Racial Truth & Reconciliation Week #RTRW2020 – 8/2 – 8/8/20

Date

Aug 3–8, 2020

Time

12:00 AM – 12: 00 AM

Location

Facebook.com/RacialTruth

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Racial Truth & Reconciliation Week Event Links & Descriptions

View the RTRW Program – engage with us on Facebook, Twitter, & Intagram throughout the week using the hashtag #RTRW2020.

July 31st 

Pre-Launch Community Chat: An Introduction to Voices Strategic Plan & Racial Equity Transformation 

August 2nd

10:00AM – 10:45AM – Give Us The Mic: Delegate Betsy Carr & Bianca Myrick 

Politicians and partner organizations will give advocates of color that have been impacted by their platforms or missions the mic. Bianca Myrick is the founder of Pretty Purposed, an organization with a mission to empower young girls through activities that foster physical, social, and emotional development and mentorship. Through this series, she shares her dream list and personal experiences with Delegate Betsy Carr. View on Facebook or Youtube

1:00PM – 1:30PM – Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams: Elder Chats, Compilation 

This series is intended to empower communities intergenerationally by discussing intergenerational tribulations & triumphs. The goal is to acknowledge the work of the previous generation and to discuss the growth of the younger generation. View on Facebook or Youtube

  1. Loretta Edwards
  2. Ronald Smith

4:00PM – 4:30PM – Art & Activism Showcase 

In addressing and promoting justice for oppressed communities, we recognize art as a form of resilience but also a form of social justice. In honor of Racial Truth & Reconciliation Week, we encouraged artists and advocates to submit pieces that address cultural, historical, and racial trauma in addition to pieces that highlight cultural resilience, truth, reconciliation, and justice. Please take a moment to view their truths and share their work. View the virtual showcase here

7:00PM – 7:05PM – A Prayer for Truth & Reconciliation

Hear from evangelist Tony Williams and minister and teacher, Gabe Santos. These faith leaders will guide us through a prayer that addresses truth and reconciliation. Join them in prayer as we promote racial harmony and healing through spirituality.

August 3rd

10:00AM – 11:30AM – Community Chat: Inequities in the Public Health System 

Hear how leaders in the community are addressing public health inequities during COVID-19. Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic; these organizations are working to address the inequities that impact the predominantly black and brown communities they serve. We will share best practices using concrete state-level and local-level examples of how to foster trauma-informed care, resilience, and equity in recognition of the trauma that comes with the pandemic. Join us on Zoom or Facebook Live

View the Public Health Inequities Powerpoint

12:00PM – 1:00PM – Give Us The Mic: Family Lifeline & Kenda Sutton-El 

Partner organizations give advocates of color that have been impacted by their platforms or missions the mic. Kenda Sutton-El works for Birth and Color and serves as a birth justice and maternal health advocate. A graduate of Old Dominion University, and New River Community College, Kenda is also a  Holistic Nutritionist, student midwife, Certified Lactation Counselor, reproductive justice and maternal health advocate, Birthworker, and Master Herbalist . Follow Facebook for the day to learn more about Kenda and view the session. 

2:00PM – 3:00PM- Community Chat: Voice and Choice in Trauma-Informed Services

Virginia heals is a new model of service delivery. Service providers and the children, youth, and families whom they serve have faced long systemic barriers, which present more challenges than solutions. In today’s climate, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated many of these issues, forcing child and youth-serving providers to find unique ways to meet the needs of individuals and communities. For many reasons, the relevance and timing of the arrival of the Virginia HEALS model of service delivery could not have been more perfect. Learn more about the model through this presentation. View by registering on Zoom or at Facebook.

