April [A]WAKEN Cohort | Vivid Conversations About Race

We encourage everyone with a serious and vested interest in being a part of conversations, initiatives, and efforts around welcoming folks better into this Impactful Twin Cities Circus and Performance Arts Experience to partake in all 3 levels of The Vivid Conversations About Race Intensive Experience.

This level is the introductory series, AWAKEN. You will spend a significant amount of time focusing on you because that is exactly where race work begins. Your facilitators, Nastaaja Johnson and Alissa Kaasa, and your peers, other April AWAKEN Cohort participants, will support you as you dive in.

Dates:
April 20th thru April 22nd
And April 27th
All sessions are 8:30am -12:30pm

There is a Minimum and Maximum Registration, so sign up as soon as you are sure ^_^
Registration Closes Midnight April 18th or Once Registration is Full, whicever comes first!

What is Included in the Cost:
About 25 Hours Total of Professional Development in Race Equity, inclusion, & Diversity Training!
Ask your supervisor about Professional Development paid time & financial support!

– 9 Hours of Guided Introspective & Intrapersonal Race Equity work, in person with intentional wellness and healing infused throughout
– 8 Hours of Guided Reflective Practice, ie “Homework”
– 4 Additional Hours of Reflective Follow Up
– 4 hours of Support through the Start of Your Own Parallel Creative Process (Choose any creative medium you have the means to take on to start creating something new during your time in Your AWAKEN Space! It can be writing, speaking, moving, drawing, painting, “circus-ing,” etc. Let us know what you choose in your registration!)
– The Vivid Conversations About Race Workbook, Notebook, & Pen
– Priority to any future [A]WOKEN Workshops
– Assortment of Snacks at each session
– Comfy Discussion Area

About Your Facilitators!
Nastaaja Johnson
Masters of Arts in International Studies Education
Bachelors in Psychology
Certified Mental Health First Aider
Certified Health & Wellness Coach
african american female ; trained in courageous conversations about race, quality coaching, difficult conversations, welcoming spaces, and affinity space facilitation ; lives with two learning disabilities ; founder of non profit Vivid Black Paint ; lived in five states and two countries, visited 10 states and 5 countries ; has lived in the Twin Cities on and off for 20+ years; a multidisciplinary artists who brings with her 10 years of lived experience as a circus student, coach, and producer in Twin Cities Creative Spaces.

Alissa Kaasa
Masters of Social Work
License Independent Clinical Social Worker
white female with over a decade of therapy experience, case management and skill building experience prior to becoming a therapist ; clientele base that spans works with clients who have a variety of severe mental and physical illnesses as well as different races, genders, sexual orientations, and trauma histories ; has her own life impacting mental and physical disabilities; grew up in rural Washington State ; is an artistic baker and eater of pastries ; has lived in the Twin Cities for 19 years ; brings 10+ years of lived experience as a circus student and coach in Twin Cities Creative Spaces.