The Baltimore Uprising 2015

The

Living Well A Center for Social & Economic Vibrancy

Community Listening & Healing Circles Series

Live well. Be more.

The Living Well, 2443 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218,Telephone: 410.212.5953

A Letter From

THE DIRECTOR Reflecting on the Murder of Freddie Gray and the Resulting Uprising

O

n April 27, 2015, the evening of the Uprising, The Living Well hosted a meeting for local community-based arts organizations to discuss our collective role in Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake’s call-to-action to address the issues of community violence and economic strife. Many of the neighborhoods located South, East and West of the City’s economic hotbed have experienced generational poverty and have been faced with under-resourced services and low-quality schools and housing. The byproduct of such conditions is combat-level trauma for many residents. Local arts organizations have always served as a catalyst Baltimore’s disenfranchised residents can use for healing and expression. At The Living Well, we are happy to contribute to that legacy by providing an arts platform that promotes healing and open expression for all.

USING THE ARTS TO DISMANTLE STRUCTURAL RACISM AND ECONOMIC INEQUITY Our focus is on dismantling structural racism and economic inequity in Baltimore City and beyond.

We use our platform to create opportunities for social and economic vibrancy. In addition to promoting our diverse healing and cultural arts forums, we work with community partners to sustain our co-operative business model. We are devoted to soulful expression, conscious expansion and optimal wellness. As a learning organization, we are engaged in intentional community building and practice radical inclusion.

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At The Living Well, we recognize the importance of deconstruction as a first step in reconstructing systems, policies and societal behaviors that will empower individuals and communities who are traditionally under-resourced, over-policed and experiencing generational trauma. Our work with Equity Matters, a Baltimore collaborative for equity in policy, opened the door for us to attend the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond’s Undoing Racism Workshop, and to host potluck meetings that allowed community members to discuss our individual and collective roles in identifying and undoing structural racism.

On March 15 and April 12, 2015 in collaboration with Equity Matters, Inc., we hosted two Conflict Transformation sessions with J. Wesley Days, who provides international conflict relations consulting and intercultural exchange on four continents, and Lisandra Ramos, one of the CoFounders and Co-Directors of Fulana, a Latina video and satire collective, and an actor, writer and director. Conflict Transformation emphasizes

using the justice system to ensure peace, building right relationships and social structures with a focus on human rights, and treating nonviolence as way of life. The session brought a cross-section of the community together to discuss how to use elements of spontaneity and artistic inclusion to transform barriers to peacemaking and peacekeeping.

THE DEATH OF FREDDIE GRAY’S IMPACT ON BALTIMORE—OUR VIEW The death of Freddie Gray while in police custody was a metaphor for the lack of respect shown for human dignity and rights in Baltimore’s most under-served communities, many of which were amplified as forms of entertainment in television shows such as The Corner and The Wire. One of the linchpins of the Uprising was the outcry of community members who felt that their rights and civil liberties have been consistently violated via the criminal justice system in Baltimore. Having access to legal services is one of many important resources needed to create equity in responding to

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the legal systems and The Living Well has helped to provide low cost legal services to our community since 2013. In May 2015, we received a Stellar Award from JustAdvice Legal Services, a joint program of the University of Maryland’s Carey Law School designed to provide legal advice to community members, for our work in this area.

On the night of the Uprising, we watched our neighboring businesses fall victim to destruction and looting. We listened to helicopters and sirens late into the night. When the sun rose on Tuesday, the City was under a State of Emergency. The neighborhoods on the East and West sides of the City had seen fire and turmoil, while the Inner Harbor neighborhoods were being protected by the National Guard.

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As early as 7:00 a.m. the next day, people in the neighborhood were calling to ask how they could help. We opened our doors to students who could not attend school due to closures. We received clean-up supplies from the community, and our two of our resident artists, Menes Yehudah and Jason Harris, issued a call to Capoeristas and Drummers and led a group of healers down to Ground Zero (North Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue) to shift the energy and support the beginning of the healing process.

We recognized that many of the photographs highlighted on national news outlets did not show the thousands of people engaged in peaceful protest. Although the images of our healers and musicians made some national news outlets,

for the most part, the images of people who came together to clean neighborhoods and to make meals for residents who were directly affected by the Uprising were not seen. Our house photographer Reuben “Dubscience” Greene and community partner Dominic Nell were both on the ground every day capturing the anger, heartbreak and solidarity displayed by community members and others who have been a part of a historic, yet all too familiar, outcry for justice.

