Gratitude

All of us at Temescal Associates, the How Kids Learn Foundation, and the Learning in Afterschool & Summer Project wish you a peaceful and restful holiday! On our part, we are most grateful to all of you who work hard to support our youth in out of school time. 

What Can You Do to Implement a Strategy for Racial Justice in the Next 7 days?

By Guest Blogger, Lynn Johnson 

Lynn Johnson, Spotlight: Girls

My plan for the next 7 days was to have a few meetings, do a bunch of busy work on the computer, attend a local theater production, see some friends, read a little. Certainly engage in some Netflix. Pretty standard stuff. Nothing world changing.

Then last week, I attended the How Kids Learn Conference in San Francisco. I heard Dr. Shawn Ginwright of San Francisco State University speak about how youth programs can and should address racial justice. This was one of those paradigm-changing speeches that you remember forever.  

Dr. Shawn Ginwright, SFSU

In it, he calls for us to attend to "radical healing." He charged those of us who work with children and youth to focus our work on two areas:

1. Collective Healing from the all of the harm that so many of us has suffered due to structural racism and implicit bias
2. Transforming the Systems that caused the harm in the first place

At the end of his speech, he left us with this challenge - "What can you do to implement a strategy for racial justice in the next 7 days?"

Now, I have a new agenda for the week. 

The Importance of the Arts

By Sam Piha

Sam Piha

We know that the arts in all forms (digital arts, performing arts, fine arts, etc.) and art making is important in the healthy development of children and youth, in fact our whole society. Art making is truth telling and provides all youth, especially those without a voice, an opportunity to express themselves. 

We want to acknowledge the tragic fire that struck the vibrant arts community in our hometown of Oakland, CA. We are all affected by this tragedy and our hearts go out to the families and friends of those lost and missing in the fire. 

Vigil at Lake Merritt
Photo Credit: ABC News

Mariah Rankine-Landers

We are thankful that the importance of art making was promoted in our recent How Kids Learn VI conference. A special thanks to Mariah Rankine-Landers (Alameda County Office of Education), who spoke on teaching equity through the arts. Also, thanks to Richmond’s RYSE Center for sharing some of the art and videos created by their youth. 

Photo Credit: RYSE Center, Richmond, CA