Bell Equity

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_h2AwlinOSi6T1_drEZ10IA

Congratulations to Bell's Mx. Goldberg on being a 2022-2023 Constellation Resident! "CONSTELLATION amplifies the voices of local teaching artists and arts education administrators of organizations doing exceptional work on high-need learning areas."

If you want to learn more about the "intersection of identity, disability, and inclusion in arts education," you can check out this upcoming panel that Mx. is participating in!

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Constellation Panel Discussion: Intro to Identity, Disability, and Inclusion in Arts Education. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Join Ingenuity’s 2023 Constellation teaching & learning cohort for a conversation on the intersection of identity, disability, and inclusion in arts education. These topics play a crucial role in creating arts environments where students can fully express themselves, where their unique experiences...

This coming Tuesday!

It is a beautiful day at Bell!

Stop by our Equity Group table and say hi! We've got some activities to get you thinking, talking, and doing!

Gun shot victims require five to ten times more blood. If you want a way to help today, please donate blood. You can donate anywhere in Chicago, but Highland Park Hospital is in great need of blood donations. If anyone is interested please make an appointment to donate blood it would be greatly appreciated.

They asked we email to make an appointment:
[email protected]

[This information has come via Moms Demand Action - Lincoln Square/Albany Park]

We have some additional resources to share for parents wishing to address the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

https://akidsco.com/

https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/helping-children-with-tragic-events-in-the-news

Our hearts are still hurting after Buffalo; they won't properly heal until actual changes are made.

As always, our website has a range of resources and action items that we regularly update. Please comment below if you have more to share, and hold your loved ones close.

Helping Children with Tragic Events in the News | Parenting Tips &… In times of crisis, children want to know, "Who will take care of me?" Here are some tips to help reassure children during scary times.

The recent domestic terrorism in Buffalo, NY, is tragic and horrifying. We are heartbroken for the families that lost loved ones taken too soon, and we honor the victims of this deadly racist attack by creating safe and brave spaces in our own community to talk about racism, gun violence, and white supremacy in an effort to break the cycle, come together, and put an end to lynchings in this country.

If you're like us and don't know where to start, here's a good resource: https://www.adl.org/blog/the-horrific-mass-shooting-in-buffalo-how-to-talk-with-young-people

The Horrific Mass Shooting in Buffalo: How to Talk with Young People Help young people reflect on and discuss the issues raised by the mass shooting incident in Buffalo, NY.

🚨🚨
Media Club Meeting!
Wednesday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m.
The event is VIRTUAL via Zoom (https://cts.vresp.com/c/?FriendsofBellSchool/57e6845927/2050fba6ff/b08f8e42d5 )

Join us for a discussion of two companion TED(x) Talks: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s The Danger of a Single Story, and Grace Lin’s The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child's Bookshelf. Watch these talks ahead of time and preview the resources for discussion (optional). RSVP ([email protected]) if you’d like to be included on the invitation, or just swing on by.

We’re looking forward to seeing you!

Find links to both talks in the comments to watch them in advance, and download the event resources. Bell mom Rachel Rozycki will be guide us through the discussion.

This event is no long at Reclaimed 🚨

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It's Earth Day! As we think about how to care for our planet, check out this read aloud of the award-winning book, We Are Water Keepers, by Carole Lindstrom. This stunning picture book tells the story of Native people fighting an oil pipeline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD8shbwrK40

Storytime Channel for Kids: We Are Water Protectors Storytime Channel for Kids, “We Are Water Protectors" by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade. Join me for another storytime read aloud.👇Find ...

Neurodiverse people are more likely to be gender diverse and have a le***an, gay, bisexual, q***r, or asexual sexual orientation, compared to neurotypical people. Kids on the Autism Spectrum are 7 times more likely do be gender nonconforming.
https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Neurodiversity-and-Gender-Diverse-Youth_An-Affirming-Approach-to-Care_2020.pdf

www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org

Black Lives Matter is closely linked to the Neurodiversity Movement. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, who is Black and autistic: "It is no coincidence that a lot of the individuals who have lost their lives have been not only Black, but also disabled in some way, typically neurodivergent."

https://opendoorstherapy.com/reflections-on-the-black-lives-matter-movement-by-an-autism-therapist-part-2/

Autism and Police Interactions Autism therapist Dr Tasha Oswald discusses police brutality with an autism lends & gives tips for how autistic adults can manage police confrontation safely

The Intersection Of Race And Neurodivergence: “The Black Dyspraxic” Shares On Overcoming Barriers

https://www.forbes.com/sites/drnancydoyle/2020/08/07/the-intersection-of-race-and-neurodivergence-the-black-dyspraxic-shares-on-overcoming-barriers/?sh=418807af54c0

The Intersection Of Race And Neurodivergence: “The Black Dyspraxic” Shares On Overcoming Barriers This week as part of my series I have invited the brilliant Tumi Sotire, known on Twitter and Instagram as The Black Dyspraxic, to talk about his experience...

If you are parenting a differently wired child, you may be coupled with or co-parenting in a neurodiverse relationship. Kate McNulty digs into the common challenges and misconceptions, fosters connection and understanding, and advises on handling a later-in-life diagnosis.

https://tiltparenting.com/2021/06/22/episode-256-kate-mcnulty-on-neurodiverse-relationships/

Episode 256: Autistic Therapist Kate McNulty on Neurodiverse Relationships Autistic therapist Kate McNulty talks about neurodiverse relationships — common challenges, fostering connection, and handling a later-in-life diagnosis.

The Neurodiversity subgroup of the Bell Parents/Caregivers Equity Group will be hosting a discussion of the book Differently Wired: A Parent's Guide to Raising an Atypical Child with Confidence and Hope, by Deborah Reber.

Join via zoom, Tuesday March 22, 7pm CST (link in comments!)

And, Bell Parent Equity Group Interview excerpt with Lisa Miranda about neurodiversity month and this month's book club discussion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n-PPV6sOKY

Audio Interview Excerpt about Neurodiversity month. Bell Parent Equity Group Interview excerpt with Lisa Miranda about neurodiversity month and this month's book club discussion on March 22 at 7PM. The full in...

Learn more about Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities in Gifted Children

https://www.verywellfamily.com/dabrowskis-overexcitabilities-in-gifted-children-1449118

Why Gifted Kids May Are Often Highly Sensitive or Overexcitable Learn about the five overexcitabilities that psychologist Kazimierz Dabrowski identified in gifted children, plus find how to recognize them.

Neurodiversity is not just for kids in schools, it is also our colleagues in the workplace. Learn how businesses can be more inclusive and how you can create space for Neurodiverse individuals.

https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.FTR1.26042021.36/full/

When a Co-worker's Atypical … Can We Be Flexible? Employers have historically expected neurodivergent employees to conform to neurotypical standards. Why can’t the reverse happen? 

Many neurodiverse thinkers are gifted with distinct cognitive and social features.

https://www.verywellfamily.com/characteristics-of-gifted-children-1449114

Learn more about 5 Neurodivergent thinkers who achieved great things!

https://www.ayoa.com/ourblog/achievements-founded-by-neurodivergent-individuals/

Famous achievements by neurodivergent individuals - Ayoa Blog From Albert Einstein to Bill Gates, there are many neurodivergent individuals who have used conditions such as dyslexia and autism to achieve great things.

Some kids find everyday stimuli excruciating. Scientists are finally figuring out why

https://magazine.ucsf.edu/unbearable-sensation-being

The Unbearable Sensation of Being: Living With Sensory Processing Disorder Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD, causes some children to find everyday stimuli excruciating. Scientists are finally shedding light on what causes the disorder and what can be done about it.

How do we create classrooms where neurodiverse kids thrive? “When we treat autisic children the way the world tells us to treat neurotypical children, they suffer,” says Blacher. “But I have never encountered a single human being, of any age or neurotype, who doesn’t thrive when treated like an autistic person. (I mean, of course, treated the way an autistic person ought to be treated. With open communication, adaptive expectations, and respect for self-advocacy and self-regulation)."

https://blog.planbook.com/neurodiverse-students/

How to Create an Inclusive Learning Environment for Neurodiverse Students You might not know if you have neurodiverse students this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a welcoming, all-inclusive classroom environment.

🚨 GIVEAWAY ALERT 🚨 In honor of Bell Equity Group's community book discussion, we are giving away a copy of "Differently Wired: A Parent's Guide to Raising an Atypical Child with Confidence and Hope" by Debbie Reber.

To enter: ⁠
1. Follow
2. Like this post
3. Tag a friend in the comments

*Giveaway ends 3/11/22 at midnight CST! Open to US residents only. Our book discussion will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, March 22nd, at 7 pm. Hope to see you there!

UPDATE: Unfortunately this event has been cancelled.
We are hoping it can run at a later date. Huge apologies to all

Join the Neurodiversity subgroup of the Bell Parents/Caregivers Equity Group in a virtual simulation, "Dyslexia for a Day."

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines empathy as: "The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner."

Rarely do we get to "walk in someone else's shoes," but doing so significantly improves our ability to support and connect with each other and even increases happiness within ourselves. There is a series of exercises, easily completed by anyone, that allow each of us to spend a few moments experiencing reading, writing, and processing challenges that struggling readers (whether diagnosed with dyslexia or not) live every day.

