PLAY Archives - Minds Valley

The Role Latino People Can Play in Ending Racism

mindsvalley99 — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 13:49:02 +0000

Latino culture is a culture of warmth — of family, food, hard work, and celebration through thick and thin. This culture of connection keeps us going through life’s challenges, especially if we’re immigrants in the United States. It allows us to connect with people from all walks of life — and begin to fix some cultural wounds.

In Latin America, you might use “Black” as a friendly nickname for a darker-skinned friend in a way that would be utterly inappropriate in the United States. In Latino culture, the same racial taboos do not exist, and friendly conversation tends to involve much more teasing and outspokenness. But racism and colorism are still alive and well in Latino culture, often undetected as such. The legacy of colonization pits people of different skin tones and ancestry against each other, creating biases that can be very difficult to shed. Understanding those complex relationships and their effect on our shared history is crucial — as is doing something about it.

Growing up in Paraguay, I saw how the colonial Spanish caste system — where Europeans and their children were ranked above the Indigenous people, who were, in turn, ranked above the Black population — affects the way people perceive themselves. Even in Paraguay’s warm, welcoming culture, where the Guarani language and Yerba Mate are widely celebrated, pale skin and light-colored eyes are openly valued above darker skin and darker hair, and Indigenous features are considered undesirable. Anti-Black language persists in our jokes, our beauty standards, and our biases. You may call a friend “Black” in a loving way — but to actually ascribe African heritage to their identity would still be regarded as an insult in many spaces.

While we may often wave these ways of thinking off as ignorance instead of malice, understanding our history reveals these behaviors’ sinister context: It results from hundreds of years of colonization’s brainwashing — instilling self-hatred and prejudice within the local population.

For other Baha’is of Latino descent and me, the Baha’i writings provide clear guidance on eliminating culturally ingrained prejudices and working to foster unity.

The Baha’i Writings say, “God is no respecter of persons on account of either color or race…. Inasmuch as all were created in the image of God, we must bring ourselves to realize that all embody divine possibilities. If you go into a garden and find all the flowers alike in form, species and color, the effect is wearisome to the eye. The garden is more beautiful when the flowers are many-colored and different.”

For many of us, coming to the United States is an awakening because many conversations on systemic racism — and pushing for diversity and inclusive language — are only beginning in our home countries. Coming to the United States is often a culture shock that requires that we redefine our identities. Learning, understanding, and adjusting our behaviors takes time, particularly given the unique position Latino Americans — who are, according to Pew Research, the second-most discriminated against ethnic group in the United States, after African Americans — often find themselves in when immigrating here.

Nearly 1 in 3 people in federal prisons are Latinos, and Latino men are twice as likely to be incarcerated for drug-related offenses than white men, despite equal offense rates. At the same time, Latinas earn 54 cents, and Black women earn 62 cents for every dollar earned by a white man. And yet, Latinx people still enjoy many privileges in American society that our Black brothers and sisters do not.

Lina Boothby-Zapata, a Colombian immigrant, Baha’i, and social worker living in Massachusetts, finds that her Colombian heritage helps her in her daily work. “When I’m working with Latino families, I feel more empathy from them; we speak the same language, understand our culture, know our needs, and we know that there are Latin American countries where there is a lot of poverty. We also both know the immigration process, so they know I’m aware of what they’re talking about.”

But Lina also works with families from many other cultures, including European immigrants and African American families. “I feel the [cultural] differences more then,” she says. “When I speak English, people immediately perceive my accent.”

She uses her story as a way to connect with them and establish trust. She notes, however, that interactions can still come with tense moments. African American families are often suspicious of government agencies due to the racial injustice that persists in the system, particularly when it comes to child protective services. Even as a social worker with a sincere desire to assist these families, Lina sometimes struggles to build trust with them in the face of a long history of inequality.

