Healing with art: The L.A. Trust brings ‘artivism’ to students
Workshops from The L.A. Trust explored healing through art, sleep hygiene and social media, journaling, poetry, art and music.
More than 100 Student Advisory Board members from L.A. Unified explored art and healing, sleep hygiene, and social media and wellness in a series of workshops informed by The Los Angeles Trust equity, diversity and inclusion initiative.
Dr. Nooshin Valizadeh, advisor for The L.A. Trust EDI initiative, led a four-part online art workshop series teaching students how to use art, poetry and writing as a form of healing and self-expression. One session featured art therapist Brandi Junious.
Dr. Valizadeh said, “In the final session, we had an open mic with students and attendees sharing their songs, poetry and artwork. It was a truly wonderful experience and really showed how holistic forms of healing and building community can create a huge difference for our youth.”
“The workshops helped students recognize that we are all artists and brought them into a place where they could write, paint and share music,” said Mackenzie Scott, program manager at The L.A. Trust.
Sleep well
Dr. Valizadeh helped create two workshop modules led by Mackenzie Scott and fellow Program Manager Esther Yepez — one on sleep hygiene and another on social media and wellness.
“Sleep hygiene is a part of self-care,” Scott said. “We were getting emails from our students (SAB members) at 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning.” The workshop taught students about circadian rhythm and the impact of rest on mood, behavior, thiningthinking and academic and athletic performance.
A second workshop focused on the social media-wellness connection and included tips on how to perform a “social media cleanse” to put the platforms in perspective.
Yepez said, “Many needed a break — 50% of teens admit feeling addicted to their phones.” Social media use can lead to depression, anxiety, poor body image and poor sleep. Ninety-seven percent of teens 13 to 17 are on social media and 45% are on it “almost constantly.”
The workshops were eye-openers for the presenters as well as the students. “All of the workshops showed us more creative ways to engage with youth,” said Scott.