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Rest & Heal
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Our mission is to plant ourselves at the gates of hope — not the prudent gates of Optimism, which are somewhat narrower; nor the stalwart, boring gates of Common Sense; nor the strident gates of self-righteousness, which creak on shrill and angry hinges; nor the cheerful, flimsy garden gate of “Everything is gonna be all right,” but a very different, sometimes very lonely place, the place of truth-telling, about your own soul first of all and its condition, the place of resistance and defiance, the piece of ground from which you see the world both as it is and as it could be, as it might be, as it will be; the place from which you glimpse not only struggle, but joy in the struggle — and we stand there, beckoning and calling, telling people what we are seeing, asking people what they see.
—Victoria Safford, Hope is the Place Where Joy Meet Struggle
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My Grandmother’s Hands
In his groundbreaking book, My Grandmother’s Hands (available for purchase at The Soul Book Nook in Waterloo), therapist Resmaa Menakem examines the damage caused by racism in America from the perspective of trauma and body-centered psychology. Listen to the National Wellness Institute’s 30-minute interview with Menakem about his work and read this article. (These materials were nominated for inclusion in the Quest by retired UNI Professor Kathryn East). (Length: 32:28).
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Resilient Option Webinar
Resilient Option Webinar with Amit Sood, MD: Mindfulness Redesigned for the 21st Century. In this hour-long webinar, Dr. Amit Sood explores mindfulness, flow, and resilience. He considers: What's the difference, and how can they help see us through the challenges and anxieties of a global pandemic? On April 8, 2020, TheFlowChannel.com co-sponsored this Webinar for viewers on five continents. Dr. Amit Sood shares essential strategies for letting go of stress and building immune resilience in the body and brain. Dr. Sood is the author of The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living, Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness, and The Resilience Journal. Learn more at resilientoption.com. If you want more, on September 10, 2020, Dr. Gary Gute, an Associate Professor in the School of Applied Human Sciences, held a Question & Answer session with Dr. Amit Sood. (Length 58:45).
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Diversity is Our Strength
Bettina Fabos and Shuaib Meacham believe Iowans champion education. Through this project, which focuses on Black Hawk County, Iowa, they acknowledge the state’s historical commitment to educational quality. They also urge Iowa educators to celebrate and capitalize on the rich diversity in our state and our classrooms. The Iowa portraits represent a few of the leaders, educators, and students in the Cedar Valley who help guide our region and Iowa into the coming decades. This project represents a sliver of Iowa’s educational diversity in Black Hawk County. Hover over each of their faces to find a short biography documenting their unique paths to Iowa, and summarizing their dreams, talents, distinctive qualities, and the teachers who changed their lives by treating them as special individuals.
Ask yourself or someone else to envision what an Iowan looks like.
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Racial Healing Student Support Group
The effect of the constant racially motivated violence has been immeasurable trauma upon people of color; trauma that will likely continue for some time. Facilitated by Shantila Caston and Keyah Levy, these support groups provide an open, safe place for you to talk about your feelings, and create your own self-care methods. We hope you’ll join us. Anyone can attend, but the focus is on those who have experienced trauma. Sessions will begin Thursday February 11, 2021 from 1pm to 2pm and then will meet every other Thursday from 1pm to 2pm thereafter until April 21, 2021. Visit the UNI Counseling Center for more information.
From Othering to Belonging
In Episode 68: From Othering to Belonging of the podcast The Science of Happiness, Allison Briscoe-Smith speaks with John A. Powell, director of the Othering & Belonging Institute, about racial justice, well-being, and widening our circles of human connection and concern. (This podcast was nominated by UNI’s STEM Coordinator, Marcy Seavey.) (Podcast length 26:05).
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Sometimes I Cry
The UNI Concert Chorale had a unit of study in its curriculum on Tupac Shakur and gangsta rap. Students were provided with articles, books, podcasts, and films for group discussion while learning a choral setting of Tupac's "Sometimes I Cry," by Jasmine Barnes. Concert Chorale met virtually with Ms. Barnes, discussed her setting of Tupac's poetry along with her career, compositional approach, and artistic goals. The unit culminated in a virtual choir performance of "Sometimes I Cry." (Length: 3:35).
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Creating Change with Self-Care
On November 6, 2020, the Division of Student Affairs hosted a Virtual Teach-In, Creating Change with Self-Care, on the history of social change, the importance of civic discourse, and supportive personal care resources and strategies such as resilience, managing stress and anxiety, and coping. UNI faculty members Fernando Calderon, Danielle McGeough, and Adam Butler will join Jamie Butler Chidozie, UNI Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice to offer helpful tips and answer questions on engaging in difficult conversations and caring for ourselves and one another in the process. (Length: 57:09).
The Nap Ministry
The Nap Ministry was founded in 2016 by Tricia Hersey and is an organization that examines the liberating power of naps. The site engages with the power of performance art, site-specific installations, and community organizing to install sacred and safe spaces for the community to rest together. They facilitate immersive workshops and curate performance art that examines rest as a radical tool for community healing. We believe rest is a form of resistance and name sleep deprivation as a racial and social justice issue.
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