Teachers for Social Justice Conference and Maya’s Open Studios
This weekend in San Francisco is one not to be missed! The Teachers for Social Justice: A Labor of Love Conference starts off the weekend on Saturday from 9am-5pm at Mission High School. This conference is FREE and open to the public. With over 50 different workshops to choose from, this conference is sure to have you coming away inspired and empowered. Maya will be presenting one of her Claiming Face workshops during the morning session from 10:45-12:30. Reflection Press will also be tabling at the event alongside Children’s Book Press so be sure to stop by and say hi.
Workshop registration is done on the day of, on a first-come, first-served basis. The doors open at 8:30am and if there is a workshop that you are particularly excited about, it is recommended that you come at that time to sign up. Learn more about the conference on the T4SJ website or download the full program to start planning your day.
And as a special bonus, this weekend also happens to be the first weekend of Open Studios and Maya will be opening her studio doors to show off her latest Continue reading »
On These Shoulders We Stand
Wow! Maya and I went to a free movie screening at the LGBT center in San Francisco yesterday for an absolutely awesome documentary called On These Shoulders We Stand. Lots of people know about Stonewall and Harvey Milk, but this film focused on the movement for LGBT equal rights that was growing in Los Angeles even before Stonewall. The film focused on 11 people who discussed their experiences during that time. It was amazing to hear not just about the discrimination, violence, and stress of the time, especially at the hands of police, but also about the incredible resilience, determination and undying pride that all of them possessed in overcoming such extreme and often what seemed liked hopeless situations. They truly are the people on whose shoulders we stand! They paved the way for others just by refusing to accept that they could not be themselves and love who they loved.
The film dealt a lot with the 1897 law that was adopted in response to Continue reading »
Filed under From the Life, LGBTQI Families | Tags: acceptance, courage, empowerment, films, history, lgbt, neighborhood | Comment (0)Reading to the kids of Nickerson Gardens
Last week I flew to Los Angeles for an American Federation of Teachers media event on August 19th. As a child, unions were a natural part of life to me. I grew up with talk of Cesar Chavez, as well as shop talk about the electric union my father belonged to. So I was honored to be included in supporting the union that supports some of my favorite and most respected fellows: educators.
The event took place at the Head Start Center, deep in the Nickerson Gardens Projects in Watts, Los Angeles. The outside walls were covered with fading, but powerful renditions of Martin Luther King Jr. and inspirational words. The images reminded me Continue reading »
Filed under Events, Maya in the Classroom | Tags: children, event, family, neighborhood, outreach, school visit | Comment (0)Our Neighborhood Library Reopens
After a 20 month closure, our neighborhood library named after Harvey Milk finally reopened on Saturday, October 24, 2009 here in San Francisco where we live. We’re so excited to see the wonderful amenities they’ve added, like a gas fireplace, Wi-Fi, a dedicated children’s area, and more. Don’t be surprised if many of our blog posts come while we sit in this beautiful place.
We attended the opening ceremony on Saturday where the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence did a fabulous blessing followed by lion dancers leading us into our amazing new library! And of course we looked, and some of Maya’s books are available there to check-out – maybe she’ll have to have a children’s story time? Here are some pictures from the opening. Do you have a favorite library in your area?
