Play is developmental.
Healing is necessary.
These things are not just true for children, but for us as adults, as well.
Learning and developing through play and taking time and space to heal, learn, and unlearn is necessary for us to show up as the best versions of ourselves for children...for ourselves and our loved ones, professionally and personally.
With all of that in mind, an invitation...
Some of you may remember former Transform Challenging Behavior Online Conference speaker Encian Pastel (2019, he has also been a moderator for our Facebook community). Encian is leading an online workshop with Meg Thomas, who I have known and respected for years:
Packing the Invisible Waistpack: Magical Tools for Anti-Racist Action
It's on Sunday, September 27th and you're invited!
($5-50 sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of funds).
Now, I'll be honest, at first glance mixing "magic" and play into the work of striving to be antiracist can seem like it might detract from the seriousness of the issue of racism.
Truthfully, I had that thought myself when I was first introduced to the Invisible Waistpack/Magical Tools idea (spoiler: there's also an Anti-Shame Cloak).
But, then I catch myself, realizing I am regurgitating some notion of play being unserious. I remember that I always say I am serious about play. I remember that play can be transformative.
Plus, I've experienced some of the exercises that Encian and Meg will be doing first hand and I've seen the power of these tools.
I highly recommend this event.
In this online workshop participants will be guided in inventing tools that can help when things like white guilt and defensiveness come up. We'll get to practice using the tools in a play context.
The Invisible Waistpack session is part of Solidarity Healing September.
Solidarity Healing September is a month-long series of online events, workshops, interviews, and panels to hold healing spaces for people of all identities interested in collective liberation work. The events will also raise funds to support Black Healing October.
You can learn more here: Solidarity Healing September.
Black Healing October is a free month-long journey of Black people creating spaces for Black people of all ages, identities, genders, and sexual orientations to connect, heal, grow, learn, relax, love, imagine, and transcend with each other.
You can learn more about those events here (I think maybe not all the events are listed yet, scroll down to sign up for the newsletter): Black Healing October,
Depending on who you are in the world and what your racial identity is, I hope you can find something on those September or October calendars to help you learn, grow, and heal.
Have thoughts about this email? Let me know in the comments BELOW.
One important note: I am not running these events, I am just the messenger!
If you have questions about the events please look for a way to contact the organizers on those websites I've linked to above or by finding the event on social media. I don't know anything more than I've included above!
Big love,
ps - Some of you wrote to me looking for resources for racial healing or to help you in the journey of striving to be anti-racist this summer. I think you might find something that fits the bill on the Solidarity Healing September and/or Black Healing October calendars!
NOTE: these are not early childhood specific events but Encian and Meg, leading the The Invisible Waistpack Workshop are both early childhood folks. As for the rest? Sometimes we need to take a step back and focus on our own learning and healing. Some of these events just might be transformative in terms of how you show up as an early childhood educator.