Even in diverse communities of color across Latin America, prejudice still manifests itself, says Eugenio Marcano, a Dominican geography and soil science professor living in Massachusetts. “My culture is a happy and open-arms culture,” says Eugenio. “Dominicans live with the doors of our homes open, and everybody is welcome to visit at any moment, no appointments needed. But many Dominicans, unfortunately, do have some xenophobic feelings against Haitians caused by historical and political disputes between the two countries.”

For Eugenio, the Baha’i Faith’s complete rejection of any form of prejudice offered a vision of how a spiritual approach can begin to heal these ancient wounds. “The Baha’i Faith is clear about equality of races, gender, nationalities,” Eugenio says. “I just loved the Faith even more when I saw how much it emphasizes this. Dominicans would benefit enormously in understanding these principles of equality to deal with the xenophobic issues we have against our Haitians brothers and sisters.”

In California, Rubi Pacheco-Rivera finds that the Baha’i Writings have helped her understand this complex relationship between Indigenous, African, and Spanish heritage in a spiritual light — and see how that history affects where her family comes from.

“Puerto Ricans have African ancestry in addition to Spanish and Native Taino,” she tells me. “We have a long history of colonization, and although residents are U.S citizens, the island remains greatly forgotten and under-resourced. This tiny island, which is only 110 miles wide by 35 miles long, has been devastated recently by Hurricane Maria and almost daily earthquakes since December 2020.”

Rubi and her father Juan Pacheco in his hometown Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Rubi looks to the Baha’i Writings to explore the spiritual significance of Puerto Rico’s culture — particularly in relation to its African ancestry. Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith, compared Black people “to the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white. ‘In this black pupil you see the reflection of that which is before it, and through it the light of the Spirit shines forth.’” In 1953, Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, described Black people as “pure-hearted and the spiritually receptive.”

These writings inspire Rubi’s understanding of her own culture and her role in promoting it in society. “The Puerto Rican people’s ability to be joyous even while enduring a long history of hardships reminds me of their special capacity as people of the African Diaspora — “Pupil of the Eye” — which I believe is the reason for their resiliency,” she explained. “I’ve always been proud of my culture and especially proud to have had opportunities to share it with others.”

In college, while earning her degree in business, Rubi channeled this love into her work at her university’s multicultural affairs office. After graduation, she coordinated the Puerto Rican Festival of Philadelphia for 5 years through her job at a Latino non-profit organization.

“After spending time in Mexico and seeing the social and economic disparities there, I returned with a desire to serve the Latinx community in Philadelphia,” Rubi says. “This was the beginning of what became a 15-plus year career in bringing resources to communities of color.”

Like Rubi, Lina uses her culture to bridge cultural gaps in her work with families of color — establishing bonds of love and understanding to work against the prejudice that so often divides us. “I tell people, ‘If you have difficulty understanding my accent, just tell me. I’ll explain myself again, no problem!’ I tell them about my country, where I’m from, that I speak Spanish — and that we can work together to solve any problem.”

Lina’s desire for these cultural connections drew her to the Baha’i Faith as she began to participate in regular interfaith prayer gatherings organized by some Baha’is in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

“What attracted me the most was the inclusion and diversity,” Lina says. “Sometimes we would count the number of languages we would say prayers in, and once we counted like 17 or 20 languages! That was so beautiful.

“Seeing that plurality and diversity in language — and everyone connected, able to say the same prayer in many different languages — it was very easy for me to see that we are all the same, we are all one human race,” Lina says. “If we treat each other with respect, we can understand each other.”

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Chuck D, Bob Weir Play a Music Fest That Prioritizes Mental Health – Rolling Stone

mindsvalley99 — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:21:33 +0000

Under a starry western sky last weekend, Park City Song Summit founder Ben Anderson stood onstage and held court in front of an audience of creatives.

