Reflections on Healing before the 3rd Midwest Mixed Conference

Reader, I ask for your supportive witness at this time.

The following detail may not make sense to you if you haven’t done trauma work or read My Grandmother’s Hands. And that’s ok.

Some of you know I’ve been working on a project called Biracial and Rural, a community of care and storytelling space. It’s an urging that has been growing for several years and starting to take more shape as I have made space for more healing. I’m at a point

Fall 2021 Dates for Freeing Refrains!

We're excited to get some dates out there to share Freeing Refrains!  Check the below dates against your calendar and then make your reservations at Eventbrite!

Freeing Refrains is a song circle and storytelling gathering. During this event you will be hearing about Conie's rural mixed Asian story, learn songs that have buoyed her (if you'd like), and then dialogue with others about the challenge of speaking our truth.

This story launches Biracial & Rural (BnR), a community of care 

and storytelling space. Through Freeing Refrains, Points of Light Music is calling in other rural BIPOC folks to come together for support, encouragement, skill sharing, and connection. Read more at http://www.pointsoflightmusic.net/p/biracial-rural.html.

The current BnR dream is to come together in arts based retreats over the summer and continue the connection virtually over the winter. Retreats conclude with participants sharing their story at an Open Mic/Variety Show to foster community dialogue.

Register up to an hour before each gathering at Eventbrite. The zoom link will be available an hour before.

These free events are supported by a SPARK fund grant from the Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) and Rosy Simas Danse.

 

Heart Songs Setlist from July 19

Here's the songs we sang on Jul 19:

1. Welcome to the temple (Doug van Koss) 

2. You are in the right place (Martha Burford)

3. Every little cell (words: Karl Anthony; music: Shortnin’ Bread)

4. When Times Are Hard (Liz Digitale Anderson) - led by Liz

5. We were made for these times (Clarissa Pinkola Estes/Linda Noonan) - led by Sarah

6. Humble/We Shall Lift Each Other Up (Ichelle)

7. The Way Knows the Way (Lyndsey Scott) 

8. Trees Grow Slow (Laurence Cole)

9. Sweet Surrender (text: Saint Symeon/music: Sophia)

10. Loosen, Loosen (Aly Halpert)

11. Lead with Love (Melanie DeMore) 

The zoom call ended here with a dead battery. Folks in-person continued with these:

1. Come, come, whoever you are (Rumi/Dale Zola)
2. Sorry, Not Sorry (Galen Smith)
3. Always (Grace Lee Boggs as quoted in Emergent Strategies by adrienne maree brown/Nathan Holst)

Join us in-person on 8/16 or on zoom on 8/30!

Jul 19 & Aug 16: Heart Songs at Lake Nokomis

What:  In-person Heart Songs circle!

When:  Mondays, July 19 & August 16, 6:30-8p CT

Where:  east of the Lake Nokomis Recreation Center 
2405 E. Minnehaha Parkway, Minneapolis 

Also likely online at the usual zoom coordinates (see below)