Education Series

Caste Book Discussion

Parts 1-3: February 17, 5:30-7:00pm via Zoom 

Parts 4-7: March 16, 2021, 5:30-7:00pm via Zoom

We invite you to join us, along with COCC's Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program, for the 2021 Season of Nonviolence Book Discussion. This year’s selection, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Pulitzer Prize-winner Isabel Wilkerson examines the unseen and unspoken systems of hierarchy that shaped and continue to affect systems of oppression in America. Wilkerson uses research and true life examples to illustrate her points in a meaningful and relatable manner. She ends with a message of hope and asks us to envision a world without caste.

About Caste (From isabelwilkerson.com) 

A book steeped in empathy and insight, Caste explores, through layered analysis and stories of real people, the structure of an unspoken system of human ranking and reveals how our lives are still restricted by what divided us centuries ago.

“Modern-day caste protocols,” Wilkerson writes, “are often less about overt attacks or conscious hostility. They are like the wind, powerful enough to knock you down but invisible as they go about their work.”

Wilkerson rigorously defines eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, heredity, and dehumanization. She documents the parallels with two other hierarchies in history, those of India and of Nazi Germany, and no reader will be left without a greater understanding of the price we all pay in a society torn by artificial divisions.

“The hierarchy of caste is not about feelings or morality,” Wilkerson writes. “It is about power — which groups have it and which do not.”

Before its release, the Chicago Tribune declared that Caste “should be at the top of every American’s reading list." Dwight Garner, the chief critic of The New York Times, called Caste “an instant American classic and almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the American century thus far.”

Upon publication, Oprah Winfrey announced that Caste was her Summer 2020 pick for Oprah’s Book Club and proclaimed it “the most essential...the most necessary-for-all-humanity book that I have chosen.”

Cascades Academy is proud to partner with the Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program of the COCC Foundation and the COCC Office of Diversity and Inclusion on their 2021 Season of Nonviolence events. 

Building Power and Change for Native People with Savannah Romero of IllumiNative

March 8, 12pm

COCC's Season of Nonviolence culminates with a virtual program led Savannah Romero, Manager of Partnerships and Programs at IllumiNative. IllumiNative is a racial and social justice organization whose mission is to build power for Native people by amplifying contemporary Native voices, stories and issues to advance justice, equity and self-determination. We hope you will join us. It's FREE and OPEN to the public but registration is required. 

About Savannah Romero 

Savannah is a member of the Eastern Shoshone Nation and a recent graduate of New York University with a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Public Affairs. She previously worked at the National Indian Education Association and for the U.S. House of Representatives specializing in Tribal policy and Native education. She currently works as the Manager of Partnerships and Programs at IllumiNative, a racial and social justice organization whose mission is to build power for Native people by amplifying contemporary Native voices, stories and issues to advance justice, equity, and self-determination.

Cascades Academy is proud to partner with the Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program of the COCC Foundation and the COCC Office of Diversity and Inclusion on their 2021 Season of Nonviolence events. 

World MUSE UnConference

March 4-7

Cascades Academy is proud to continue our partnership with World MUSE as a sponsor of their Muse UnConference which will take place virtually from March 4-7. For the past nine years, World MUSE has brought together local change-makers with internationally recognized artists, authors, athletes, entrepreneurs, activists, and social change leaders. This year's virtual space is dedicated to breaking down barriers to healing, justice, and change and provide space to listen and be heard, learn and unlearn, practice and take action.

Tickets are offered on a sliding scale. Our MUSE Club will be watching the youth summit together on March 4 and senior, Emily W. will be sharing some of her musical talents during the youth event as well.