“We’re going to change the legacy and culture of music on this mountain,” Anderson howled into the evening chill, his voice echoing far and wide into the surrounding high-desert peaks of Utah. Then he dove headlong into a rendition of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

Ivan Neville, Eric Krasno, and Anders Osborne all joined Anderson for the tribute, along with a slew of other acts who partook in the second-annual gathering. Park City Song Summit is a unique music festival that regards mental health and physical wellness as highly as the music being made, via in-depth conversations and “labs” in which the featured artists discuss the often universal stories behind their songs.

“How about we flip the script on everything and say the most important thing [about musicians] is who they are as humans?” Anderson poses to Rolling Stone. “If you’ll hear who they are, then, as humans, you’ll know that you are protecting them. You’re protecting the American canon of music, which is our artists.”

The 2023 installment of the gathering showcased an array of artists from various disciplines: Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros., Celisse, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Adia Victoria, Matisyahu, Chuck D, Joy Oladokun, Grandmaster Flash, Lukas Nelson, Danielle Ponder, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Devon Gilfillian, Paul Janeway, and JD Souther were all in Park City.

“This is the new way that festivals should be run and supported. Artists should be supported in a way that helps us protect our mental health,” Gilfillian says. “Being in this industry requires a lot of balance. You dive deep into your emotions, that you pull your creativity from. But you can’t fall too deep into that — self-care is number one.”

Depression, suicide, and drug and alcohol abuse have sadly been part of the music industry since its inception. It’s often due to the constant stress and pressures of writing, recording, and touring, a cycle that seems to endlessly repeat. There’s also the lingering, unaddressed or unresolved personal traumas that led to the creation of the art in the first place.

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“These people have lives and they have their own mental health struggles,” Anderson says. “Substance struggles, trauma struggles, struggles with social justice, struggles being a female in a particular genre, troubles from being in the LGBTQIA+ community — I’ve decided to plant a flag on a different hill and focus on artist wellness.”

In 2019, it was the tragic deaths of guitar hero Neal Casal and jam-grass fixture Jeff Austin, and the shutdown of live music due to the pandemic, that became a catalyst for this current conversation. It sparked a dialogue for positive, tangible change when it comes to what’s expected from artists, both onstage and on the road.

Eric Krasno with King Canyon, onstage at the Park City Song Summit.

Erika Goldring

“Neal was a close friend and I was with him the day before he died. I played a set with him at Lockn’ [festival],” Krasno says. “I never thought in a million years that the next day he was taking his own life — that was a wake-up call.”

A prolific artist who is constantly involved in some collaboration or the next, Krasno is well-aware of the trials and temptations that can hamper, or even endanger, an artist while on the road.

“As a touring musician, learning how to make health a priority is still something I’m figuring out,” Krasno says. “But you also have to be pretty vulnerable to kind of ask those questions and reach out for help.”

Krasno was also on hand for the unveiling of his rock & soul ensemble King Canyon. Formed during the shutdown, it came together by happenstance and necessity — artists needing to create and commune, and doing so over Zoom. The band’s first live gig was during the Song Summit at O.P. Rockwell’s in downtown Park City.

“[Collaboration] is what I’m all about. I grew up listening to so many different styles of music and I’m one of those types of people that has fun changing it up all the time,” Krasno. “It’s not easy to get up at five in the morning, catch a flight, play a show, then do it all over again. But it’s those peak moments of a show that keep us going.”

Appearing at the Canyons Villages Amphitheater in Park City, the New York R&B/soul singer Danielle Ponder erupted across the dormant ski slopes, closing her set with an operatic rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep.

“I’m channeling the human story, the thing everyone can experience at some point in their life,” Ponder says of covering the 1992 hit, a song that dovetails with the message of the Song Summit. “It’s this feeling of wanting to know if you’re doing the right thing, wanting to really understand what you’re here for.

Before she was a singer, Ponder was a lawyer and left a stable career in pursuit of the stage. She talks about reflecting honesty in her music and in her listeners, no matter how painful it may be.

“I don’t want to lose myself in my art and I don’t want to pretend that ‘I’m great and everything is OK.’ That’s a dangerous game to play,” Ponder says. “We spend so much time pretending and it could be a much more loving and empathetic world if we all admit the things we’re struggling with.”

