CIRCLE Cultural Café | From Convergence to Reemergence

1200 Broadway St.,Denver CO 80203

21 January, 2022

Description

Join community leaders, educators, parents, and students in CIRCLE's annual 'un-conference' Friday Jan. 21st at the History Colorado Center! The 2022 CIRCLE Cultural Café is an opportunity for our community to come together for an 'un-conference' centered around healing, justice, and expression. This year's speakers will focus on how to improve systems to promote diversity, equity and inclusiveness, the role of the community in creating systems of change, and cross cultural dialogue through the arts, academia and community care. In the tradition of cultural cafés, you will be engaging in shared dialogue after each speaker which will surely engage your heart, soul, and mind. Please note: Promo/access codes can be entered after you select the "Tickets" button by clicking "Enter promo code" above the first registration type. Please note: All attendees must wear masks on the day and are COVID-19 vaccinated. This year's speakers includeDr. Ramona Beltrán (Yaqui/Mexica), Associate Professor at the University of Denver Ramona Beltrán’s scholarship focuses on the intersections of historical trauma, embodiment, and environmental/social determinants of health as they affect health and risk behaviors in indigenous communities. She is particularly interested in centering cultural protective factors, strengths and resiliencies in indigenous populations as they work to interrupt the intergenerational transmission of historical trauma. She uses decolonizing methodologies with an emphasis on qualitative methods that incorporate innovative geo-spatial, photographic technologies, and digital storytelling to support community-based research. Beltrán believes narrative is both a powerful clinical practice and research method that helps individuals, families and communities articulate the conditions of their own existence, as well as solutions to their most pressing issues. Drawing from more than 15 years of experience using arts, dance and movement, digital media, and narrative with Latino and indigenous communities, Beltrán is passionate about teaching and believes that social work classrooms can be uniquely transformative spaces in which students learn to bridge theory and practice through embodied and experiential learning. Whether in the classroom, in community-based research or through community activism, Beltrán believes that social work practice and scholarship have the capacity to mobilize in co-authoring new stories of healing and equity as we strive toward a socially just society. Norma Johnson (she/her/hers), Founder of All in Spirit . Norma is a spiritual healer, speaker, writer-poet-playwright, performance artist and facilitator that brings a creative background into her distinctive presentation form of social justice education and activism. Norma collaborates with a dynamic range of organizations, institutions, faith communities, arts, civic groups, and educational forums such as the highly regarded Annual White Privilege Conference. Her deeply moving poems are featured in racial justice courses taught by educators across the country. Her storytelling inspires awareness and insight and the power we have to bring paths of healing to our future. www.allinspirit.com Parker McMullen Bushman, Chief Operating Officer of Inclusive Journeys, and founder of Ecoinclusive Strategies. Parker is a dynamic speaker and facilitator that engages organizations in new thinking around what it means to be a diversity change-agent and create dynamic organizational change. Parker’s background in the non-profit leadership, conservation, environmental education and outdoor recreation fields spans over 24+ years. Parker has a passion for equity and inclusion in outdoor spaces. Her interest in justice, accessibility, and equity issues developed from her personal experiences facing the unequal representation of people of color in environmental organizations and green spaces. Parker tackles these complex issues by addressing them through head on activism and education. For 9 years Parker has worked with businesses to catalyze action to build culturally diverse and culturally competent organizations that are representative of the populations that they seek to reach and serve. Parker is the founder of the organization called Ecoinclusive Strategies. Ecoinclusive(ecoinclusive.org) provides training and resources for non-profit, cultural, and environmental organizations. In Parker’s role as Chief Operating Officer she oversee the core operational functions of Inclusive Journeys. Inclusive Journeys (www.inclusivejourneys.com) is a tech company with a mission to create data-driven, economic incentives for businesses to be more inclusive and welcoming, resulting in safer spaces for people who regularly experience discrimination. Parker brings a unique background to this work having served in top leadership for Marine Science, Environmental Educational, and Cultural Interpretive Facilities. Parker has served as the Vice President for Community Engagement, Education and Inclusion at Butterfly Pavilion, an Invertebrate Zoo located in Westminster, CO. She also served as the Director of Education for the Marine Science Consortium, a research and education center located on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Parker has a Master of Natural Resources from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, with a focus in Interpretation and Environmental Education. She leads several committees that focus on diversity in environmental fields as well as a presenter and trainer on diversity issues. She sits on the board of Environmental Learning for Kids, Metro Denver Nature Alliance, The Next 100 Coalition and the National Association for Interpretation. FAQsWhat are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event? The History Colorado Center is downtown Denver. Expect to either use metered parking or for more convenience nearby parking lots/garages are available.  There is free neighborhood parking in Capital Hill on Pennsylvania St. & 12th.  How can I contact the organizer with any questions? We are here to help, please email us directly at [email protected] Does CIRCLE Conference offer continuing education? We are fortunate to have a strong partnership with the CU system specifically University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) This allows us to offer CEU's (at no cost) and you may also request one credit course for a fee.  I'm a college student, is CIRCLE for me? YES! The CIRCLE Cultural Café is a great way to continue your education and we have student scholarships available. Student I.D. required at check-in. Please contact CIRCLE for required discount codes.  Are there any financial support offered? Yes! Please contact us. We provide our partner schools and organizations discounts, student scholarships, and pay-what-you can options for individuals as needed. Learn more about STAMP and CIRCLE CIRCLE - Connecting Inclusive Responsive Communities Leading Education CIRCLE Organization is a Denver-based non-profit organization focused on building social justice-centered educational communities through tranformative consulting, student leadership development programming, conferences and speaker series.  www.circlestamp.org   The CIRCLE Organization brings together educators, youth, community leaders and others who are committed to building more inclusive and socially-just communities. [email protected]