Recently, I moved homes, and throughout the move, I kept seeing turtles. Turtles walking across trails, peeking out of shells, and sunbathing on logs.Turtles in real life and on divination cards and in photographs.Turtles of different sizes and species: box turtles and snapping turtles. At first, I thought these turtles were symbolizing that home is with me wherever I am. To go home, go within. This message continues to be comforting as I create a new home-space. Then, I ... Read more ...
resilience
Countering Imposter Syndrome: Workshop Handouts and Resources
Welcome to this page of handouts and resources for the upcoming presentation “Countering Imposter Syndrome and Affirming the Right to Belong.” Designed for students and faculty, this presentation is sponsored by the Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The event will be held remotely via Zoom on Tuesday, May 4th 6:00-7:30pm Central time. Workshop Description How can we (researchers, mentors, advisors, ... Read more ...
Questions for Honoring Creative Energy and Play
Throughout today's writing retreat, I've been considering how to honor creative energy and engage in creative play. Inspired by the CHANI app (and surely by this week's new moon), I’ve been feeling such a pull toward creative play (crocheting, drawing, baking, gardening, and even listening to and writing poetry). And I’m realizing that creative play (with color, texture, shape, craft, and purpose) might be just what’s needed to fuel, inspire, and sustain more serious ... Read more ...
Q&A with Tamika Carey: “Gestures Are Easy. Reckoning Is Hard.” On Prioritizing Wellness and Liberation
I’m particularly excited about this Q&A blog post with Tamika Carey, Ph.D., an interdisciplinary scholar whose work is not only shaping the fields of cultural rhetorics, African American rhetorics, and feminist rhetorics but also deeply impactful for literacy studies, cultural studies, and women’s and gender studies. Tamika Carey is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Virginia, an award-winning author, and a committed educator. I came to know ... Read more ...
Invitation to Join Upcoming Theatre of the Oppressed Workshops
This fall, as part of the 40-Day Practice: Strengthening Emotional Stamina to Counter White Fragility, I’m facilitating two workshops using theatre of the oppressed. I invite you to join one or both of these workshops, if you’d like to experience Augusto Boal’s powerful approach, rehearse interventions into everyday racism, and connect with others engaged in this work. Here are the workshop dates and description: Friday, October 16th 2-5pm EasternFriday, November 6th ... Read more ...
Writing a Commitment Statement
What commitments (deep dedications and priorities) drive everyday living? This question feels essential for everyday living for justice. Too often, though, it remains unanswered or even unarticulated. Without knowing what matters to us deeply—so deeply that it mobilizes, energizes, and guides decision-making—it’s too easy to be on autopilot and to feed the status quo, even when it undermines professed beliefs. To interrupt the autopilot conditioning that preserves ... Read more ...
7 Strategies for Soothing Aches and Pains During the Pandemic
It’s been weeks since I’ve had acupuncture, and old aches and pains are now resurfacing during the pandemic. In this week’s session of “Processing the Pandemic with Heart-Head-Hands,” I realized I wasn’t alone in having these sensations. Our conversation turned to shared back pains and how we’re supporting our bodies while staying at home and missing bodywork. Because many of us are dealing with similar questions of how to soothe aches and pains, I’m sharing what’s ... Read more ...
Living in a Global Pandemic, Reaching toward Collective Responsibilities
What’s demanded of us for living relationally and responsibly in the midst of a global pandemic? What’s demanded in this time of uncertainty, chaos, and crisis—a time that’s highlighting how precarious everyday life is, especially for people meant not to thrive within oppression? Sitting with these questions, here are three scenes. May weaving together story threads help with realizing—and perhaps reaching toward—collective responsibilities. Scene 1: Processing with ... Read more ...
Words Cast Spells: Spell-Casting for 2020 to Experience Grief, Temperance, and Abundance
Though the new year marks a time for review and renewal, it’s often a few weeks into the year before I’m ready to set new goals via the contemplative practice of spell-casting. It’s as though I have to get out of the turbulent holiday season and new year energy before I’m ready to engage the magic of habit formation. This year (like the past couple) I’m returning to the practice of writing spells (like mantras, poems, or intentions) that I’ve learned through adrienne ... Read more ...
Q&A with Traci Higgins: Being of Service in the World
In this Q&A post, we learn from Traci Higgins, a governing board member of Kindred since 2017 and director of human resources of the Legal Services Corporation since 2012. Alexa Eason, intern with Heart-Head-Hands in fall 2019, initiated this interview with Traci, recognizing her years of work toward social and racial justice. Alexa and Traci met through the Georgetown Scholars Program: Alexa as a current scholar, Traci as a mentor. As Alexa says: On paper Traci ... Read more ...