Ponder’s sentiments lie at the foundation of what the Park City Song Summit aims to conjure, create, promote, and perpetuate. It’s the realization that no matter how empty the hotel room may feel after the packed-out gig, you’re not alone in this universe.

“If you want to keep the music coming and you want [artists] to give their best self,” Anderson says, “show them more love so that they can love more.”

The Park City Song Summit will return Sept. 5 through 7th, 2024.

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Therapy dog to play important role in mental health of Newton firefighters – Newton Daily News

mindsvalley99 — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 11:41:04 +0000

The newest member of the Newton Fire Department has a ruff job.

When the fire station gets a call from dispatch, she gets to take a nap while the others suit up. And every so often she has to socialize with all the firefighters and paramedics. This new employee is awful demanding, too. She insists everybody scratches her ears or gives her a belly rub. Not even the chief asks for that!

Captain Steve Ashing says her name is River, and when the four-month-old German Shepherd puppy is fully grown she will play an important role at the fire department as a therapy dog. Even now the pup is going through extensive training to identify and respond to individuals going through stress or trauma.

“Our obedience training is slightly different,” Ashing said. “It’s the same heel, sit, stay, come — all that kind of stuff. Eventually, if you are in crisis, I can put her by you and she’ll just kind of be there for you … Her No. 1 job will be to take care of firefighters here and give some support to them.”

River accompanied Ashing when he announced the therapy canine program to city council members at their meeting on June 5. The big-eared Shepherd stood obediently at her human’s heel, cocking her head ever so slightly at audience members as Ashing explained what she would do when she grows up.

“She will do multiple things not only in the station but out in the community,” Ashing said, noting therapy dogs have a storied history of helping firefighters. “…Seventy percent of citizens will experience one catastrophic event in their life, so either a major fire or car wreck or medical emergency.”

Emergency responders will see anywhere between 500 to 600 catastrophic events in their careers. Ashing said anything that can help firefighters and paramedics better recover from these events is a wise investment. It will be about a year until River can be fully utilized for therapeutic purposes.

“In the station, she’s basically going to be a pet,” Ashing said. “…But when she’s all said and done, she’ll be able to sense (stress). Stress response in the body gives off different hormones. So she’ll be trained to go to that person. So that’s a simple way to think about that.”

Captain Steve Ashing stands with River, a German Shepherd puppy and a therapy canine in-training, outside the Newton Fire Department. River is to play an important role in helping the mental health of first responders, as well as residents who may have experienced a traumatic event. (Christopher Braunschweig)

LOCAL NONPROFIT SPEARHEADING CRISIS RESPONSE DOG PROGRAM

Crisis Canines of the Midlands, a Colfax-based nonprofit, provided River in partnership with Adelhorst Kennels in Altoona. Ashing said Crisis Canines’s goal is to place a dog in every county in Iowa to provide crisis response, peer support and stress relief, as well as becoming agency ambassadors for public outreach.

Justin Smith, of Crisis Canines, approached Ashing about raising a puppy for the fire department. As an owner of a 9-year-old German Shepherd named Sadie, Ashing was already well-accustomed to the dog breed and its temperament. In February, he brought Sadie to the fire station to gauge staff response.

“It went really well and everyone had positive things to say, but since she was old enough it may not have been worth it to go through all of the extensive training,” Ashing said. “Then River became available. She’s fantastic. She’s the calmest, best little puppy I’ve ever had. And she loves people.”

The craze of therapy dogs in first responder offices seems to be catching on. Another fire captain is also getting a puppy to be trained as a therapy dog. Earlier this month the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office announced Lt. Mike Gunsaulus and Deputy TJ Decker would welcoming Poppy and Delta to the squad.

RIVER’S PRESENCE CAN PUT EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AT EASE

As a crisis response canine, River will be brought to critical incident stress debriefings, which Ashing said is the “fancy term” for the beginning of the therapy process after a major call. First responders who take part in a catastrophic or traumatic incidents have a hotwash to evaluate performance.

