BIPOC Affinity Learning Cohort
Five Frogs, the organization building a powerful movement of diverse, representative leaders working together for an equitable Connecticut, invites BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) leaders to participate in a five-part series designed to support a cross-sector cohort in diving deeper into their personal liberation work while exploring how their experiences intersect with theories of identity, power, intersectionality, structural racism and oppression, and shame resilience. Through facilitated conversations, resources, and self-directed activities we will build internal capacity for rest, self-care, and creative problem solving for those who find themselves working to disrupt cycles of harm while growing the conditions needed for a more equitable and just world. In between sessions, participants will complete guided practice assignments. Participants should expect to spend 1-3 hours on these asynchronous practice assignments (completed outside of our meeting times). These Practice Assignments will include a blend of:
- Read: Articles and short chapters
- Watch/Listen: video clips and podcasts
- Research: Assessment and information gathering
- Do: Guided exercises including one-to-one relational meetings
- Write: Journal and reflection questions
Dates
Oct 6 9-10am
Oct 13 9-11am
Oct 27 9-11am
Nov 10 9-11am
Nov 17 9-11am
Participants must be able to commit to the five dates.
Complete the required application here.
Registration is capped at 10 and a limited number of partial scholarships are available.
Program fee is $395
Applications are due by September 30
Notification of participation by October 4
Payment due by October 6
Kristianna Smith (she/her/hers) is an anti-racist facilitator, theatre artist, intuitive, and Queer Black Mama. As the owner of Via Arts, she uses play and theatre as a mechanism to dismantle institutional oppression and take up practices that move us closer to liberation. Most recently, Kristianna has started the project Policy Through Play on Instagram and Facebook. Policy Through Play seeks to decode local politics and give the general public the tools they need to shift political practice towards a structurally care-centered world. Kristianna also uses her social media platforms to explore the intersection of Black Queer Motherhood and Pleasure, asking, “How do I hold freedom in a world that tries to keep it from me?” In her whole, Kristianna practices generative conflict, deep joy, and radical dreaming.