Presented by:

7:00PM – 8:00PM- Restorative Yoga: Mindful-Based Skills and Meditation

Rooted in self care, social change and collective well-being, Bare SOUL Yoga bridges yoga, education and community to cultivate a diverse healing experience that nourishes the mind, body and soul for the greater impact of social change. This session offers a gentle, restorative space of respite for people of all ages and all experiences to explore balance, journey inward, and connect to their most authentic self–a space of truth and love through this restorative, liberating practice. The session will introduce breathing practices, movement and meditation.  View at Facebook or Youtube

August 4th

10:00AM – 11:00am – Yoga Practices for Community Health & Rejuvenation 

Yoga is more relevant today than ever before to resist Corona attack, Disconnection, and Stress. Dr. Ram Bhagat will lead a 60-minute session designed by his master teacher of 45 years, Dr. Janeshwar Upadhyay. Ram will facilitate a virtual class for Racial Truth and Reconciliation Week on how to do two yogic breathing exercises (pranyam) – for example alternate nostril breathing (alom-vilom) and cleansing breath (kapalbhati) and five yogic postures (asanas) ­– for example sun salutation (surya-namaskar), tree pose (vrksasan), warrior pose I (virabhadrasan), shoulder stand (sarvangasan) and fish pose (matsyasan). He will also lead a deep relaxation (sarvasan). Dr. Bhagat will explain how yoga can enhance your immune system to fight the virus, racism, and other diseases. View at Facebook or on Zoom

12PM – 1PM- Community Chat:  Racism in the Foster Care System Where do we go from here? 

This is a featured event of Racial Truth and Reconciliation Week! This one hour community chat will highlight the historical racism that has permeated child welfare and resulted in a disproportionate number of children of color represented in the foster care system. Panelist Allison Gilbreath, Voices for Virginia’s Children, Fallon Speaker, University of Richmond Family Law Clinic, and Valerie L’Herrou, Virginia Poverty Law Center will talk about the impacts of racism on foster care and strategies to address these challenges. This community conversation is perfect for advocates, front line workers, foster families, bio families, and youth with lived experience in the foster care system. Join us at Facebook or Youtube.

4:00PM – 5:00PM – Give Us The Mic: Greater Richmond Scan & Egette Indelele 

Partner organizations give advocates of color that have been impacted by their platforms or missions the mic. Egette Indelele was born and raised in a refugee camp in Tanzania. She is the oldest of five children and a first-generation honor college student at George Mason University. She is studying psychology with a concentration in cognitive and behavior neuroscience with the hope of opening her own practice in Burundi, emphasizing the importance of mental health while serving children with the hope of healing their traumatic life events. Egette Indelele is the CEO of Safe Haven. Follow GRSCAN’s Facebook Page for the day! View the session on Facebook.

7:00PM – 8:00PM- Community Chat: Children’s Book Reading: The Purple Grasshopper 

The Purple Grasshopper follows the journey of a quirky grasshopper who struggles with accepting that she is different. She tries to be like the other grasshoppers at first but quickly learns the power of self-love, and that friendship is abundant. This children’s book is about inclusion, self acceptance, and the importance of friendship. View at Facebook or Youtube.

Hannah Qizilbash, Author
Katie Blakeslee, Illustrator
Melissa Rice, Host, Reach Out & Read
Dr. Richard Bennett

August 5th

10:00AM – 11:30PM – Community Chat: The Impact of Racism on Mental Health

Hear ChildSavers panelists and community organizations discuss the impact of racial trauma on mental health. Experiences of race-based discrimination can have detrimental psychological impacts on individuals and their wider communities. In some individuals, prolonged incidents of racism can lead to symptoms like those experienced with post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn more by joining this community chat. Join on Facebook or YouTube.

  • Eleane Young, Moderator, ChildSavers
  • ChildSavers Panelists
  • Community Organizations

12:30PM – 1:30PM – Community Chat: ChildSavers- Our Journey With Racial Reconciliation 

Hear ChildSavers discuss the history of their non-profit organization, which highlights themes of racial trauma and historical trauma. The organization is poised to move forward and has embraced a race equity transformation. Learn more about their journey as an organization to promote racial truth and reconciliation. Join on Facebook or YouTube.

