At Cultures of Dignity, we have been busy over the past month. From keynotes at fundraisers, to eating chips and guac with high school students while intensely debating the use of social media in our lives, here are some highlights!
// What we’ve been doing
GALs Luncheon
Our entire team, including our amazing high school intern, Marley Martin, attended the annual luncheon for the Girls Athletic Leadership School in Denver. Rosalind had the honor of delivering the keynote and discussed the values of GALS as seen in our own communities
“GALS is a school like many in this community and across the country that stand for the belief that all children have the right to feel safe and welcome in schools and it is our responsibility to do everything we can to make that a reality.
We believe reaching in towards each other and listening when we are angry strengthens our communities
We believe that intellectual diversity and robust civil dialogue is how education happens.”
Silver Creek High School Abash the Past sponsored Poetry Slam
Silver Creek, a local high school, holds monthly poetry slams during their lunch hour to give students a chance to find their voice and talk about issues they care about. We attended the Abash the Past themed poetry slam in support of the work Jordyn Monnin’s movement to end slut shaming.
A student stood up for the first time and shared a powerful poem about what it is like to grow up in an immigrant home and how her home “has been invaded by uncertainty” with the recent election. Read Karla’s important words here.
Student reading her poem
Summit Middle School talk with 8th graders
We had the chance to hang out with 8th graders from Summit Middle School and discuss how the media, adults, and even toys teaches us the unwritten rules of boy and girl world from a young age.
“You need to call out adults in the world who are doing things that are wrong and hypocritical. You have a voice!”
Keynotes
- Rosalind keynoted at Evergreen Country Day School in Evergreen CO
- Speak SF in San Francisco,
- Penn Trafford School District in PA
- Zen Parenting Conference in Chicago
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- After the speech a Speak SF, a mom gave Rosalind Lifesavers on behalf of her 12 year old daughter because she told her mom not to fix all her problems!
Focus Groups
We got together with groups of high school students in Boulder, CO and chatted about all things social media: from unwritten rules of talking to a new guy on snapchat and who to follow on instagram to sending sexual pictures and the power of influencers.
Favorite quotes:
“We get slut-shamed by our own parents if we post bikini shots”
“I’m literally contemplating going to a school because a youtuber I follow goes there”
“I want to scoop my eyes out with a rusty spoon – instagram is so fake it’s unbelievable.”
We are working with our interns to write a couple follow-up articles and will be hosting focus groups with middle schoolers in the upcoming weeks – so stay tuned!
Planning for Owning Up PD Training!
We are offering a day long accredited Owing Up Professional Development Training in Boulder CO on April 29th on teacher mindset and the Owning Up Curriculum— it’s going to be awesome! This is our first time conducting this training in Colorado and we couldn’t be more excited!
The Owning Up training brings concrete strategies to prepare youth to be engaged learners and socially responsible citizens.We are taking the newest approaches and the latest feedback from educators and young people, and redeveloped professional development to provide the skills and expertise that educators need most!
This training is about:
- Defining realistic definitions of bullying, by-standing, teasing, drama and social conflict.
- Analyzing individual behavior and decision making related to negative group social dynamics.
- Identifying dynamics that lead to social conflict
- Recognizing the value of a growth mindset for educators as well as the students
- Teaching students to effectively intervene in social conflicts with their peers.
- Outlining challenges educators have to teach these topics effectively and obtain student buy-in
Learn more about the training and register here!
// Issues we have been thinking about
Trans community
The most important lesson we can teach our children is that they have the right to be themselves.
Check out the latest news on how transgender young people are affected here
International Womens Day
We wore red is solidarity with the women protesting, striking, and fighting to be heard on International Women’s Day.
We loved the stories of people celebrating around the world featured in the New York Times, below are some favorites.
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- Masai women dancing at an event on Wednesday in Nairobi, Kenya, to celebrate International Women’s Day. Via NYTimes
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- Eden Lewis handed out scarves printed with the words “A Day Without Women” in New York on Wednesday. Via NYTimes