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

The Neurodiversity Movement asserts that the idea that there is one “normal” or “healthy” type of brain or mind, or one “right” style of neurocognitive functioning, is a culturally constructed fiction, no more valid (and no more conducive to a healthy society or to the overall well-being of humanity) than the idea that there is one “normal” or “right” ethnicity, gender, or culture.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-elusive-brain/202004/neurodiversity-the-movement

Neurodiversity: The Movement The neurodiversity movement has burgeoned through grassroots organization.

What is Neurodiversity? Join us this month as we move beyond awareness to acceptance and celebration of the differently wired!

https://www.understood.org/articles/en/neurodiversity-what-you-need-to-know

What is neurodiversity? What is neurodiversity? Find out what neurodiversity means and how the concept can benefit people with learning differences.

The “first Black person” to participate in something from which they were previously banned because of racism isn’t a Black success. Rather, it is an example of White racism. All of these “firsts” should be celebrated and taught in school as American History, not Black History.

https://educationpost.org/were-teaching-black-history-month-all-wrong/?fbclid=IwAR0UtfSUliaMXzAOKhcwT2XzNSPIBPg0-XqrQbF9RmZ13vge8PKP2skueJ0

We're Teaching Black History Month All Wrong News flash: We have been celebrating Black History Month all wrong.  Black History Month (originally “Negro History Week”) was started by Carter G. Woodson in

Did you know Abraham Lincoln signed legislation authorizing the establishment of a college for deaf and hard of hearing students in Washington, D.C. in 1864, but Gallaudet didn't have a Black graduate until 1954? Learn more about the history of the Black Deaf community

https://dcmp.org/learn/366

Black Deaf Culture Through the Lens of History Overviews recent accomplishments and recognition of Black Deaf people

In 2019, Nikole Hannah-Jones, a journalist then with The New York Times, led an effort to "reframe the country's history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative." The 1619 Project, as it was called, sparked a national conversation. Hannah-Jones published a book on the subject last November. Read more about why her work won a Pulitzer Prize, and her recent speech to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. in Chicago, in the links below (more in comments!).

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html

The 1619 Project (Published 2019) American slavery began 400 years ago this month. This is referred to as the country’s original sin, but it is more than that: It is the country’s true origin.

Many of the dioramas that transport visitors of the Field Museum to exotic environments were created by Carl Cotton, a Black taxidermist who worked at the institution for 25 years. He worked on birds, mammals, and even fish, ultimately working on a quarter of the birds displayed in the glass cases. But his legacy was almost forgotten. Thanks to efforts of staff at the Field, visitors can find out more about his passion for nature.

https://www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibitions/natural-talent-taxidermy-carl-cotton

A Natural Talent: The Taxidermy of Carl Cotton See the impact of one man’s lifelong passion for art and nature. When you walk through our taxidermy halls, there’s a good chance you’ll see the handiwork of Carl W. Cotton. Starting in 1947, he made realistic animal figures and exhibits for nearly 25 years here at the Field. Each of his creat...

Considering running for the LSC? Want to learn more?

We want to encourage new and diverse voices to join the LSC. The LSCs.4.All Coalition is hosting a day of workshops to learn about the LSC election, how to be a better LSC member, and different education justice issues. Simultaneous Interpretation available for most workshops. This Saturday, 2/26, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, virtual. Find the detailed program and sign up to attend in the comments

https://www.ilraiseyourhand.org/lscs4all

LSCs.4.All Coalition — Raise Your Hand The LSCs.4.All Coalition is committed to making LSCs more effective via regular LSC member meetups and trainings as well as via legislation to ensure fully empowered LSCs at every Chicago public school which receives public funding. Member Organizations Include: Blocks Together, Chicago Lawyers’ C

Did you know that Black History Month first started right here in Chicago? Back in 1915, historian Carter G. Woodson met with other Black scholars at the Wabash YMCA in Bronzeville and formed a group that promoted Black history. Eleven years later, the organization designated the second week in February Negro History Week. Woodson helped educate teachers about Black people in history and brought attention to their contributions. Fifty years later, President Gerald Ford created Black History Month thanks largely to Woodson's efforts.

For more, check out this interview and Shermann "Dilla" Thomas, .

https://www.wbez.org/stories/black-history-month-got-its-start-in-chicago/436c1c07-adb8-425b-936e-3e1220af5375

Did you know that Black History Month got its start in Chicago? The roots of Black History Month trace back to Chicago’s South Side in the 1920s.

Celebrate these iconic Black Chicgao Architects, including Beverly Lorraine Green - the first African American woman architect!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLCNoV4Fi6d/?igshid=19hchm1j1a2r3&fbclid=IwAR1Sny6UwbF_iP4b8DnQtXFrIi8iFFBg5gX2a8uPqaK2puHLBBq7C65xGsg

Today for Black History Month we're highlighting a couple incredible Chicago architects--what designers, artists, and makers get you inspired? (Information gathered from Curbed Chicago)