Youth
Meditation and breathing exercises are daily rituals at Grant Elementary School in Richmond. Principal Farnaz Heydari introduced these practices in an effort to reduce bad behavior, which had led to high numbers of student suspensions.
Richmond joined in the nationwide effort against gun violence. Students led the March for our Lives, which ended at Richmond City Hall, where young people expressed expressed how gun violence affects their lives. Click the story above to see the video by Abené Clayton. You can read the text story and see the photo gallery by Annabell Brockhues here.
Hundreds of thousands of marchers rallied across the United States on Saturday to protest gun violence. More than 800 events were planned, one of them in Richmond initiated by the mayor’s office. Some 400 people were expected to come—but in the end, almost 1,000 joined the “March for our Lives,” estimated Mayor Tom Butt, showing the community’s urgency for actions against gun violence.
Since the 1970s, psychologists and neurologists have been studying what happens in the brains of meditating children and adults. Now, hospitals and non-profits like Kaiser Permanente and Mindful Life Project are turning to mindfulness and yoga training for it’s ability to heal.
It’s Wednesday morning, and Demnlus Johnson III works diligently in his office. The sounds of footsteps echo in the hall as students, teachers and staff make their way to where they need to be before the morning bell rings. After finishing up emails, securing a new gym floor covering, and methodically searching for students’ schedules, Johnson stands up and buttons his brown tweed suit. It’s time to hand-deliver 30 applications for the Rising Scholars program, an initiative that helps young…
“Clark is an actor, musician, and self-described “griot,” a name for an ancient West African storyteller and poet. For the past year, he’s also put his griot skills to use serving as an expert witness in criminal trials, where district attorneys seek to add gang enhancements that can add years to a sentence.”
The RYSE Center held a training in October to help community leaders learn how trauma affects the health of Richmond youth and how creating safe spaces can help young people–and the community–heal.
In this episode of “Tale of Two Cities”, we explore how everyday people are transforming their lives and communities in creative ways. From reporter Caron Creighton, we hear about how Phat Beets Produce is improving access to fresh produce in low income communities in North Oakland. Next, reporter Alondra De La Cruz takes us to Starline Social Club, a bar in downtown Oakland where the owner organizes rent parties to help homeless people. Then, Sarah El Safty reports from a…