“Everyone gets together right after the call and just kind of talk about it, what you’re feeling, what went well, what went bad. It’s just a talk and you kind of gauge how people are handling it,” Ashing said. “Everybody handles everything differently. There’s no wrong way to process.”

From there, first responder personnel — whether it’s police officers, dispatchers, EMS or firefighters — begin a more formal debrief. Some individuals may be more closed off than others, which is where River fits in to all this. Ashing said the simple act of petting a dog can put people at ease more quickly.

“In the past, us emergency responders have not done well with dealing with our feelings,” Ashing said. “Those debriefings are where she really comes into play … It snaps them out of their head for a little bit to engage with the fluffy puppy that comes in and puts them at ease a little bit, open up a little more.”

‘IT’S ALL ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH’ FOR FIRST RESPONDERS

As a member of the advanced life support team at the county sheriff’s office, Ashing believes the one of the best ways for emergency responders to take care of their communities is to make sure they are taken care of, too. Ashing coined an expression frequently used by Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty:

“If you don’t take care of your people, how do you expect them to take care of others? That’s where my thought process is with this,” Ashing said. “…It’s all about mental health. First responders see so many catastrophic events. If you don’t figure out how to deal with that, your career is going to be pretty short.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, the tenure for paramedics in private ambulance companies is about seven years, and the tenure for fire-based EMS agencies is, at most, 10 years. Ashing said a good number may leave after six years. There are two main reasons why paramedics leave the profession.

“One, they advance in health care. So they advance to be nurses or doctors or whatever. Then the second leading cause of people leaving is mental health,” he said. “They just can’t handle the job anymore. It’s too much. It’s too stressful. This program is supposed to help curb that as much as we can.”

River, a four-month-old German Shepherd puppy and therapy dog in-training, gets an ear scratch that feels so good she taps her foot, leading to the Ashing family to call her “Rabbit.” (Christopher Braunschweig)

GET TO KNOW RIVER AS A COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR

It’s a good thing River loves people, because she is going to get accustomed to a lot of folks in the emergency response teams throughout Jasper County. Ashing is a member of the critical incident stress debriefing team for the county, and River will be joining him during those sessions.

“Any agency,” Ashing said. “Anything from the jail to the Newton Police Department to agencies in Colfax or Kellogg or wherever. We’ve even opened it up to other counties. We’ve gone down as far as Lineville (Wayne County) and Leon (Decatur County) and that kind of stuff.”

Of course, having a dog at the fire station also means River will be quite popular at elementary schools in Newton. Through River’s public relations work, the fire department wants the community to get to know her. Ashing wants to make it a point to introduce her to people before she is really needed.

“That way they know her before she’s there in a working capacity,” he said. “We’ll do school events and visit nursing homes and hospital staff … She’ll also go to some calls. But she won’t be sticking her head out the window as the lights and sires go off on the road to a call.”

RIVER WILL BE THERE WHEN COMMUNITY NEEDS HER MOST

In the event a catastrophic incident occurs, Ashing said after the call is taken care of is when River would be able to visit a victim and work her magic.

“We would kind of start that healing process,” Ashing said. “…It’s more of a distraction, especially in a death situation. Of course the handlers are trained in how to comfort people in crisis and how to do things to get their brains processing right out of the gate instead of just being in trauma the whole time.”

While the presence of a dog may not fix the problem, Ashing said it makes it a little better. Therapy dogs are always generally used after a traumatic event takes place to help people heal from their trauma. Having a dog nearby to pet or pay attention to may just distract them enough to move forward.

Outside of a traumatic event, Ashing just hopes River brings joy to the community and to the staff of the Newton Fire Department.

“To bring joy to everyone she’s around and be an uplifting presence.”

