Join us for the FIRST-EVER VIRTUAL JAM!
Calling all leaders and visionaries committed to co-creating just, healthy and thriving education! In the midst of this Coronavirus pandemic and global uprisings for racial justice, we are seeing approaches to education like never before. It’s clearly time for powerful and deeper vision to build the community and carry forward the transformations we seek. We invite you to a unique opportunity to co-learn, co-create and JAM with a diversity of educators from around the US and beyond, who are working in dynamic and (r)evolutionary ways to transform themselves, their relationships, and the field and state of education as we’ve known it.
We are going to try out an experiment with the 7th annual YES! Education Transformation Jam. Instead of having it in person at the Farm of Peace, due to the Coronavirus, we will be hosting it virtually. We are excited to connect in other ways until we can meet in person.
We will be having the Zoomy Education Transformation Jam from June 23 to July 1, for five- 1.5 hour session (plus an optional 30 minutes) every other day. So, June 23, June 25, June 27, June 29, and July 1, from 9:00-10:30/11 am PST / 12:00-1:30/2 pm EST each of those days. On the non-meeting alternate days, we’ll have the space for spontaneous conversations, engagements, learning shares, films, dance parties, etc. We’ll send more details, and feel free to ask us any questions.
APPLY TODAY!
Please apply by June 15, 2020. Thank you!
What is the YES! Education Transformation Jam?
The YES! Education Transformation Jam (Ed Jam, for short) is a unique gathering for folks engaged in education. We bring together no more than 30 leaders and visionaries from across the oft-divided education world: public, private, independent, and charter schools, unschooling, homeschooling, learning communities, youth empowerment, youth activism, leadership development, adult education, early childhood, community college and higher education, and more.
The Ed Jam creates opportunities to explore our experiences and visions of education, build lasting and collaborative relationships, deepen our perspectives of challenging questions, share places of growth, struggle and healing, and have a lot of fun.
The Ed Jam weaves the personal, interpersonal, and systemic together — from the deep motivations of why we are called to be in this field, to the challenges and community that race, gender and class diversity offer our learning spaces, to imagining and manifesting the full possibilities of what education can be in this emergent and ever-changing world.
Unlike many education conferences that focus on systemic questions and rarely weave together connections to our own life journeys — or personal retreats that focus on self-transformation and leave out systemic issues — the Jam seeks to address both of these levels, as well as the very vital area of interpersonal connection, learning and healing. All fields of transformation are brought together in a shared space co-created by all of the participants.
The Ed Jam will make space to listen and learn from each person present, engage in new synergies, find inspiration and rejuvenation, and build towards a common vision with each of our own unique contributions. Though some dialogues about education end up being debates about “the right way forward”, the Jam connects people from very different educational approaches to share our fields’ strengths and challenges and to explore our ‘unknowns’ together.
At the Ed Jam, we not only explore the ways education can be a place of empowerment for young(er) people, we also co-generate opportunities for you to explore your own journey of transformation as a co-learner and co-creator. We invite you to join us!
“I literally feel like I have more room to breathe in my body. Thank you for inviting me to stretch. I came looking for support with transformation and in my transition, in becoming a better educator and human being. I received both in expected ways – new tools for thinking, dialoguing, listening – and unexpected ways – eye contact, time, songs, gifts, the beauty of nature, fire, games, and play…I leave you with a vision of education that includes compassion, joy, love, art, laughter, play, intellect, challenging reflection and conversation, listening, movement, and breath.”
– Miyo, 33, high school teacher, New York City, NY
Why Education Transformation Jam now?
In these dynamic times — both full of exciting opportunities for massive change and full of heartbreak at ongoing and expanding violence at all levels — there is a need for us to build resilience and deepen our rootedness. As white supremacy, militarism, colonialism, environmental destruction, and patriarchy continue to be given power and voice in governments across the world, and when many of our communities and our earth are under attack, while we stand for Black lives, while we adapt and create opportunities for community and grieve our losses from the Coronavirus, we recognize that educators often carry a great load while trying to care for others. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed, taking on too much and holding a lot of weight in our minds, hearts and bodies. Internal overload can lead to external conflicts with friends, family, the people we work with, and others, which can lead to more isolation and fatigue. It can also hinder the creativity and collaboration we so deeply need and want for transforming the way we practice education.
