To Speak A Song

 

Below find a sampling of workshops and trainings that I can offer. I'm always happy to customize, based on your needs and my experiences. Just let me know what you're envisioning!

 

 

Advanced Facilitation: Dealing With Difficult Situations in Social Justice

This workshop pushes participants to think about their most dreaded situations in social justice facilitation, and to practice addressing them in a supportive environment. Participants often name situations such as addressing the spectre of 'reverse racism,' confronting tokenism, motivating disengaged participants, and more. Intended for participants with some facilitation experience who want to further develop their skills in social justice spaces, this workshop uses a 'facilitation laboratory' where participants practice and receive feedback in real time. Developed through my work with the Institute for Justice Education and Transformation.

 

 

People of Color Solidarity

Naming a space 'people of color' doesn't erase the different histories, biases, and racialized experiences that we all carry. Designed for multi-racial people of color groups or organizations, this workshop will explore some of the baggage we all still carry into POC spaces, and push people of color to brainstorm specific ways to stand in solidarity with each other. Participants will think about their own self-identity development, their group identities, and their organizational contexts (if applicable). The focus of this workshop is on specific and concrete take-aways for individuals and organizations. Refined through my work with the Institute for Justice Education and Transformation. 

 

 

[South Asian] Queer and Trans* Liberation

Though South Asians are not 'more homophobic' than any other group of people in the U.S., there is a historical context for diasporic South Asian homophobia. This workshop asks participants to delve into the histories of homophobia and queer/trans* liberation in a South Asian context, though this context could be reframed. Participants will think through their own socializations around gender and sexuality, and discuss the particular forms of homophobia that are shaped by South Asian diaspora and migration. We will then excavate and share our LGBTQ stories in South Asian and in our own families, and create queer family trees. Developed through my work with East Coast Solidarity Summer and the Desi lgbtQ Helpline.

 

 

Our Migration Histories

We can't fully understand our role in the racialized context of the U.S. without understanding where we come from, and how immigration legislation and internal migration have quietly shaped and engineered the face of this country. Through a co-created interactive timeline, this workshop asks particpants to think about their own family stories in historical context. Participants will then quickly 'research' specific immigration laws and historical events while delving into the role immigration legislation has played in shaping the stereotypes and tropes that surround immigrants of color in the U.S. Developed through my work with East Coast Solidarity Summer and the Institute for Justice Education and Transformation.

 

 

Building Inclusive Organizations

This training is designed for participants who are part of the leadership of organizations and/or community spaces. Each participant will be pushed to explore the dynamics of their organizations and spaces, and name the communities and identities that are frequently marginalized, whether intentionally or not. Participants will work through an Organizational Self-Audit to assess who is marginalized in their organizations and in what specific ways, such as through leadership, membership, event planning, atmosphere, recruitment, etc. We will leave with concrete steps for building organizations into more inclusive spaces. Developed through my work with the Institute for Justice Education and Transformation.

 

 

Organizational Anti-Racism

This training is similar to the training above, but with a specific focus on the staff of a single organization committed to anti-racism and anti-oppression work. Participants will also do an Organizational Self-Audit and then split into Task Force teams to develop concrete short-, medium- and long-term plans for building more inclusive organizations. This training is most effective when the leadership of an organization is committed to providing space for this work, and when there are multiple trainings over a 2-3 year period of time.