Healing also came to our community by way of the Okuu Indigenous Delegation, a wonderful group led by elder Kathy Sanchez from the San Ildefonso Pueblo of the Tewa nation in New Mexico. The group traveled to Baltimore for the “It’s Time 2015″ Women’s Leadership Summit.

However, the Uprising led them to our safe space, where Sarah Wells Headbird, a young ritual leader of the Ojibwe nation, led a ceremony during which she offered sage, sacred water and prayers of blessing and healing for those present and for the Baltimore community as a whole.

One week after the Uprising, we hosted our first Listening Circle under the direction of Community Psychologist Dr. Henry Gregory, Jr., a mental health professional with more than 35 years of experience and experience as a clinician, educator, trainer, consultant and researcher in a number of service areas including substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, criminal justice, juvenile justice, child welfare, school-based

mental health, and behavioral health. People who were young, old, black, white, blue collar, white collar and no collar came to share their truths and responses to the events affecting Baltimore. We listened to and learned from what they witnessed and gathered their feedback as opportunities in moving our beloved Baltimore forward.

Through this Listening and Healing Circles partnership with Baltimore City, we hope to help address community-based trauma. The concept was born out of the community’s request for strategies to manage stress, identify trauma and to rebuild trust in a system that has failed many who call Baltimore City home. Through this partnership, we are also providing a safe space for residents to view images, dance, reflect and unpack their emotions about what happened, and to receive resources for healing.

It is our hope that organizations and community residents take advantage of these free forums.

We also welcome your feedback. We have a long road ahead to healing and we are committed to continuing the work of rebuilding and reconstructing our community.

We are one Baltimore. Live Well. Be More.

Maurissa Stone Bass, Director BEING THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE.

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Community Listening and

HEALING CIRCLES SERIES B

orn out of a need to mend the collective wounds of Baltimore City residents and communities following the tragic death of Freddie Gray and the civil unrest that ensued, Community Listening and Healing Circles are structured events that encourage meaningful dialogue and reflection.

The Living Well is proud to be one of those spaces and a partner in this city-wide initiative, as we are committed to facilitating opportunities to move action and thought leadership forward.

When working to heal communities, mental health professionals play a very important role, which is why we’ve partnered with Dr. W. Henry Gregory to provide oversight and guidance as we offer information forums on community-level trauma.

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On May 11, 2015, we hosted the first event in this series. A diverse segment of the community came together to discuss their feelings, experiences, hopes and desires as it relates to the recent civil unrest and the future of underserved communities in Baltimore City. Participants were asked what they would like to see happen in the immediate future and what role they would like to play in being the change they want to see.

This month, we will continue this important series with the following forums. All events in this series are held at our studio.

Healing Circle | Qigong

Healing Circle | Dance as Medicine

JUNE 8, 2015 | 11:30 AM–1 PM AND 6:30 PM–8 PM

JUNE 22, 2015 | 7 PM-8:30 PM

Qigong is an ancient Chinese healing system based in meditation, controlled breathing, and slow gentle movements. Research suggests that the practice of Qigong, which is based out of the Tai Chi philosophy, reduces stress, enhances the immune system, and strengthens connections between mind, body, and spirit. The purpose of this Healing Circle is to explore the stresses experienced by community members and to provide Qigong practice skills to manage said stressors. The presenter will explore stresses with the group at the individual and community levels and help participants build skills and a knowledge-base in the Qigong practice, which will help them better manage current and future stressors. The group will participate in Dan Tian breathing, Positive Imagery exercises, and Qigong movements and participants will be asked to maintain a stress journal to track their own progress.

In traditional villages across the globe, dancing is a common unifying activity for the young and old, males and females, leaders and servants, and for the gifted and even the mentally challenged. Talent, skill or ability is not required. The ‘medicine’ in dancing is available to everyone who participates and is retained in the cellular and muscle memory.

The relief from stress and tiredness that dance offers, plus the emotional healing that is inherent in pleasurable rhythmic movement, is as magical as it is medicinal. The Dance as Medicine Healing Circle is a group forum based on the premise that everyone in the ‘village’ dances. Absolutely everyone! The forum will begin with a circle of silence and then continue with three components— warm-up, choreography, and ‘freestyle’ dancing.

The forum ends with a traditional dance circle of fun and joy, where one by one, each person gets a chance to show off their dance skills and shake off their stress.