The Jam creates space for us to slow down. On a personal level, we get time to reflect on what’s alive for each of us and tune into deeper sources of information from within and outside of us. On an interpersonal level, we deepen relationships across differences, to see and support each other, to play together, and to have challenging and truthful conversations while rooted in curiosity and love. On a systemic level, we share our work and build our collective vision of the education that our communities and this world needs to meet this moment and carve pathways forward.
“In a sense, the jam was a refuge, but not a place where I hid. A place where I could unfold…I learned so much about the incredible work that is being done to foster real, holistic learning and I finally understand what a group of change-makers looks like. I am confident that the change that I want to see is not only possible but unavoidable…You have taught me that change is powerful no matter what the scale. I am excited to go forward loving myself and nurturing my body, soul, and mind in a way that will make me be whole and allow me to be present where good work is needed.”
– Laura, 21, university student and youth mentor, Philadelphia, PA
What could happen at the YES! Virtual Education Transformation Jam?
Over the course of the Zoomy Jam, we will have time to engage with many questions, such as:
- What are you learning, unlearning and uplearning right now? What are your growing edges, cliffhangers and pivot points?
- What are the unexpected possibilities you see now, that seemed unimaginable before the pandemic? How has your heart broken and broken open?
- What is your personal story around education? How have your experiences informed the path you have chosen to take?
- What have been your triumphs and your traumas around education? How are they shaping your work in the world?
- How does your heart fully enter and sustain your work? How are you being fed and sourced by what you do today?
- How are you creating and implementing your systems and visions of education?
- How are you approaching building bridges within and across diverse identities, like race, class, gender, and sexuality, in your education work?
- How are you living the values and world you are trying to create?
- What are the opportunities and challenges you are facing in transforming education?
- What kind of support do you need to help come into deeper alignment? What kind of support can you offer others for their journey into deeper alignment?
What are your questions?
Bring all of them to the Jam! They are essential for all of us to learn, grow and dream further.
This is a Zoomy Jam and not a workshop or seminar. Each Jam is co-created by everyone who attends in multiple ways. We like to say that “the Jam is always on.” Facilitators offer sessions that engage the common themes from participants’ applications with a variety of activities using body, heart, spirit and mind. These sessions shift and change based on what emerges from the group. Outside of the sessions there is a lot of time and space for resting, playing, scheming, reflecting, hiking, connecting, exercising and the Fine Art of Hanging Out — whatever the Jammers present choose to do.
Everyone co-creates the jam through a variety of learning modalities – small group dialogues, whole group conversations, movement and bodywork, systems thinking, storytelling and myth making, visual and performing arts, and more. There will be time for silence and for connecting with nature. The Jam will unfold to make space for our whole selves, for our spirits, for one another, for our highest dreams and our deepest fears. All of it will be welcome.
As with other Jams, and since this is our first time trying something virtual, we are prepared to be surprised! One hope is that people will have the opportunity to integrate their learnings and carry them home, to be able to find and connect with people who have the heart, spirit, skills and knowledge that they are needing for the next steps of their personal journey and the next steps of our collective journey.
“I am healed and transformed in ways that are fueling so many concrete, tangible, and lasting changes in my work. What I want to make clear is that not only have I been healed (which makes the way for more healing) within myself, in my relationships, and in my role in the systemic world of institutions and social systems, but my day to day work will never again be the same.”
– Angela, 32, early childhood educator and PhD candidate, Los Angeles, CA
I’m interested! What about Cost, Travel and Logistics?
We had a plan to gather at the Farm of Peace outside of Baltimore, Maryland. And now, given that we won’t have expenses at the Farm of Peace or any travel, we will just invite you to a ‘pay-it-forward’ after the virtual Jam takes place. We offer a sliding scale of $50-$250, and ask you to contribute what you feel moved to do.
And some day soon, we hope we can gather in person in real time.
If it’s available, we also encourage you to access your institution/organization/school’s professional development budget to help to cover some of the costs of organizing and facilitation. After you apply to the Jam, we can share with you a customized letter that focuses on the professional-development benefits of the Jam that you can then share with your institution/employer.
Apply today!
