The Empowerment Summit Series
A transformative digital series that empowers parents, educators and care professionals with practices to be effective agents of social change.
Kicking off on Saturday August 1st, this ten week digital series will focus on what IS working in practice to support youth of color, LGBTQA+ and neurodiverse students (gifted, twice-exceptional and youth eligible for special education services and supports), and those who qualify for free and reduced lunch.
How it will work: We’ll host one Spark Session per week. These dynamic, interactive sessions will be implemented at the intersection of inspiration, research and practice.
Participating speakers and facilitators are members or allies of the identified populations. They will challenge our thinking and support in translating our commitment to equity into successful social action and practice.
All Spark Sessions will be hosted via Zoom and will include thoughtful, engaging video content, facilitator-led discussion, embodied practice and an opportunity for Q&A.
We encourage you to sign up for as many sessions as you like and to share the summit series schedule with fellow parents, educators and professionals. There will be special incentives for participating in all sessions and trying new practices.
REGISTRATION
We’re proud to be able to bring you this event series free of charge through a grant from the Denver Foundation and generous donations of time, expertise and money.
Meet Our Speakers
Percy Brown, Jr.
Dr. Vivek Balasubramaniam
Vivek Balasubramaniam is a husband, father and son who is trained as a Pediatric Pulmonologist. He has spent the past 10 years working as an advocate for child health at a local, regional and national level. He enjoys running, hiking, walking the dog and conversing over a nice meal with old and new friends (definitely difficult during a pandemic!)
Rebecca Comizio, M.A., NCSP
Rebecca Comizio is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with master’s degrees in both education and school psychology. Rebecca works in national advocacy for children’s mental, behavioral health and academic health as a Committee Chair for the National Association of School Psychologists and is a co-host of the School Psyched Podcast: a popular podcast for school mental health professionals on school psychological topics. Rebecca was also awarded the honor, School Psychologist of the Year by the Connecticut State Association for School Psychologists in 2019.
Shalelia Dillard
Shalelia Dillard is an educator with a deep passion for community, cultural education and creating pathways for students to realize their potential. She is the founder and executive director of St. Clair Drake (SCD) Enrichment Program which recruits and supports gifted students of color in advanced coursework and member of the Colorado Gifted Education State Advisory Committee.
Tina Harlow, MSW, LCSW
Tina Harlow, MSW, LCSW is a therapist, speaker, consultant, blogger and founder of Guiding Bright. Over the last 25 years, Tina’s work has traversed a variety of settings including outpatient, day treatment, residential, intensive family treatment, child welfare and even a performing arts camp.
Marina LaGrave
Marina is the Founder and Executive Director of CLACE (Latin-American Center for Arts, Science and Education) and currently serves in numerous community leadership and consulting roles including with NASA’s MAVEN mission, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Discover Health/Decubre tu Salud program, the NSF SciGirls program, the City of Boulder and Boulder Valley School District (BVSD). She is also a UN and UNESCO Interpreter and Translator with a passion for STEM education, Victim Advocate for the Boulder Police Department and the producer of “Tu Educación”, a weekly segment on the local Latino TV station, Telemundo.
Nancy Lee, MA, LPC
Nancy Lee, MA, LPC is a licensed psychotherapist with a private practice in Aurora, CO. She specializes in treating adult anxiety, stress and trauma. She has a passion for supporting neurodivergents and individuals with culturally diverse backgrounds and identities. She is an accomplished speaker and advocate for youth and family wellness, cultural competence, and community mental health.
Joi Lin, M.S.
Joi Lin is a board member of SoulSpark Learning, Director of Professional Education at the Gifted Development Center, and a PhD Student of Curriculum and Instruction specializing in Gifted Education at the University of Denver. Joi Lin is passionate about supporting career development and well-being of the gifted and talented.
Rosa Medina, M.A.
Rosa is a bilingual educator with a B.A. in psychology and Masters in Education from CU Boulder. She has extensive expertise in giftedness and has facilitated gifted 101 talks in Spanish for more than a dozen years to increase the identification of gifted Latinx students. Rosa was chair of the Special Populations Committee for the Colorado Associatoin for Gifted and Talented (CAGT) and has been a general board member since 2015. She has received various awards and recognitions for her advocacy work.
Dr. Theresa Newsom
Dr. Newsom has more than 30 years’ experience as an educator, school leader, consultant, advisor and advocate; she holds a doctorate in special education (with gifted concentration) as well as a masters in curriculum and instruction. Dr. Newsom is the Founder of Black Educators’ Network; her extensive leadership, scholarship and service work has resulted in a proven history of realizing positive change.
Autum Romano
Autum Romano is a Certified Trauma Informed Care Provider, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Neuromuscular Therapist, Reiki Master, homeschool Mom and neurodiversity advocate. She is passionate and committed to racial healing and helping individuals and families heal from their trauma and become their best selves and is the author of Body Wisdom and the Polyvagal Theory.
Barbara M. Washington, M.A.
Barbara is an Education Well-Being Advocate who supports organizations whose missions and visions are to promote self-awareness and leadership for today’s young people. She is also in the process of becoming a certified Well-Being Coach with the Anthropedia Foundation, a member of The Colorado Academy of Educators for the Gifted, Talented, and Creative, and of the Board of Directors of (GALS) Girls Athletic Leadership Schools. Barbara has a masters in Educational Psychology and is a Doctoral Candidate in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Gifted Education at the University of Denver.
Dr. Christiane Wells
Dr. Wells serves as the director of qualitative research at the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development where she studies Dabrowski’s theory of positive disintegration and the inner experience of giftedness. She is also an author who has published books on recovery from addiction and mental illness.
John Wing Flower
John Wing Flower, co-founder of Nandi Wellness, integrates understanding of neuroscience, technology and indigenous healing practices in his teaching, coaching and consulting practices. John’s mentorship in spiritual development and well-being is informed by his Cherokee and South American native lineage.
Session Descriptions & Schedule
We hope you are able to join us for all events across the series! The Welcoming Address will begin at 9:30am on Saturday, August 1st followed by the kickoff community panel at 10am.
Note: All times are Mountain Standard / Denver.
We may be able to offer 1 continuing education credit to eductors through the University of Northern Colorado. If you are interested, please email info@soulsparklearning.org as soon as possible. Each would need to register through the UNC system, participate in every session and complete reflections for each. While the Empowerment Summit is free, there would be a $65 from UNC to process the credit.
Practices that Support Well-Being, Development & Achievement: Empowered in COVID Times
Saturday, August 1st at 10am
As educators, parents and health care professionals prepare for the start of a new school year, feelings of stress and anxiety have risen given an array of uncertainties surrounding school openings, child care, employment and health care access. Now more than ever it is critical we focus on what IS working in practice to support historically marginalized, oppressed and underserved students. Speakers from the summit will answer critical questions to help guide us during these unprecedented times.
Making the Most of Opportunities for Gifted Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)
Monday August 3rd at 6pm
Facilitated by Shalelia Dillard and Joi Lin, M.S.
This session is designed to unfold the myths about giftedness and the consequences of these misconceptions and stereotypes. Participants will become more adept at recognizing signs of giftedness, creating a body of evidence to support gifted identification and increasing opportunities and career possibilities for BIPOC. Each will leave prepared to be effective advocates for their students and to connect youth with the resources, perspectives and opportunities they need to thrive.
Lessons on Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity from the Latinx Community
Monday, August 10th at 5:30pm
Facilitated by Marina LaGrave and Rosa Medina
As society awakens to the realities of racial injustices, great lessons can be learned from the Latinx community on how co-create a stronger and more peaceful society. In this session participants will hear from boots on the ground Latina activists regarding what is working in practice to grow cultural competency, to support our Latinx neighbors in thriving and to accelerate positive change.
Mind, Body & Soul: Thinking, Feeling & Acting
Tuesday, August 18th at 5:30pm
Facilitated by Barbara M. Washington, M.A. and Rebecca Comizio, M.A., NCSP
Integration of the mind, body and soul supports students in transcending challenges. In this session participants will learn mindfulness and meditation strategies to process emotions, the importance of building connections with each other and our environment, as well as exploring the psychological components of mindfulness as a diffusion and regulation process.
The Wisdom in Indigenous Education Practices
Thursday, August 27th at 5pm
Facilitated by John Wing Flower
Indigenous education practices spanning centuries begin by cultivating feelings of belonging; connection is especially critical for outliers in a climate where social distancing is required. Moving beyond the binary, this session will present expanded native gender identities that celebrate LGBTQA+ individuals as sacred teachers. Participants will learn native wayfinding practices to deepen self-awareness, cultivate intuition and increase harmony with their environment.
From Pathology to Power: A New Lens for Viewing Challenging Behavior
Thursday, September 10th at 5:30pm
Facilitated by Dr.Christiane Wells and Tina Harlow
We often don’t expect bright children to exhibit challenging behaviors and sadly, many children are never seen or considered to be gifted because they don’t fit the stereotypes of giftedness. In this session, participants will be provided with a new framework to understand and support intense experience in neurodiverse youth.
Empowered Parenting: Promoting Social-Emotional Wellness AND Social Justice
Monday, September 14th at 5pm
Facilitated by Nancy Lee, MA, LPC
We want our children to feel secure, engaged, and hopeful. However, we’re living through a time of deep pain, uncertainty, and unrest. How do we reconcile these two realities? What if we merge two paradigms, social-emotional wellness and social justice? Participants will learn science-based tools and strategies to support family well-being and empowerment.
A Call for Trauma Informed Care and the Development of Leadership Attributes that Build Self-Efficacy
Tuesday, September 22nd at 5:30pm
Facilitated by Dr. Theresa Newsom and Autum Romano
In order to realize progress towards increased equity, we have responsibility to remedy oppressive and discriminatory policies and practices and facilitate trauma informed care at home, in our schools and through health care services. Each participant will leave with awareness of the signs of various trauma states and approaches to self-soothe, as well as leadership development strategies that connect and support well-being.
Will My White Brothers and Sisters Have the Courage to Stay Awake Long Enough?
Tuesday, September 29th at 5pm
Facilitated by Percy Brown Jr.
Social change comes from the leadership of many. In this session, participants will learn about Freedom Summer of 1964, the role of White college students and why now, more than ever, it is up to White activists to fully engage in social activism for the long haul. By the end of this session, social activists will have Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Beloved Community blueprint to serve as a guide for lifelong social action.
SoulSpark Learning Empowerment Summit Series Closing
Saturday, October 3rd at 10am
Please join us for a conversation with community leaders on next steps.
Community Partners & Sponsors
We are grateful for our headline sponsor The Denver Foundation and the support of the University of Northern Colorado’s Center for Gifted and Talented Education who had offered to host the original event at their Lowry campus in Aurora, CO prior to the COVID outbreak.
