Foundations for Social Justice
Our newest e-course, Foundations for Social Justice: Addressing Race Relations in the 21st Century, is now available on our Thinkific website. This is the fourth of six foundational workshops we facilitate that we've made available for e-learning.
Foundations for Social Justice provides a framework for developing an equity lens, provides language for discourse on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace, and deepens your understanding of the work involved in becoming contributors of positive change.
Watch the preview for Dr. Caprice Hollins' e-course below and visit the e-course site for more details.
March is Women's History & Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
Women's History Month and Developmental Disability Awareness Month both take place in March. Women's History Month originates from women's labor movements across Europe and North America in the 1800s and was expanded and recognized in 1985. Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month was established in 1987.
This month is an opportunity to create more awareness and inclusive practices for both women and people with developmental disabilities. You can learn more by visiting our newsletter from March of last year or revisit the interview with Eric Matthes from Arc of King County. Guest speakers and lunch and learns are a great way to honor this month, and be sure to check out events calendar for events you can attend.
Join the 24Hr Economic Blackout on February 28th
If you have been feeling overwhelmed with the attack on our communities and DEI and want to take action, The People's Union is organizing an economic blackout this Friday, February 28th and we encourage all of you to participate alongside us.
There should be no spending on corporate $$, gas, fast food, and major retailers (especially, Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, etc.). If you do spend, please support local small businesses, particular Black owned businesses; Intentionalist is a wonderful resource for finding them!
Future Economic Black out dates include:
March 7-14: Amazon Boycott
March 21-28: Nestle Boycott
April 7-14: Walmart Boycott
April 18: 24 Hour Economic Blackout #2
April 21-28: General Mills Boycott
Join us on BlueSky
I'm sure many of you have been feeling like we do about Meta's support of the current administration and don't want to use their platforms like Facebook and Instagram. At the same time, it's hard to move platforms when others do not so in an effort to contribute to the shift, we are now on BlueSky.
We hope you will join us over at Bluesky and if you do, be sure to follow our page @cultureconnecting.bsky.social!
Judy Lee Selected as Shunpike Storefront Artist
Our Project Manager Judy Lee was one of 8 artists selected for the Shunpike Storefront exhibition program for her portrait project: RAW: Redefining Beauty Beyond the Patriarchal Gaze. This exhibit features six unfiltered portraits of unsmiling women without makeup or hairstyling, accompanied by poems written by each woman in the same format. RAW ask us to engage with "difficult beauty," which invites both its participants and the audience to sit in the discomfort of complex emotions and to delve deeper to challenge our beliefs about how we see and interpret beauty.
This public art exhibition program runs through August, with new artists every six months. Judy's exhibit is located in South Lake Union on Boren, between Thomas and Harrison. Visit the program map to see all of the exhibits on display or participate in the artwalk on April 24th from 6-8pm to hear from the artists, including Judy!
Talking About Race E-Course Discounted through March 31st
In our last newsletter, we offered you our Talking About Race e-course at the discounted rate of $99 through the end of March to provide you with the tools to engage in difficult conversations about race. This offer runs through March 31st and you can claim your discount by entering courageous18 during check out. Visit the e-course page to learn more.
If you're an organization, be sure to reach out to Judy at judy.lee@culturesconnecting.com for special group rates.
Playing for Liberation Workshop with Dr. Leticia Nieto and Martha Hurwitz
Our colleagues, Dr. Leticia Nieto and Martha Hurwitz, are offering their virtual workshop Playing for Liberation: Practices to Warm Up & Root Down as We Work Toward Collective Liberation on Saturday, March 22nd at 9:30am PT.
The facilitators share: There is a vitalizing joy many of us experience in the work of liberation. It arises from both our efforts and what comes of them; and we feel it alongside our doubts, frustrations and fatigue. Play regenerates us. Share some favorite interactive activities and action methods that root and prepare us for day-to-day life in this current moment of loss and opportunity. Community pricing means you pay once and bring as many people as you want. We do this work best together.
It's a new month which means taking a look at our Diversity Calendar to look at significant dates to consider when planning meetings or events to create greater inclusion. Click on the name of the day to learn more.
2/28-3/30: Ramadan (Islamic)
3/05-17: Lenten Season (Christian)
3/08: International Women’s Day (International)
3/13: Palm Sunday (Christian/Orthodox)
3/13-14: Purim (Jewish)
3/13-14: Holi (Hindu)
3/17: St. Patrick's Day (Irish)
3/25: Equal Pay Day (United States)*
*Please note that Equal Pay Day changes every year, based on real time data so was listed as a different date on our Diversity Calendar, which was created last year. There are different Equal Pay Days for women of color.
Upcoming DEIB/Social Justice Events
For details on these and other events, workshops and conferences happening in the social justice space, visit our Events Calendar. If you have an event you would like us to share, please reach out to us!
3/01: Developing Your Anti-Racist Heart: Doing the Inner Work
3/01: Solidarity Day at Immigrant Detention Center
3/04: NAMI BIPOC Support Group
3/05: ToP Strategic Planning
3/05: Transformational Conversations w/Debby Irving
3/05: Learning Lab: Narrative Change for Racial Equity
3/05: Accessibility Learning Series: Going Beyond Etiquette
3/06: Race Forward: #RaceAnd: Navigating the Legal Landscape
3/07: NAMI LGBTQ+ Support Group
3/08: API Chaya Annual Gala: Creating Our Future
3/10: People's Institute Northwest Organizing Meeting
3/11: Men of Melanin: BIPOC Healing Circles
3/12: SURJ: Protect and Resist in the First 100 Days
3/15: Community-Driven Planning Rooted in Culture & Ecology
3/15: The Tender Work: An Ongoing Affinity Circle for People Identifying as White
3/15: Columbia City Night Market
3/16: Aware LA: Third Sunday Dialogue
...and so much more! Visit our Events Calendar to see the most up-to-date full schedule.