  • Robert Bolling, CEO, ChildSavers
  • ChildSavers Panelists 

2:30PM – 3:00PM- Community Chat: An Overview of Child Well-Being & Equitable Research Practices 

Research Director, Lauren Snellings, gives an overview of Voices Kids Count data center. Through this presentation, you will hear an overview of what child health and well-being looks like for children in Virginia. This presentation will analyze the social determinants of health, including poverty adverse child experiences, foster care, and more. Snellings also will walk participants through the difference between equity and equality and present actionable steps participants can include in their research practices to be more intentional in integrating a race equity lens in their work. View at Facebook or Youtube

4:00PM – 5:30PM – Community Chat: The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Insecurity- A Mutual Aid Model 

While there are public interventions, such as Pandemic EBT, during COVID-19, these community leaders and organizations still recognize a need for food security. Through community intervention, they are able to ensure children and families have their basic needs met, such as food and shelter. Learn more as they discuss the impact of housing on food insecurity, food deserts, and COVID-19s impact on food insecurity. They will also present possible solutions they are working on as a community to improve conditions and propose action steps that would like to see taken in the future. Join on Zoom or Facebook

Moderator: Chloe Edwards, Voices, Outreach Coordinator 

August 6th

10:00AM- 11:00AM – Addressing the Impact of Racism on Maternal & Infant Health Outcomes 

Hear from our special guests, Policy Director, Ali Faruk with Families Forward, Kenda Sutton-El, Executive Director of Birth in Color RVA and maternal health advocate, Delegate Lashresce Aird, and a special message from Senator Jennifer McClellan as we examine the impact of racism on maternal and infant health and discuss policy interventions and alternative practices to promote equitable and just outcomes. Join on Zoom or Facebook.

11:30AM – 1:00PM – Racial Equity & The Workplace 

Learn more about equitable best practices in the workplace. Hear from workforce professionals about the impact of racial trauma in the workplace and how to improve internal and external race equity practices to improve workplace culture. Join on Facebook or Youtube.

2:00PM – 2:45 PM – Give Us The Mic: Delegate Wendy Gooditis & Councilwoman Tina Stevens 

Politicians give advocates of color the mic that have been impacted by their platforms or missions. Councilwoman Stevens is the CEO of I’M JUST ME MOVEMENT and the founder of the Winchester Area Trauma-Informed Community Network. Some people feel like they don’t have an equal shot in life, those who have experienced trauma but also communities that are underrepresented. Stevens believes that being a TICN leader and on Council represents that it is possible to achieve the opportunities to positively impact our community. Learn more as Delegate Wendy Gooditis gives the mic to Councilwoman Stevens on Facebook or Youtube.  

4:00PM – 5:00PM – Ancestors Wildest Dreams: Youth-Led Q&A with The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus 

Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams: A Q&A with the Legislative Black Caucus is intended to serve as an intergenerational tribute and conversation. The mission of the week is to empower the voices and experiences of marginalized communities in acknowledgement of truth to promote healing, reconciliation, and justice. Youth participated in a Q&A with the Legislative Black Caucus to learn about their experiences and triumphs in overcoming the plight of oppression. Members had the opportunities to also learn about the experiences of youth and their hopes for the future.  View this Q&A on Facebook or Youtube

7:00PM – 8:00PM- Community Chat: Children’s Book Reading: Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams

This book was inspired by Ava Holloway and Kennedy George, two ballerinas. Their photos were taken by Marcus Ingram and Julia Rendleman in front of the monument of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, in Richmond, Virginia. Ultimately, those photographs went viral, and this moment propelled the duo into a summer of activism and dance. Posed in traditional ballet attire, the friends had no idea that a chance encounter at the Lee Monument would catapult them into the spotlight while serving as a beacon of hope for millions of young activists around the world. View on Facebook or Youtube

August 7th

10:00AM – 11:00AM: The Family & Children’s Trust (FACT) Fund Framework – A Guide for Trauma-Informed Community Networks 

Virginia has taken the lead nationally in developing a statewide movement to align science, practice and policy to advance health and equity across communities and reduce and mitigate the impact of trauma and adversity experienced by thousands of citizens across the Commonwealth. With the support of the Family and Children’s Trust Fund and the State Coordinator, Melissa McGinn, Trauma-Informed Community Networks (TICNs) drive trauma-informed and resiliency approaches that promote safety and well-being across communities. The Family and Children’s Trust Fund developed a cross-disciplinary framework for TICNs to serve as guidance in meeting the diverse needs of the community and to promote authentic engagement with the community. Learn more by viewing this Community Chat on Facebook or Youtube

  • Nicole Poulin, FACT, Executive Director 
  • Melissa McGinn, Dir. Community Programs & State Coordinator of Virginia Trauma-Informed Community Networks, GRSCAN 
  • Chloe Edwards, Voices for Virginia’s Children 

1:00PM – 2:30 PM- Community Chat: Community Responses to Black Lives Matter & COVID-19 

Hear community responses to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. These organizations have collectively responded in different ways, including I CAN’T BREATHE Marches, leading community conversations that promote truth and reconciliation, COVID-19 check-ins, truth hearings, and more! Learn by viewing this presentation on Zoom and Facebook or Zoom.

