The Stan State Collective Healing Circle is a campus community and public event taking place on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Zoom that will provide emotional support to the undocumented community and anyone else who may be in need of an outlet.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected everyone’s life in one way or another, yet many of us have not talked about one specific effect of the pandemic, which is our emotions.
The Collective Healing Circle’s main focus is to provide a safe space for people who may be experiencing hardships, says Stan State’s Dreamers Project Coordinator Polet Hernandez.
“[It] provides the ability for the students to feel belonged…[in which] they are supported…We care for them holistically and we want them to succeed in the educational system but we also want them to succeed outside of the educational system,” explains Hernandez.
Hernandez says that the Collective Healing Circle “is based [on] where you can feel safe and [can] connect with others based on your experience.”
Hernandez explains that these events begin with relaxation exercises such as meditation or similar grounding practices.
After that, the group does an art activity together and begins sharing their experiences in which they can relate and help one another.
Hernandez says that these events are not just about talking through the rough moments, but also the joyful and everyday experiences that connect us as human beings.
Other upcoming events for the undocumented community include the Immigrations Legal Service taking place on Tuesday, February 23 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and the UndocuBook Club, taking place on Thursday, March 4 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Hernandez explains that the Immigration Legal Service “extends to not only our students, staff, and faculty, but also to their families, so if at any point a student has a family member who needs assistance, they can receive services from us.”
The UndocuBook Club is also open to everyone and is another opportunity for community members to share their stories.
If anyone wants to attend the Collective Healing Circle meetings or is interested in any of these events and want to know more about them, you can contact Hernandez and her interns at [email protected] or call them at (209) 667-3519.