Healing Circle | Djembe Drumming JUNE 15, 2015 | 6 PM–8 PM The djembe drum is not only one of the oldest instruments in the world, it is also one of the oldest tools humans use for soulful expression and stress relief. A 2014 article in the Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine notes that djembe drumming may improve cardiovascular health and at the same time, decrease stress and anxiety levels. At The Living Well, we recognize the power of this instrument as a tool community members can use. Through the Healing Drum Circle forum, we will introduce the power of the drum and encourage neighborhood residents to come together and use it as a way to express their inner thoughts and feelings. Djembe drum Master Menes Yahudah will lead the circle by providing an anthropological history of the role of the drum within communities of the African Diaspora.

Participants will learn how to use the drum not only as a form of communication, but also to collaborate on rhythms, all while benefitting from the healing components of vibration and music.

Listening Circle | Greene and Nell Photography Exhibit JUNE 29, 2015 |OPENING FROM 12 PM–2 PM (LUNCH SERVED) | EVENING 5 PM–7 PM (LIGHT DINNER) Images often speak louder than words and it’s no secret that many of the images that caught the attention of national media did not reflect the whole story about the community Uprising resulting from the death of Freddie Gray. Images can help us deconstruct how we experience traumatic events and what we are doing to make a difference. In this Listening Circle, which features the photography of Team Genius producers and photography artists Dominic Nell and Reuben Greene, participants can view photographs and videos taken before, during and after the now world-famous Uprising. The photographers will speak about their experiences and how their visual stories helped to change the narrative about what happened. Participants will have an opportunity to share their feelings and reflections on the images.

The exhibit will also provide access to resources,

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such as mental health providers and organizations that are working to make a difference.

Healing Circle | I Am Living Well Yoga JULY 6, 2015 | 6 PM–7:30 PM Yoga is an ancient art that literally means to unite or bring together. When our body is in alignment, our energy increases and our quality of life improves. In this I Am Living Well Yoga Healing Circle, yoga will be used to bring us together as a community, and to bring us closer to our divine/ highest selves. Participants will perform a series of gentle yoga asanas (postures) and breathing exercises that focus on self-care and stress relief.

After the practice, participants will be encouraged to introduce and share a factoid about themselves and their connection to the community.

Listening Circle | Community Sings Singing Circle JULY 13, 2015 | 7 PM—9 PM Song lives in us all and is a part of our everyday lives in more ways than we realize. For centuries, people have used singing as a coping mechanism and healing tool, including Africans during the Middle Passage and Native Americans during the journey on the Trail of Tears. A pilot study published in the British Journal of Nursing found that singing contributes to reduction in the anxiety and depression that many patients experience following a major surgery and is worth prescribing before antidepressants. The Community Sings Listening Circles brings people of all ages and skill levels together to create beautiful music‌ no experience is necessary. The only prerequisite is a love of music and song!

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About the

PRESENTERS Maurissa Stone Bass STUDIO DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF IONA CONCEPTS, INC. Maurissa Stone Bass the founder of Iona Concepts, Inc. an artist whose medium is life fulfills her passion for facilitating individual and community development by creating resource circles for human and community expansion.

Ms. Stone Bass’s artistic expression was formed by responding to the needs of social equity by designing and delivering creative, interactive media based training programs. Her career spans 20 years as a change agent conducting strategic planning, systems change and training initiatives for Federal, State, local governments and nonprofit organizations. Ms. Stone Bass currently works as an Adjunct Professor for the University of Baltimore as well as a faculty member for NeighborWorks America’s National Training Institute. She conducts community development training and consultation nationally. Her unique niche is working with arts organizations by supporting infrastructure and resource development. Iona Concepts, Inc., a Training and Change Management Consulting organization is the umbrella for The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy. Iona Concepts’ mission is to facilitate planned change in systems, organizations and communities.

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Maria Broom ACTRESS, AUTHOR, AND STORYTELLER Although nationally recognized as an actress for her recurring roles in HBO’s The Wire and The Corner, Maria Broom is also a storyteller and dancer with more than 40 years of experience performing and teaching across the globe. She is also the author of The Village Bully, a Fulbright Scholar, OSI Fellow, and a former feature news reporter for Baltimore’s WJZ TV. Ms. Broom attended the M.A. program in Dance Therapy at Goucher College in 1981 and has been teaching Dance and Storytelling for the past 20 years in the Theater department at the Baltimore School for the Arts. She is a frequent guest instructor for the Peabody Preparatory and Center Stage, and hosts the popular Music Box series for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

J. Wesley Days, Jr. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND INTERCULTURAL EXPERT Mr. J. Wesley Days, Jr. has more than twenty years of experience in international relations and intercultural exchange on four continents.