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Actor uses humor, heart to share mental health issues in one-man play

mindsvalley99 — Sat, 13 May 2023 08:27:38 +0000

For years, Scott Ehrenpreis brushed off his father’s suggestions that he create a one-man play about the challenges he has faced as an actor with a variety of mental illnesses that have led him on a rollercoaster of highs and lows in his life.

He wasn’t ready, he kept saying, until about a year ago, when Ehrenpreis started meeting with writer and director Jason Cannon for what he calls “jam sessions” that led to the new play “Clowns Like Me.”

The play runs May 18-28 at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts’ Cook Theatre during Mental Health Awareness Month after several developmental workshops that encouraged Ehrenpreis and Cannon to move forward.

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Ehrenpreis says the stage is the one place where he has felt safe and confident during his life as he worked to live with the impact of OCD, bipolar disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, social anxiety and depression. But he didn’t feel ready to “disclose this to the world. For many years I lived with shame and guilt. People look at you as odd or an inferior race. I was too embarrassed.”

But as he became better at coping with things – “the uphill battle is always there. It’s not only sunny skies,” he says – Ehrenpreis began to think that if telling his story “might empower other people to not be afraid now is the right time to execute my deep confession.”

The timing is important, he said, because “mental illness and suicide are happening at an alarming rate and by sharing my lived experience, I can help bring light to it, to bring more to the conversation.”

The show is frank and difficult, with lighter touches.

“It is very much in the confessional one-man show, but also threading a needle with stand-up comedy and humor and education through storytelling,” said Cannon, who wrote the script from his conversations with Ehrenpreis and is directing the production. “It’s humorous, heartfelt and dramatic.”

Working on the show and reliving his experiences has been “an emotional catharsis,” Ehrenpreis said. “Jason has reminded me that I’m the audience’s therapist. He has ripped me wide open with our jam sessions, pulling out stories. It’s emancipating. I feel more in control of the circuitry and wiring that can go haywire. Acting is my therapy. It’s where I feel a sense of invincibility. I feel like I finally belong.”

Cannon said that Ehrenpreis has actually “been acting in real life. He’s been trained since he was a child. He has been pointed at and been misunderstood. But on stage, he’s actually not acting. He’s himself. He can be who he is when he’s on stage.”

Ehrenpreis’ life has been filled with troubles and bad decisions. “I associated with bad company because I was so starved for affection,” he said. “I had a drug dealer pull a gun on me while I was chauffeuring him around for his drug deals. I committed sexual defilement, debauchery. I looked for love in all the wrong places.”

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He admits to shoplifting as part of “this disgusting attention I wanted. I got it all right, with handcuffs behind my back.” His mania prevented him from functioning as “a normal human being. I didn’t have the ability to assess situations. I reacted a lot off of anger and when you’re angry you can’t think straight.”

He stole from his parents and tried to take his own life. “It was a merry-go-round of hell I was on. So many times it was like ‘Stop the world I want to get off.’ I tarnished the legacy of my family. I almost got kicked out of college for plagiarism. I just did things that were unspeakably unforgivable.”

Today his father, Joel Ehrenpreis, is behind the Lifeline Productions company that is presenting “Clowns Like Me.” In a statement he said the company wants “to use the power of storytelling to take you inside the minds of those who struggle with mental health disorders and offer an enlightening and entertaining experience that leaves you walking away feeling differently about mental illness.”

Cannon said the play runs just over an hour and each of the eight performances will be followed by a discussion.

Ehrenpreis has performed in numerous shows in the Sarasota area, most recently in the ensemble of “Network” at Florida Studio Theatre. He has appeared in productions of “The Sunshine Boys,” “Moon Over Buffalo” and “The Front Page,” the premieres of “The Manager” at the Players Centre and “The Long Reunion” at the Manatee Performing Arts Center, and several television series, including “South Beach Tow” and “Burn Notice.

Tickets are $20 plus a processing fee and available at clownslikeme.com.

Follow Jay Handelman on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contact him at jay.handelman@heraldtribune.com. And please support local journalism by subscribing to the Herald-Tribune.

