Self Esteem in Clay

This week, we held an art therapy workshop with Yekseny Guerrero of Leyden Family Services. The session focused on how we can build esteem by amplifying our creativity. TFD and Yekseny believe that everyone is a creative in their own unique way! Our Proviso neighbors showed up and did just that. The clay was intentionally placed out with colors and tools to help the participants make something they believed represented them but as a vessel to remind them of their own self-confidence.

Thank you Yekseny for leading an amazing workshop! We are so grateful to those who participated. Join us for another art therapy with Yekseny November 6th from 6:30PM to 8PM where participants will create Identity Collages!

Community Yoga

We hosted community yoga last week for the first time this fall semester. Dasia, proviso resident and yoga instructor, led the participants through a relaxing night flow. The group ended off with some balance poses and light meditation. Join our next Community Yoga October 30th by registering with this link!

Adulting 101 | Budgeting

For our second session, Jasmine Lopez, our Co-Founder and Executive Director, led the Adulting 101 youth cohort through all things budgeting. First, Jasmine talked about categorizing the youth’s finances through PocketGaurd, a budgeting app, or Google spreadsheets. After, Jasmine said although it may be hard to look at your spending habits, it is good to start seeing where you spend more or less which would help them create their budgets. Right after, Jasmine started helping everyone create their own budgets. Then, with whatever money was left over for savings, Jasmine helped create a plan for saving toward those dreams that were previously identified in the money-healing workshop.

Thank you Jasmine for leading the first half of our first Adulting 101 cohort. Your knowledge and grace will continue to impact our community.

Adulting 101 | Money Healing

One of TFD’s pillars to complete our mission is education about financial wellness. In a community where 26k is our average income, we want to create opportunities for youth to learn good financial habits now to achieve financial freedom in the future. Along with this goal, we asked our youth what they wanted to learn before starting adulthood. Hence, Adulting 101 was started.

This workshop, Jasmine Lopez, Co-founder and Executive Director led the youth through a money-healing workshop. The purpose was to reframe your thoughts about money in order to achieve “limitless dreaming”. Jasmine talked about creative provision as well, which is using resources around you and faith that one day you will receive what you wish for. Then, the youth made limitless goals of what they wanted. Some stated traveling, building their own business, and living in beautiful houses. Check out the pictures below for the full story!

Thank you so much Jasmine for continuing to be vulnerable with your story to show others and our youth how success is anything you put your mind to.

Breathwork With Kathy Khang

Video Credit: Kevyn Tapia

Another awesome workshop from our Mental Health Intensive this past month was Breathwork with Kathy Khang! Follow along in this video as Kathy demonstrates various techniques for breathwork. You will learn exercises like Box Breath, Box Breath for sleep, breath awareness, awareness meditation, body scanning, and Lion’s Breath. Each exercise has its own purpose and they are easy to follow for beginners, so feel free to save this video to incorporate into your day!

A big thank you to Kathy for partnering with TFD to make this awesome resource video! Be sure to follow her on Instagram @mskathykhang.