From his work with the United Nations to his contributions in numerous global nongovernmental organizations, Wesley is wellpracticed in creating opportunities to build bridges between nations and cultures of the world. His work remains consistently innovative, motivated by the need for greater cultural understanding and cooperation in the world. Since 1994, Wesley has been traveling to and working in cultural and academic circles in Brazil. He remains committed to the ideas and philosophy that surround global citizenry and education, a path that began for him as a Merrill scholar and Thomas J. Watson Fellow, and he recognizes the profound possibilities for transformation that cultural exchange provides. Wesley did his doctoral studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, his M.A. at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS — Bologna & Washington, D.C.) and his B.A. at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

Lea Gilmore AWARD WINNING SINGER, EDUCATOR AND ACTIVIST Lea Gilmore is a blues, gospel and jazz singing civic activist who has lent her voice, literally and figuratively, to advocacy for the underserved of the world and made a huge difference. A former deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and Program Director for the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers, in addition Ms. Gilmore has testified before local, state and federal commissions on issues ranging from immigration laws to the civil rights and liberties of women of color. Appointed by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, she served for several years as a member of the Maryland Advisory Board to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. Ms. Gilmore is presently the Director of Network Coordination for the Moving Maryland Forward Network. A graduate of Morgan State University with a degree in political science and a member of the Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society for the Social Sciences, Gilmore also sang in the school’s muchheralded choir, under the direction of the late Dr. Nathan Carter. Ms. Gilmore is a highly sought after lecturer who frequently speaks on the history of African American music; civil and human rights; and women’s rights, in addition to their historical and contemporary roles in blues and gospel music.

Reuben Dubscience Greene HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER, THE LIVING WELL Reuben Greene is a second-generation freelance photographer from New York. He honed his love for photography from his father Master Photographer Cornelius Greene at the age of 15. Studying under his father for over 10 years as an apprentice, he also gave his heart to the love of theatrical lighting design, which adds value to his current work.

Starting his photojournalistic grind at many of the events that are part of the city’s underground arts/ entertainment/culture scene, “Dubscience” found a home in the world of performance photography, capturing classic images of incredible area artists doing their thing on stages across the city—images

that flooded social media and made performers and fans take notice of his work.

Currently operating out of Maryland, New York and Washington D.C., Reuben is expanding business through local community groups, artist, charities, and private and corporate consumers. Capturing life in its purest form is his objective, whether it is through glam, high fashion, candid photos or promotional work.

W. Henry Gregory, Jr. Ph.D. LISTENING AND HEALING CIRCLES EXPERT CONSULTANT Dr. Gregory is a mental health professional with over 35 years of experience. He holds a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology and master degrees in Community Mental Health and Psychology.

He has expertise and extensive experience as a clinician, educator, trainer, consultant and researcher in a number of service areas including substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, criminal justice, juvenile justice, child welfare, school-based mental health, and behavioral health.

Currently, Dr. Gregory is an assistant professor at the University of Maryland, School of Nursing.

He also serves as the associate director for the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Department of Psychology’s Center for Community Collaboration. In addition, he is the cultural competence coordinator for MD CARES, a federally (SAMHSA) funded System of Care for youth and families experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges.

Dr. Gregory provides consultation and training to public and private agencies and direct services to individuals and families through his own organization, the Rafiki Consortium, LLC. Through Rafiki, he focuses on assisting service providers, policymakers, family members and other stakeholders in understanding and implementing skills, attitudes and treatment/service models that are culturally competent and grounded in a competency orientation toward promoting change.

Dr. Gregory passionately believes that we create

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our own destiny by how we think about ourselves and our circumstance. To this end, he believes that a focus on strengths, competencies and resilience will revolutionize the field of mental health.

Dominic Nell THE LIVING WELL COMMUNITY PARTNER/ PHOTOGRAPHER Dominic Kenneth Nell is a Baltimore native and skilled photographer who has served as a youth mentor for 25 years. He is currently Director of Crisis Intervention and Media Director at For My Kidz, Inc. His interest in drawing led to drafting, and then an interest in architecture and abstract painting was developed while working as a carpenter. His early interest in fashion led to modeling, while an extreme interest in film(s) led to acting in various plays. In pursuing a career in acting and modeling, he lived in Hollywood for a year and returned unsuccessful as an actor, but with a passion for film making. Mr. Nell wanted to capture everything that he saw and encountered on film and decided that he had to get a camera and did. In the process of using the camera for filming, he found and developed an unconditional love for photography. He describes himself as a Renaissance Man.