4:00PM – 5:30PM – Community Chat: Racial Truth & Reconciliation Week – Where do we go from here? 

The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities works with schools, businesses, and communities to achieve success by addressing prejudices, in all forms, in order to improve academic achievement, increase workplace productivity, and enhance local trust. Through workshops, retreats, and customized programs that raise knowledge, motivation, and skills, VCIC develops leaders who work together to achieve success throughout the Commonwealth. The goal of this Community Chat is to move the conversation past Racial Truth & Reconciliation Week into brainstorming concrete ways we can promote racial truth, reconciliation, and justice as a community. Partners in solidarity are strongly encouraged to participate in this conversation. Register on Zoom.

  • Charm Bullard, Dir. of Programs, Virginia inclusive Communities 

7:00PM – 8:00PM – RestorationYoga: Intention Setting & Yoga Nidra 

Setting an intention for your yoga practice is simply bringing your attention to a quality that you would like to emulate for your time on – and off – the mat. That quality could be gratitude, strength, awareness of breath – whatever you want to cultivate. Yoga nidra or yogic sleep is a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping, like the “going-to-sleep” stage, typically induced by a guided meditation. There is evidence that yoga nidra helps relieve stress. Through this session, the instructor will give the participant the tools to practice mindfulness and promote wellness through stress relief. View this session on Facebook or Youtube.

August 8th

10:00AM – 10:45AM – Give Us The Mic: Politician & Advocate Series 

Politicians give advocates of color that have been impacted by their platforms or missions the mic. Egette Indelele was born and raised in a refugee camp in Tanzania. She is the oldest of five children and a first-generation honor college student at George Mason University. She is studying psychology with a concentration in cognitive and behavior neuroscience with the hope of opening her own practice in Burundi, emphasizing the importance of mental health while serving children with the hope of healing their traumatic life events. Egette Indelele is the CEO of Safe Haven. Learn more as Delegate Rodney Willett gives Egette Indelele the mic! View this Give Us The Mic Session on Facebook or Youtube

11:30AM – 12:00PM – Give Us The Mic: Partner & Advocate

Partner organizations give advocates of color that have been impacted by their platforms or missions the mic. Sophia Booker works at United Methodist Family Services and is a Social Work student at VCU. Sophia has advocated on behalf of several policy initiatives to improve the lives of children, including Fostering Futures. Sophia is defying the odds with her success. Her goal is to give back. She wants all youth aging out of foster care at eighteen to have those same opportunities and supports. Learn more about Sophia by following our Facebook

1:00PM – 2:00PM – COMMUNITY CHAT: Redefining The New Normal Series – Allies or All Lies? Tips on Anti-Racism 

Concerned Citizens Network of Alexandria (CCNA)  focuses on educational improvement for underserved and at risk students as well as civic and social issues that affect the community, especially citizens of color.  As part of their Community Voices Series-” Redefining The New Norm”, CCNA will interview Hank Van Putten, Anti Racist Educator, Adjunct Professor & Facilitator for the Peace and Justice Institute, Valencia College, Orlando Fl.  Professor Van Putten will share his views on strategies to cope with the intersection of educational inequalities, COVID-19 and social justice. Join us on Facebook or Zoom

7:00PM – 7:30PM – Our Ancestors Wildest Dreams: Elder Chats

This series is intended to empower communities intergenerationally by discussing intergenerational tribulations & triumphs. The goal is to acknowledge the work of the previous generation and to discuss the growth of the younger generation. View on Facebook or Youtube

  • Councilwoman Tina Stevens
  • Rodney Culbreath
  • Danita Rountree Green
  •  Sarah McFarland
  • Flossie Moore
  • Ernest Moore, Jr.
  • Edith Crigler

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