2022 Healing City Summit

Survivors of gun violence know the pain it causes first-hand. In the experience of these women, working toward a future free of gun violence has helped to memorialize their loved ones and has provided a path to live with the pain and still find joy. This panel of Baltimore survivors will discuss their different ways of healing in the midst of extreme loss. The conversation will focus on the importance of connection and ways of providing support to survivors of gun violence.

Presented By:

Elaine Arndt

Our current population is 585,708 which is the lowest population in over a century. Although Baltimore lost population overall, population loss for communities throughout the city has not been uniform with many communities gaining population next door to communities that lost more than 4 times the citywide average. This workshop will help us all understand why Baltimore continues to lose population and how to turn these trends around, we have developed a series of issue briefs to assess the components of change for Baltimore's neighborhoods.

Panel:

Seema Iyer

Carla Tilchin

Cheryl Knott

To best support older adults, we must be vigilant to an individual's experience of aging, understand how trauma may manifest in later life and provide hope that struggles related to trauma and mental health problems are treatable so that a good quality of life may be enjoyed. Older adults deserve to live the promise healing and recovery and, in fact, they are usually in a developmental process that makes this journey more meaningful and lasting. This session will explore these issues as well as strategies to maximize engagement and positive outcomes.

Presented By:

Kim Burton

This practical workshop will give participants an opportunity to observe an adventure-based activity while learning ways to process it as a metaphor they can use when working in wellness or prevention activities with adolescents or adults. The use of cooperative games, initiatives, and adventure activities can be used as part of an intentional change process engaging some of our most challenging students. It can help bridge communication, challenge perceptions, increase problem solving skills, and create awareness.

Presented By:

Angela Donn

At least 4.2% of Marylanders, 198,000 individuals, identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender (other identities were not included in the question). These communities experience intimate partner violence and the people around them must be prepared to respond appropriately, regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the survivor or abusive partner. This session gives tools to respond with kindness, cultural humility, and a knowledge of the particular barriers these communities may face.

Presented By:

Dominic Goodall

Why a Listening Session? The Healing Power of Listening provides opportunities to better understand the communities, families, and youth that we serve. We can always look at an article and a book for statistics and figures, however a listening session aims to understand the stories and faces behind the numbers. Stories and thoughts from individuals in the community can inform how we engage the numbers. This workshop will allow attendee to understand how to build an effective listening session for their company, organization, or community.

Presented By:

Wayman Scott

This workshop is an opportunity for you to honor the beauty of your unique journey, share a story that only you can tell, and reflect on the common themes that make us a community that has always been capable of healing, growth, and transcendence. Through music, thoughtful questions, laughter and song, you will have the opportunity to honor your unique story, name at least three inherited qualities of ancestors of ancestors of birth or of choice, commit to beginning (or returning) to at least one spiritual ritual of connection with your innate wisdom and revel in the beauty of living in this moment.

Presented By:

Sabrina Ndiaye

Art, or creative engagement with yourself and your community, is as important as food. It can remind us of the core of who we are and/or who we wish to be. In a sense, art can feed us and support our health and healing. Art can lead us out of challenging experiences and feelings. This session, co-led by undergraduate art therapy students at NDMU, will engage attendees in some simple art making and invite discussion about the value of art in our lives and communities. The session will also include information about the field of art therapy as a possible career path grounded in journeying with others through art making and licensed in the State of Maryland.

Presented By:

Cathy Goucher

The emotional effects of color can be used to your advantage in everyday life, particularly in designing your own creations to influence your mood. Our aim is to use our creativity and self expression for introspection on our feelings. During this session we will write, color, and use music as outlets of expression. Together we will explore our emotions through color by responding to journal prompts, creating reverse-coloring artwork, and curating a color-based playlist.

Presented By:

Bmore Youth Arts Advocacy Council

One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner. During this presentation, we will discuss what healthy, unhealthy, and abusive teen relationships look like; how to recognize the warning signs of teen dating violence; and what specific barriers teens face in abusive relationships. This workshop will also give teens a toolbox of resources they can use for themselves and their peers to prevent or get help while in unhealthy or abusive relationships.