Bridal Pearson PROFESSOR AND TAI CHI AND QIGONG INSTRUCTOR Bridal Pearson has been a full-time professor at the University of Baltimore for 14 years and also teaches at Coppin State University, where he is the director of the Human Services programs. He holds a Ph.D. in Administration and an M.S. in Applied Psychology. His other passions are community engagement and martial arts. He began studying Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong nearly 10 years ago at the Dennis Brown Kung Fu School of Shaolin and Wushu. He studied there for 3 years formally and after leaving, continued on occasion to study with his primary teacher. Dr. Pearson has also studied Northern Shaolin Kung Fu and Self-Defense for the last 2.5 years at the House of Arts. He is a Certified

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Self-Defense Instructor and holds a Blue Sash in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, which is considered to be an intermediate level practitioner. Dr. Pearson has volunteered as a Tai Chi and Qigong instructor at the Tao Dojo School of the Way for 3.5 years. The Tao Dojo is a community-based mentor and martial arts program for high risk youth. He has been a Qigong and meditation teacher at the Soulful Emergence Arts Gallery for approximately 2 years.

The gallery is a place where community members can come and experience Qigong practice. He also currently teaches Qigong and meditation at Helping Other People through Empowerment (HOPE), an organization that treats those recovering from different types of addictions. In addition, he is an assistant coach at the House of Arts, where he teaches young people positive self-defense techniques. He is fortunate to mix his passions of martial arts and community work.

Lisandra Ramos ARTIST, WRITER AND DIRECTOR Lisandra Ramos was born and raised in New York City. She has worked in the arts as an educator (most recently, KIPP Star and KIPP Academy), a consultant (UNESCO, Ford Foundation), and a program director (El Puente Leadership Center), and is one of the Co-Founders and Co-Directors of Fulana, a Latina video and satire collective.

Lisandra also worked for many years in the educational theater scene as an actor, writer and director. An alumna of the Lincoln Center Director’s Lab, Lisandra branched out into digital media, creating several shorts, graphic design projects and animation for the internet. She has been a youth theatre director producing and writing numerous plays for young audiences in New York and Washington DC. Her play “Mariposa” was produced at Aaron Davis Hall in NYC by the drama department at City University of New York. She has also been a contributing writer to Urban Latino magazine and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

A generative artist and teacher, Lisandra is constantly creating work, using imagination,

physicality, movement, text, images, reflection, and collaboration. She holds a degree in Africana, Latin American & Caribbean Studies and Theater from Union College and an M.A. in Popular Theater from New York University’s Gallatin School.

Michelle Stafford THE LIVING WELL DIRECTOR OF FITNESS AND WELLNESS AND YOGA INSTRUCTOR Baltimore Native Michelle Stafford has been in the fitness industry for over a decade. What began as a way to get back in shape after having three children, evolved into a full blown commitment to wellness. As our Director of Fitness and Wellness, Ms. Stafford brings the diversity of her experience as a personal trainer, belly dance instructor, and yoga teacher. Her background includes both Anusara and Patanjali yoga training, Aquatic Exercise Association Aquatic Fitness, and National Strength Professionals Association (NSPA) Personal Training. In 2011, she was voted one of Baltimore’s top 5 trainer’s by the Baltimore Sun Magazine. This May, she was named by Indie Soul Entrepreneur of the Week by the Baltimore Times.

Menes Yahudah THE LIVING WELL DIRECTOR OF MUSICOLOGY Menes Yahudah is a producer, musical conductor, playwright, teacher, professional drummer and a rising music mogul. His West African drumming career has spanned more than 35 years and he is considered one of the mostsought-after professional Djembe drummers in the Mid-Atlantic region. Mr. Yahudah has spent an extensive amount of time on the continent of Africa (Guinea, Senegal, Gambia and the Ivory Coast) for the purpose of both performance and study. He has also travelled internationally to Asia and the Caribbean. Mr. Yahudah has performed or collaborated with the likes of Mamady Keita, Omar Penne, Djimo Kouyate, Baile McKnight, Mahiri Fadjimba Keita, Maria Broom, Cleveland Chamber Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Sweet Honey and The Rock, Famadou Konate, and Papa Ladji Camari. Mr. Yahudah is also the founder and director of Urban Foli, a member of Farafina Kan and an instructor with the Tam Mandingue Djembe Academy in Baltimore.

If you are interested in attending any of these Community Listening and Healing Circles, RSVP by emailing admin@livewellbemore.com or calling 410.212.5953.

Contact Us The Living Well 2443 N. Charles Stree Baltimore, MD 21218 Telephone: 410.212.5953 Email: admin@livewellbemore.com Web: www.livewellbemore.com Instagram: livewellbemore Twitter: @TheLivingWell1 Facebook: TheLivingWell Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/thelivingwell

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