Mind, Body & Literacy Virtual Youth Pop-Ups is an event series for Around the Way Girls and Boys in the Hood book clubs. This is their first co-ed event to help them bond with each other, learn mindfulness and meditation, gain knowledge about healthy relationships and consent to create boundaries, participate in writing prompts in their journals, as well as self-care, games and more.
We welcome Didier Mponte to lead the youth in a meditation session. Didier is the Founder and Executive Director of Light & Water with backgrounds in Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Education, Design, and Wellness. Didier holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Sac State. Following graduation, Didier along with two other colleagues founded Square Root Academy, a local non-profit organization exposing underserved youth to the fundamentals of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM, where he led classes on Coding, 3D modeling, and Design. Having 4 years of experience meditating and leading guided meditations for youth and adults, upon the realization of the lack of diversity and accessibility in wellness, Didier formed Light & Water to begin exposing more populations to the world of wellness.
We also welcome Chase Saunders as our presenter. Chase is the Prevention & Education Department Manager at WEAVE in Sacramento, CA. You can find him supporting the team with various projects out in the community or facilitating presentations or in his office working on grant objectives and billing next to a few very large pictures of his pets.
Passion Bailey is a Sacramento Native who has built a lifestyle around books and literacy. She is the owner of Hidden Gems Thrift Store and founder of Crystal Bowl Book Literary Group. Passion will lead the youth in their writing prompts.
Shirkeri is the sister of Dana Maeshia and has taken over the role of CEO of Escape Velocity Resources Foundation. She’s also a mentor for the Boys in the Hood Book Club. Shirkeri will lead the speaking segment for the youth to share their thoughts from the prompts they write.
Mia’sha Helton of It’s My Hair Salon is one of the Around the Way Girls Book Club Mentors, a contributor to the Self-Care SWAG boxes, and will be a chaperone at the Self-Care Skate Night.
Felicia Armelin is Program Director of Escape Velocity and the host/organizer of the event. She is the owner of TACCT Taxes and volunteers as well as supports various local nonprofits in Sacramento.
We are excited to share this event and hope the youth will build effective communication skills by writing and speaking about healthy relationships, consent, and self-care, as well as, have fun!! We have some awesome goodies for their SWAG boxes.
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