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THE GENIUS OF PLAY™ LAUNCHES ‘EMOTIONAL WELLNESS PLAYBOOK’ DURING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

mindsvalley99 — Mon, 01 May 2023 15:53:24 +0000

NEW YORK, May 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — From exploring emotions through games to practicing empathy, the new “Emotional Wellness Playbook” from The Genius of Play™, The Toy Association®’s nonprofit initiative dedicated to helping parents raise healthy and happy kids through play, offers a curated collection of play-based activities that teach kids how to express their feelings in healthy ways while having fun.

Developed in partnership with recognized mental health expert, Starr Therapy Founder, and Certified Holistic Health Coach Talia Filippelli, The Genius of Play’s new resource for parents and educators is launching just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month this May, when mental health advocates will be sparking conversations about reducing the stigma around mental health. The digital playbook features 12 play ideas for kids ages 3+ that effectively tackle the five key components of emotional intelligence: emotional self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.

“Research has shown that children with a high emotional intelligence earn better grades, stay in school longer, and make healthier choices overall,” said Anna Yudina, senior director of marketing initiatives at The Toy Association. “Play is one of the best ways to teach kids about just about anything, and boosting their emotional skills are no exception. From promoting relaxation to encouraging positive emotions, we invite families to use this guide to help kids’ little hearts grow bigger and stronger and build the foundation for a healthy adulthood.”

The Genius of Play’s mission is centered on helping families raise healthy and happy kids through play, and teaching kids how to recognize, express, and manage their emotions is a big part of that. This new playbook offers families and educators a tool to help children learn and practice emotional skills in ways that are fun and reduce stress.

The playbook’s simple, yet effective, activities help children develop their emotional skills in a variety of ways. Emoji Bingo offers a twist on a classic game that helps improve emotional self-awareness by teaching kids to label their emotions and, therefore, not become overwhelmed by big feelings when they occur. Calming Bottle is a DIY activity that can help those who struggle with self-regulation. Puppet Play helps kids practice empathy and social skills and Vision Board helps build their motivation and self-confidence.

“Play and toys are some of the most effective tools to help kids develop the emotional intelligence they will need to successfully navigate the world as they grow up,” said Filippelli. “What’s more, play provides positive emotions and relaxation both kids and adults need to promote emotional wellbeing.”

The Genius of Play’s “Emotional Wellness Playbook” is available now online in a digital book format. For more information about The Genius of Play, visit thegeniusofplay.org.

About The Genius of Play™www.thegeniusofplay.org

The Genius of Play™ is a national movement to raise awareness of play’s vital role in child development, spearheaded by The Toy Association®. Deeply rooted in research and facts, The Genius of Play is a leading resource on the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional benefits of play that serve children throughout their lives. #itsmorethanplay

About The Toy Association® www.toyassociation.org / www.thegeniusofplay.org / www.playsafe.org

Founded in 1916, The Toy Association, Inc. is the trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $102.4 billion, and is the nation’s most effective resource and influential advocate for hundreds of companies including manufacturers, retailers, licensors, and others who are involved in the youth entertainment industry. Toy Association manufacturing members account for 93% of U.S. toy and game sales driving the annual $40 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry’s voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play’s positive impact on childhood development to consumers and media. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers, and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play. As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair®; advocates on behalf of members around the world; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America’s widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-genius-of-play-launches-emotional-wellness-playbook-during-mental-health-awareness-month-301811945.html

SOURCE The Genius of Play

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The Role Latino People Can Play in Ending Racism

Chuck D, Bob Weir Play a Music Fest That Prioritizes Mental Health – Rolling Stone

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Therapy dog to play important role in mental health of Newton firefighters – Newton Daily News

Actor uses humor, heart to share mental health issues in one-man play

THE GENIUS OF PLAY™ LAUNCHES ‘EMOTIONAL WELLNESS PLAYBOOK’ DURING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH