Equity Leadership Collaborative (ELC) proudly announces the opportunity to collaborate, participate and support community healing for those who were disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs through the: 

If you are interested in participating our Community Healing Sessions, please sign up using this link!

WA STATE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT PROJECT

COMMUNITY HEALING PROGRAM

The Community Reinvestment Project (CRP) is a community-designed plan to uplift communities disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs. 

The goal is to create lasting economic benefits, build wealth and ensure everyone has a fair chance at success.

To support and align with the goal, ELC introduces a host of programming (community healing sessions, economic and housing stability workshops and a community mural) to provide:

A series of restorative community healing and mindfulness meditation, and art restorative healing sessions.

The culmination of both sessions will result in the designing and building of a “Mural of Remembrance and Hope.”

Community Healing, Art Restorative Sessions and Economic and Housing Stability Workshops to Address the “War on Drugs” Impacts”

Since the mid to late 1971’s, the "War on Drugs" had a devastating impact on Black and Brown women and families, who have been greatly affected by policies. Policies that required mandatory minimum sentencing, prosecution of low-level drug offenses, increased conviction and imprisonment of those with relationships to drug dealers. The War on Drugs disproportionately criminalized Black and Brown women with drug addiction and mental health problems, who also had histories of sexual abuse.

The War on Drugs egregiously disrupted and broke up families, especially Black women, who were incarcerated at three times the rate of white women. Such incarceration tore families apart, children were put in the foster system that subjected them to lasting scars. For those who served their time and were released from prison suffered from a high recidivism rate, due to an inability to obtain employment, housing, and other resources to assist them in becoming contributing members who paid their debt to society.

Equity Leadership Collaborative Introduces

The Powerful Five to Healing: Community Healing Circles, Navigating Double-Consciousness, Mindfulness Meditation, Art Restorative Healing Sessions Culminating in the Building of a Community Mural of Remember and Hope and Learning Workshop with Referrals to resources and funding to Build Economic and Housing Security Workshops.

All Sessions are Free!

COMMUNITY HEALING CIRCLES / MINDFULNESS MEDITATIONS SESSIONS

Join us for weekly Community Healing and Meditation Circles to address and overcome negative core beliefs, and generational trauma, due to the institutional War on Drugs public policies that impacted Black and Brown families.

No experience is necessary to participate.

Currently Recruiting.

Maximum Capacity per Session is 15. A Total of Three (3) Cohorts Session 1: Intergenerational Community Healing session is 2.5 Hours. Session 2: Intergenerational Mindfulness Meditation Techniques is 1.0 Hour. Session 3: Intergenerational Session - Living Your Preferred Future is 2.5 Hour.

Sessions begin February 15, 2025 and end in March 2025

If you are interested, please click here and complete the registration form.

Serving as the Facilitator for the Community Healing is Tracy L. Brown, MA, MPP and a Guest Co-Facilitator. Serving as the Facilitator for the Mindfulness Meditation Sessions is TBD.

Tracy is an expert in Equal Opportunity and Race and Social Justice Issues. Tracy will co-lead the Community Healing Sessions. She is a former state and federal civil rights investigator. She has led conversations on systemic discrimination and their impacts in: education, employment, environmental justice, and housing.

Certificates of Completion Ceremony

Upon completion of all three Community Healing, Mindfulness Meditation, and/or Art that Heals Restorative Sessions, participants will be invited to an in-person ceremony where they will receive a “Certificate of Completion.” This event is scheduled for early May 2025, with the specific location and time to be announced at a later date.

Session #1: Understand the Physical and Mental Healing Power of Intergenerational Community Circles

Healing is something that we don’t have to do alone. Community Healing creates a space that allows people to connect through shared-experiences and learn from each other. Community Healing allows a pathway to emotional growth, resilience, and sustained wellness in a supportive environment. Individuals and families who were/are impacted by the “War on Drugs” can benefit from the Community Healing model due to shared experiences. Black and Brown people disproportionately suffer from Double-Consciousness. Double-Consciousness refers to the internal conflict experienced by Black and Brown people who navigate dual identities. This concept involves reconciling self-perception with societal perception, particularly in the context of racial division. Since marginalized communities face ongoing challenges in maintaining a sense of self in the face of societal expectations, prejudices, stereotypes and structural racism, understanding and navigating double-consciousness is crucial to living an authentic healthy quality of life.

Session #2 Mindfulness Meditation Techniques and Music.” The sessions will focus on understanding where is the discomfort while breathing through it, without judgement but with acceptance. Strategies and tools will be provided to work through and navigate double-consciousness, societal impacts and other experiences. The aim is for participants to practice mindful meditation within the group and transfer that to families to heal themselves and each other.

Individual and Shared Intergenerational Voices: Speaking Your Truths to Heal and how to use Mind fullness Meditation and other techniques to work through the tension.

Utilize the Community Healing Circles as a “safe space” for participants to share their personal stories due to “War on Drugs” public policy impacts within their lives. As participants share their stories, similarities and trends surface, with opportunities for participants to discuss impacts and solutions on how they built a bridge to overcome and press forward. Journaling with be encouraged to capture ideas, feelings, shared experiences with other participants, resources identified to assist them, and potential solutions to address areas of concern.

Session #3 Visualization and Living a Preferred Purpose-Driven Future

This session will also concentrate on assisting individuals with envisioning to achieve their preferred future. Self-Care techniques, Self-Compassion, Self-Determination, Perseverance, Fortitude, Belief in Oneself, and Why We/I Matter and living a purpose-driven life are explored as the last session. How can family, friends, houses of worship, community organizations help toward your preferred future? How can we reunite families that were torn apart due to the war on drugs?

Engage in a virtues activity and journals are encouraged for participants to participate in visualization of where they are currently, where they want to be, and what steps are needed to reach their goals.

ARTISTIC RESTORATIVE HEALING SESSIONS AND THE COMMUNITY BUILDING OF THE

“MURAL OF REMEMBERANCE AND HOPE”

April 2024 Session Descriptions

Introduction

Eric Salisbury will introduce the restorative healing process through art. The workshop sessions will help release trauma through visual exercises and expressions, individually and corporately.

There will be three, one (1) hour workshops, three days a week

  • Day One: Introduction: Art as a means of healing explores your inner self through fun and competitive drawing exercises. 

  • Day Two: Art to explore your inner trauma and expression through advanced drawing exercises.

  • Day Three: - Art as healing through group collaborations emphasizing releasing, giving and sharing of art.

  • Day Four: - Let’s talk about Art through dialogue and artistic expressions. 

Mural of “Remembrance and Hope!”

At the culmination of the Healing and Meditation Circles, Art Restorative Therapy, participants will be given an opportunity to participate in some aspect of developing a “Mural of Remembrance and Hope” that will be placed at a location in King County to remind all of us of the impact War on Drugs had on families and the community.

Artist Eric Salisbury will serve as the Artistic Director who will guide individuals through the Artistic Restorative Therapy Sessions and will design, develop and will unveil the

“Mural of Remembrance and Hope” in June 2025.

The community will be invited in June 2025 to a cultural event, to unveil the mural, showcase local entertainment artist, and provide a light serving and taste of cuisine. Members of the community will be invited to “sign their name or the name of a loved one who has passed or could not be present” on a place of the mural. Affirmations of perseverance, courage, and hope of the future will be greatly appreciated as individuals sign the mural.

Eric Salisbury, Artistic Director

Eric is a Painter / Fine Artist / Teacher / Curator / Muralist and Speaker for over three decades, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally (Kenya, London, Brazil, etc.). He will well-known in the communities throughout the Northwest, Oregon, Nationally and Internationally. Eric’s commission local murals and posters have been created, with many of his proceeds given to charities: Susan B. Komen, Northwest Folk Life, City of Seattle Armory, Festival Sudiata, Seattle International Film Festival, as well as assisting kids in the Kent Meridian, Renton, Seattle and Tacoma School Districts and community centers.

Eric is a curator at the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle, Washington. Please see the exhibits he showcases at the NAAAM. https://www.naamnw.org/current-exhibits Eric is the Owner / Operator of “C” Art Gallery. C ART GALLERY is a community creative, education and showcase gallery that supports new and established artist from painters, sculptors, photographers, quilters, writers and more. For 11 years, Eric has showcased and exhibited over 1000 artists

"Positive Art Does Wonders for The Heart"

—-Eric Salisbury

Art for Restorative Healing Provides:

·       Restorative Art that Cares Healing Sessions 

·       Therapeutic Painting and Drawing Exercises

·       Releasing Trauma through Art

·       Find Peace, Happiness, and Liberty through Art

·       Draw your way to Freedom with Peace of Mind. 

·       Freely Express yourself through Creating a Beautiful Purpose

ECONOMIC AND HOUSING STABILITY WORKSHOP SESSIONS

WORKSHOP SESSIONS

Join us for the following weekly sessions beginning in February 2025

Please “click here” to sign up for the sessions, once you sign up for the Community Healing / Mindfulness Meditations and/or Art Restorative Healing Sessions

  • A Pathway to Homeownership through the Covenant Homeownership Program (Weekly: Mondays and Tuesdays for One and one-half hour on-line Informational Sessions). Dates and times will be announced by end of January 2025.

  • Financial Literacy - Twice a Month

  • Developing a Winning Resume - Twice a Month

  • Starting Your Own Business - Twice a Month

  • My Brand is Me! - Twice a Month

Economic and Housing Stability Workshops Facilitators

A Healthy Smart Homes, Ambassador will lead the weekly “A Pathway to Homeownership Sessions.

Greg Aikens, CEO & Founder of “Boring and Beautiful Money” will lead the twice a monthly session on Financial Literacy.

Katrina Simmons, CEO & Founder of Artistic Resumes and Cover Letters will lead the twice per month sessions on “Developing A Winning Resume.”