WE ARE SO SORRY TO BE POSTPONING THIS EVENT. WE WILL RESCHEDULE SOON.

Expressing difficult emotions through art can help us to process traumatic events, and address difficult emotions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety. We will be guided by Chelsea Ritter-Saronen of Chalk Riot for a (virtual) hands-on art project, and as always, conversation with peers and FSS staff.

For the activity, please collect over the weekend the following items: 
- 10-15 small leaves (of any kind, truly!) 
- A few small pebbles or stones (perhaps no bigger than a silver dollar) 
- 2 sheets of blank paper (8.5"x11" or bigger) 
- 1 marker or pen (whatever color you wish) 
- Anything else intriguing that you find on your explorations! Sticks, acorns, etcJ

A note from Chelsea:

I'm honored to be invited to share space with the Families for Safe Streets community, thank you for having me. At my business Chalk Riot, not only do we produce traffic calming murals fairly regularly, but we also create rapid-response chalk art when traffic violence happens in our own community in Washington, DC. We love chalk because of its ephemeral, fleeting nature. The medium allows us to release complicated feelings from our bodies, engage in conversation with others, and let it all wash away to make room for all other things that fulfill us rather than weigh us down. I've spent over a decade learning about ephemeral art practices around the world thanks to my fascination with chalk, and while we cannot create with chalk easily over zoom, I invite you to participate in our activity that will center the same spiritual pillars of impermanence and soulfulness.