I believe each of us has unique inner gifts to share with the world. I want to:
- inspire leaders, parents, caregivers and educators
- celebrate inner resources, and
- share the journey of learning and living the Nurtured Heart Approach®.
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In this newsletter I approach the topic of racial and cultural literacy. NHA supports me as I explore my racism and efforts to be antiracist. My newsletter nuggets and resources are intended to be useful to any NHA practitioner. This is NOT a substitute for NHA training. Subscribe now!
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Lean into the Uncomfortable
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There are many fears that can be roadblocks to talking about race (i.e. saying the wrong thing, exposing prejudice, possibly hurting someone, revealing uncertainty, etc.). I am inspired by fellow NHA trainer Sharon Davis who states, "By combining Racial Literacy training with the Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA), individuals can navigate racially sensitive situations with awareness, alertness, affection and affiliation." As we engage and courageously lean into the uncomfortable, these words from Brené Brown can help us to be sensitive.
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"Shame breeds fear. It crushes our tolerance for vulnerability, thereby killing engagement, innovation, creativity, productivity, and trust."
~ Brené Brown
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Can I be both racist and antiracist?
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Yes. This continuum helps us grapple with our socialization as we raise questions, learn and advocate for an equitable and just society. This requires the cultivation of Inner Wealth qualities including courage, curiosity, reflection, humility, and empathy.
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"Ideas Worth Spreading..."
Technology, Entertainment, Design
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I find TED a valuable resource on a vast range of topics. Below I highlight two videos that address racial literacy and resonate with my NHA practice. Reading the comments that accompany these videos helped expand my views.
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I found it fascinating to learn how people around the world respond to this content, and I believe that learning about and discussing multiple perspectives is part of the work. This reinforces the NHA concept that we don't ignore negativity or discomfort, we choose how to respond.
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TEDWomen 2017
In What it Takes to Be Racially Literate, Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi, social entrepreneurs and student activists, define the heart and mind gaps we can bridge to become more racially literate.
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Guo and Priya implore us to tend the
heart
gap by growing our ability “to understand each of our experiences, to fiercely and unapologetically be compassionate beyond lip service.”
We can address the
mind
gap by boldly expanding our ability “to understand the larger, systemic ways in which racism operates.”
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TEDMED 2017
In How to Resolve Racially Stressful Situations, Dr. Howard Stevenson, racial literacy leader and professor of psychology at University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, describes racial stress and shares skills we can use to manage tension and trauma.
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Stevenson encourages us to decode racial situations by learning to read (recognize a racial moment and notice our stress reactions to it), recast (access mindfulness strategies) and resolve (make a healthy decision that is not an underreaction or an overreaction). He also advocates for talking to children about race and shares clips from a conversation he had with his then 10 year-old son.
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Calculate, Locate, Communicate
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Howard Stevenson defines racial literacy as "the ability to read and recast, or reduce and resolve, racially stressful encounters during face-to-face interactions." He emphasizes relaxation and stress management as key racial literacy skills. His 3 step process for helping to manage stressful situations aligns well with Howard Glasser's NHA reset.
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- Calculate
the stresser on a scale of 1-10.
- Locate
the sensation in your body.
- Communicate
by identifying self-talk you may be doing during the experience
Breathe and exhale consciously throughout, remembering the more you can relax, the more you can access what you know. read more
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Many of the resources I reference in this newsletter have been available for several years and may not be new to readers; that includes the books/articles included on this reading list from Ibram X. Kendi published prior to his 2019 book How to Be an Antiracist. Kendi is the Director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University.
Here's a 2019-2020 list that includes titles for children and young adults. Perhaps you'll be motivated as I am by Roy Peter Clark's introduction to this 2018 list inviting readers to engage beyond Black History Month.
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“Our humanity is worth a little discomfort, it's actually worth a lot of discomfort.”
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Nurtured Heart Approach
Certification Training Intensive with Howard Glasser
July 19-24, 2020
ONLINE
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Prerequisite: 6 hour introduction which I can provide online (3 hours on your own time, 3 hours with me).
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The Nurtured Heart Approach is copyrighted material belonging to Howard Glasser and the Children's Success Foundation.
As stated above, the material in this newsletter is not a substitute for NHA training.
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