Healing Labs will provide safe spaces for young people, caregivers and parents from African diaspora communities to explore journeys of self-esteem and self-determination. Together, we’ll dive into the story of resilience and the many ways black and brown communities have learned to cope, process and move forward to thrive.

The Healing Labs are taking place in person, virtually, and in hybrid formats from Black History Month through Juneteenth. Students in grades 8-12 are invited to participate and will receive gift cards throughout the series of events to facilitate their learning.

Young people will:

• Build resilience and learn to manage stress and trauma through creative outlets

• Explore their identity through art, experimentation, photography, DNA and more

• Deepen relationships with family and experts in our community

• Learn more about the African Diaspora

• Try new activities and get paid for your time

Questions? suggestions? Do you want to connect to this project? Email [email protected]

Launch Event: Who’s in Your Village?

Tuesday, February 15, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Salle Madison (3rd floor), Central Library

The first Healing Lab will have teens exploring their personal history and self-concept. Where do you come from? Who are you – here and now? In history? In a global context? The global and the personal are not separate but linked. We’ll talk about how history and genetics affect health and resilience and do a family mapping activity where teens can take pictures of the people in their family and create a creative family tree. Let’s document our village!

Supplies, snacks and $30 gift cards are available for the first 30 young participants. No registration is required.

Find your roots

Tuesday, February 22 (6:30-8 p.m.), virtual (via Zoom)

In the second session of Healing Labs, we will delve deeper into family and identity using tools such as genealogy research. Presenter Marcus Simmons will provide a quick guide on how to get started with genealogy research, introduce teens to best practices and tools, and talk about common ethical concerns for black and brown folxes. The pros and cons of genetic testing will be provided, along with a brief exploration of library resources that can help facilitate this research.

This session is aimed at young people (grades 8-12), caregivers and parents from African Diaspora communities, but all members of the public are welcome. Please register through the library calendar to receive the Zoom link to attend this virtual program. The presentation part of this program will be recorded.

About the presenter: Marcus Simmons has worked as an educator and researcher in cross-cultural communication for over 10 years and is currently based in Atlanta. With a background in performance, conflict transformation and higher education, he sees his work as amplifying stories that reconcile estrangement and build community. His current research focuses on popular media and society, and he is a lover of music and double oreos.