Presented By:

Charnell Covert

Stephanie Romano

Welcome to the meanest streets in America. Where Wesley Hawkins grew up, abandoned buildings were called abandominiums. In such extreme poverty, drugs were the only way out. Whether you were using them like Hawkins' mother, whose heartbreaking story inspired his mentorship work, or selling them like Hawkins was by the age of eleven in order to help feed his brothers and sisters. However, the story doesn't end here. This journey leads to much success, school graduations, bussiness ownership, mentorship programming, community activism, and much more.

Presented By:

Wesley Hawkins

CHARM: Voices of Baltimore Youth is a literary arts organization founded on the belief that kids' voices matter. Our mission is to help young people develop as writers and amplify their own voices. At Healing City Baltimore, a team of our high school youth editors will host a session on writing as a healing practice. We will read pieces that have been published in CHARM Lit Mag, written by young writers in Baltimore, then participants will have the opportunity to write their own.

Presented By

@Charmlitmag

Have you ever wondered why the solutions to our friends problems are sometimes so obvious to us, yet they can't see them. The reason why is perspective. Our initial reaction when we run into an obstacle is always emotional. We get frustrated, angry, and think there's no way to solve this problem. However, when we look at other peoples problems, we don't get so worked up about them and perceive them objectively. Trauma is no different. In this session I'll explain how nothing bad has ever happened to me but has worked for me because I embraced it.

Presented By

Alphonso Mayo

One of the biggest issues that affects and impacts youth locally and nationally are the various forms of peer pressure that encourage drug abuse and misuse. Youth in Baltimore City are exposed to drug abuse at an increasingly alarming rate. These series will promote healthy coping skills, and will explain the history of substance use, and culture surrounding substance use. The substance abuse related session will address city climate and culture and the underlying effects of addiction for youth, adult, families, and the overall community.

Presented By

Rashad Staton

Exposing young people to poetry as a way to process both personal and social justice issues through critical analysis, accurate, and dynamic communication as they discuss the impact that literature can have among them, their peers, and their community. There will be both a writing workshop and performance/open mic component to both events that will allow participants to engage with other poets from all ages in a safe space created to explore who they are, where they are from, and affirm their identity as it relates to the themes of the Chicory Revitalization Project and public exhibit. (Environment. Opportunity. Mental Health.)

Presented By

DewMore Baltimore

Creating a safe place for an open discussion to support children whose parents are dealing with substance abuse issues and those seeking treatment. Peer discussion and support for children whose parents are battling substance abuse or seeking recovery. Conversations to discuss what experiences they share, how they would benefit from family treatment and what it would look like, effects of substances, and suggestions that would help support children and families of those dealing with addiction.

Presented By:

Erica Hamlett

Representatives from Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Durant, Mississippi share their distinct approaches to integrating restorative and healing practices into the education system.

Introduction:

Ann Coy, Healing City Baltimore Coordinator

Panel:

Deauntra Thompson Smith, Lead Relationships First Coach, Philadelphia United School District

Akil Hamm, Chief of Baltimore City Public Schools Police

Ellen Reddy, Executive Director, Nollie Jenkins Family Center, Inc. (Durant, Mississippi)

Chris Scott, Senior Policy Advisor for Education and Youth Justice, Open Society Foundations (moderator)

A deep dive into grassroots, community-based peace-building work happening in Baltimore, New York City, Washington, D.C., and around the country.

Introduction:

Ann Coy, Healing City Baltimore Coordinator

Panel:

Erricka Bridgeford, Co-Founder, Baltimore Ceasefire

Erica Ford, Co-Founder, LIFE Camp (New York City)

Greg Jackson, Executive Director, Community Justice Action Fund (Washington D.C./National)

Shantay Jackson, Director, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (moderator)

Learn about how several local governments have worked to bring healing, trauma-responsive, and restorative practices to their jurisdictions.

Introduction:

Tom Perriello, Executive Director of Open Society Foundations-U.S. and a former Virginia Congressman

Panelists:

Scott Mckean, Manager of Community Development for the City of Toronto

Mary Lupien, Council Vice President in Rochester, NY

Tammy Morales, Councilmember in Seattle, WA

Donna Bruce, Trauma-Informed Care Task Force in Baltimore, MD

Elizabeth Guernsey, Senior Program Officer, Open Society Foundations (moderator)

Scott Johnson, City Councilman in Cincinnati, Ohio