Who is putting this on? More about the Organizers/Facilitators
Joy George, born and raised in the Bronx as the daughter of Nigerian diaspora, has found herself at the intersections of love, transformation, restoration and social change in her work and activism. A graduate of NYC Public Schools now a graduating senior at Swarthmore College, she actively centers the livelihoods of marginalized students on campus and seeks to bring together stakeholders in her campus community to transform the climate into one of intentional collective care. Joy is a Perspectives Editor for Swarthmore VOICES, a student-of-color run daily online publication that elevates and creates space for voices of students of color and queer students. She also has co-organized Swarthmore’s inaugural 2019 Womxn’s Leadership Summit, and recently has launched Communities of Care, restorative and healing justice oriented initiative which provides resources and space for community dialogue on personal and interpersonal issues. She is a facilitator of Aja, a queer-affirming Black femme healing collective, and the lead researcher for the Black Cultural Center’s 50th Anniversary Archival History Project. After serving as a counselor at Seeds of Peace International Camp in the summer of 2019, Joy attended the 2019 North American Leadership Jam, and in 2020, she attended the 4th annual Northeast Changemakers Jam, and found herself blessed with radical healing, truth and community– and now she is back for more!
Hyoyoung Minna Kim has found herself back in her home-state of Maryland, after teaching in elementary public schools for six years, in New York City. She has also worked with youth and young adults in other capacities, such as facilitating yoga and mindfulness experiences for teenagers and inquiries of social justice in an undergraduate business course. During her last year in a social work graduate program, she has been working to bridge partnerships with immigrant merchants and residents of disinvested, predominantly Black communities of Baltimore City. Recently, she has initiated an exploration of grounding her mindfulness practices in a restorative justice framework. She is big believer of radical honesty, body-wisdom, community-driven initiatives, and children’s literature. Last but not least, Minna started getting her Jam on at the 2017 Education Transformation Jam and has since been a part of the planning team for the Wellness and Healing Justice Jam and the Asian Pacific Islander Jam – she can’t stop, won’t stop!
Shilpa Jain is currently rooting herself in Oakland/Berkeley, CA, where she serves as the Executive Director of YES!. YES! works with social changemakers at the meeting point of internal, interpersonal and systemic change, and aims to co-create a thriving, just and balanced world for all. Prior to taking on this role, Shilpa spent two years as the Education and Outreach Coordinator of Other Worlds and ten years as a learning activist with Shikshantar: The Peoples’ Institute for Rethinking Education and Development, based in Udaipur, India, where she served as coordinator of the Swapathgami (Walkouts-Walkons) Network. Shilpa has researched and written numerous books and articles, and facilitated workshops and gatherings on topics including globalization, creative expressions, ecology, democratic living, innovative learning and unlearning. Her publications include A Poet’s Challenge to Schooling, Reclaiming the Gift Culture, Other Worlds of Power, Paths of Unlearning, Unfolding Learning Societies, Vimukt Shiksha (“Liberating Learning”) and the Swapathgami newsletter “Making Our Paths of Living and Learning”. She is also co-author of “Connect. Inspire. Collaborate”, a highly sought-after facilitation manual.
Jonathan Peck, former President and CEO of the Tucson Urban League has over 23 years experience working within the community development field facilitating projects, coalitions, and alliances at the neighborhood, citywide, national and international levels. Jonathan received a BA in African African American Studies and Political Science from Earlham College. Jonathan worked as a community organizer, and later as Associate Director, of the Southwest Youth Collaborative (SWYC), a Chicago based organization dedicated to the development of low-income youth of color. Jonathan Peck is married to Zelda Harris and has two beautiful sons, Jonathan Russell Thanh and Wesley Chapman Danh Harris-Peck. Jonathan works to impact the lives of children, youth and families through his commitment to criminal and juvenile justice initiatives, education and social services and economic and community development initiatives. Jonathan is passionate about sports, arts and culture and positive youth development and has over 23 years of experience in the community sports and youth development field. Jonathan has extensive international experience most notably, but not limited to, in Southern Africa and Latin America.
Jen Lazar is a co-founder & director of the Field Academy, a traveling high school program that strives to make learning and life indistinguishable for both students and educators. She is also the Education & Outreach Coordinator at 350VT. Prior to her current work, Jen helped run the DREAM Program where she co-created mentoring and adventure programs with college and high school students from affordable housing communities throughout Vermont. She also served as a public school commissioner in Burlington, Vermont for three years. She loves to cook brunch, play Capture the Flag, and revel in the outdoors in just about any weather.
Eric DeMeulenaere – bio and photo coming soon!
We would love to have you apply for the Education Jam online here. We are asking for your application to come in by June 15, 2020. Thank you!
If you have any questions, please contact our participant liaison, Joy George at <EducationYESJam@gmail.com>
Looking forward to Jamming with you!
– Eric, Joy, Jen, Jonathan, Minna, and Shilpa