etc, and all with a sense of care and joy. This is an ongoing series that we hope to find future funding to carry it forward into the coming years. |
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Working with Shabazz This fall, the i am We Global Village team was invited to join a spoken word class at Malcolm Shabazz City High School. Students shared that they were deepening their awareness and finding their voice in reading, analyzing, discussing and writing poetry. After spending time grounding in and reflecting on the importance of understanding and learning from history, the classroom community spent time writing and reciting haiku that ran the gamut. Many acknowledged the way history shows up in the present and offered up visions for a better future. Thanks to the safe space created with students, the class flowed into vulnerable sharing, encouraging feedback, and snapping applauds. The Village spirit was strong in the class and school overall. |
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YWCA Racial Justice Summit |
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Rudy Bankson, i am We Global Village Executive Director, joined colleagues Mya Williams, YWCA Community Restorative Justice Coordinator, Micah-Jade Coleman Stanback, Assistant Professor of English at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Kayla McGhee, Arts Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for the UW-Madison Division of the Arts, in facilitating a session entitled ART CO-CREATION: Centering Youth Experiences In Education. The powerful collaboration led to an interactive experience exploring both injustice in education and what a more just and equitable educational system could look like, feel like, simply be like. Participants were invited to draw on their experiences and engage in radical imagination for the future. Groups moved though three types of creation stations: visual arts, music production, and poetry. As each group contributed to each station, collective works emerged in the forms of a mural, a song, and spoken word. The mood of the session was respect, appreciation, openness, and collaboration in the midst of creating art about topics that can feel challenging. The youth brought lightness, joy, and energy to the activities. |
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Virtual Circle and Haiku Experience To all of our supporters and collaborators:
We invite you to experience our work by joining us for a special virtual circle and haiku workshop led by Rudy Bankston and Tina Hogle. We'd love to have you there! Register by clicking the button below and we'll send details. Register soon as this event will be capped at 25! Date: Thursday, January 11th Time: 6:30-8:30 CST pm | | |
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Unleashing Creativity:
The Healing Power of the Arts |
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In a world that often demands conformity and routine, our innate creative spirit serves as a guiding light, a source of inspiration, and, importantly, a path to healing. Creativity is a force that dwells within each of us, ready to be harnessed for wellness and self-expression. In this edition of our newsletter, we embark on a journey to explore the profound healing power of creativity through the arts. The Creative Spark within Us Creativity, often thought of as the province of artists and innovators, is, in fact, an intrinsic part of the human experience. It resides within our minds and hearts, waiting to be awakened and nurtured. The act of creation is a powerful force for healing. The healing potential of the arts lies not in the final product, but in the journey of creation itself. And recent research shows that the new learnings discovered through the creative process often carry over into other aspects of our lives! This can happen even and especially during times where we feel isolated, lost, or stuck. Authors Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross write in the introduction their book Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us. “Many of us tend to think of the arts as either entertainment or as an escape, but ... the arts are so much more. They can be used to fundamentally change your day-to-day life. They can help address serious physical and mental health issues, with remarkable results. And they can both help you learn and flourish.” |
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The Canvas of Imagination Visual arts are a canvas for imagination, allowing us to unleash our thoughts and emotions through color, form, and texture. When we pick up a paintbrush or iPad with Procreate, we engage in a form of self-expression that transcends words. The creative process itself can be therapeutic, offering a channel for catharsis and release. As we apply paint to canvas or create color and images, we access a space where we can grapple with our emotions, explore our inner worlds, and find solace in the act of creating something new. |
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The Melody of the Soul Music, with its enchanting ability to touch the deepest recesses of our souls, is a gateway to profound healing through creativity. Whether you are an avid musician or an appreciative listener, music allows us to express emotions that words alone cannot convey. The composition, performance, and appreciation of music offer an avenue for emotional release, stress reduction, and healing. Think of those moments when a particular melody or song seemed to speak directly to your heart, offering solace and understanding. In those moments, we witness the remarkable ability of music to tap into our emotions and facilitate healing. The Poetry of Motion Movement is the poetry of motion, an art form that marries creativity and the physical body. When we dance, do yoga, or engage in other mindful and expressive movement, we release pent-up emotions, express our inner selves, and experience a unique form of catharsis. Movement, like all art forms, offers a sanctuary for self-discovery and healing. The body and mind synchronize, allowing us to release tension, celebrate joy, and gain insight into our emotional well-being. Through movement, we find healing in the rhythm of life. The Written Word as a Creative Oasis Writing is a form of creativity that serves as a portal to self-discovery and healing. The written word allows us to articulate our thoughts and emotions in a way that fosters understanding and release. It's a form of creativity that exists within us all. The act of putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard can be a transformative experience. Writing enables us to explore our inner worlds, confront our fears, and celebrate our joys. The creative process of writing is itself a journey of self-expression and healing. In particular, haiku can help us distill complex thoughts and feelings into their simplest expression. Closing Thoughts As we navigate the complexities of life, creativity is an indispensable companion on our journey to wellness. In the arts, we discover a vast landscape of self-expression, emotional release, and self-discovery. Through creativity, we heal, connect with our inner selves, and find solace in a world that often demands routine and conformity. So, let's celebrate the boundless potential of our creative spirit. Whether you engage with the arts as a creator, an appreciator, or both, creativity is a beacon of healing, offering light and inspiration along the way. Take a moment today to embrace your creative side and witness the healing power that flows from within. Your creativity is a gift waiting to be unwrapped, a path to self-expression, and a sanctuary for wellness. |
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We're grateful for the support of hundreds of individuals and these organizations: |
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i am We Global Village is a program under fiscal sponsorship of the Center for Community Stewardship, which is a Madison-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization. This sponsorship enables donations to be tax deductible. You may also mail support checks to: Center for Community Stewardship, Inc.
116 North Few St, Madison, WI 53703 Memo line: i am We Global Village |
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