Learn More Here 

Neuroscience of Prejudice: Racism and the Brain with Larry S. Sherman, Ph.D. - Professor of Neuroscience, OHSU 

Sunday, February 21, 4pm

Racism exists because of racial prejudice, where we make judgements about people based entirely on their race and our own unconscious bias, and not on actual experience. Our brains react to people who are different from us within milliseconds. In this lecture, Dr. Larry Sherman will explore how our brains engage in prejudice, the consequences of prejudice and racism for both racists and people who experience racism in their daily lives, and how understanding these processes suggest ways that we can overcome prejudice and racism in our society.About Dr. Sherman 

About Dr. Sherman

Dr. Larry Sherman is a Professor of Neuroscience at the Oregon National Primate Research Center, and in the Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology and the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the Oregon Health & Science University.  He has over 100 publications related to brain development and neurological diseases. He serves on numerous US and international scientific review panels including panels for the National Institutes of Health and the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and Portland Monthly Magazine recognized Dr. Sherman as one of the “People who are changing our world”.

Cascades Academy is proud to partner with the Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program of the COCC Foundation and the COCC Office of Diversity and Inclusion on their 2021 Season of Nonviolence events. 

The Half-Life of Freedom: Race and Justice in America Today with Jelani Cobb

February 2, 2021, 5pm 

In this virtual program, acclaimed historian and journalist Jelani Cobb will break down the complex dynamics of race and racism in America—relating the country's history of inequality to today’s issues. Cobb will tell us why he believes the levers of justice are in our hands, and how we can move them in the direction we see fit.

About Jelani Cobb 

A long-time staff writer at The New Yorker, Cobb wrote a series of articles about race, injustice, and the police; for which he received the Sidney Hillman Prize for Opinion & Analysis Journalism. He also teaches at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is the author of Substance of Hope: Barack Obama and the Paradox of Progress and To the Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic.

Cascades Academy is proud to partner with the Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program of the COCC Foundation and the COCC Office of Diversity and Inclusion on their 2021 Season of Nonviolence events. 

Birds & Bees Talks: What, When & How (PK-5)
with Amy Lang, MA

January 12, 2021

12:00-1:15pm

The birds and the bees can be tough to talk about but with a little information, some careful thought and planning it’s possible to have comfortable and effective conversations that help your kids make good decisions.

Parents of PK-5th graders will learn:

• Why you need to start the conversation way earlier than you think
• Who has the most influence over your kids’ decision making
• The number one way to keep your kids healthy & safe
• The best way to start the conversations
• Why knowing your values is key to talking to your kids
• Tips for making the talks easy, fun and actually happen

About Amy:

A sexual health educator for over 20 years, Amy Lang, MA helps parents of all beliefs talk with kids of any age about the birds and the bees. She is the author of the award winning book Birds + Bees + YOUR Kids – A Guide to Sharing Your Beliefs About Sexuality, Love, and Relationships and Dating Smarts: What Every Teen Needs to Know to Date, Relate or Wait. Amy’s talks, books, online solution center and podcast helps parents learn how to talk to their kids about this important and awkward part of life. Amy is still married to her first husband and they are getting the hang of parenting their teenage son. She lives in Seattle, WA. You can learn more about Amy and her work at BirdsAndBeesAndKids.com.

How “The Talk” Can Keep Your Kids Safer Online
with Amy Lang, MA

January 21, 2021

5:00-6:15pm

Your child will be online — sometimes safely and, frankly, sometimes not. This will influence how they think and learn about sex, love and relationships. In this class you will learn how to make sure you (and not the internet!) are their go-to birds and the bees expert!

Parents will learn:

• How to start and continue the birds and bees talks based on their values
• How to age-appropriately talk to kids and avoid TMI
• Simple, low-tech things they can do to keep kids safer
• The connection between typical development and the choices they make as they get older
• Why talking about the birds and the bees can keep them safer in the real and the digital world!

This workshop is appropriate for parents of children of all ages.

About Amy:

A sexual health educator for over 20 years, Amy Lang, MA helps parents of all beliefs talk with kids of any age about the birds and the bees. She is the author of the award winning book Birds + Bees + YOUR Kids – A Guide to Sharing Your Beliefs About Sexuality, Love, and Relationships and Dating Smarts: What Every Teen Needs to Know to Date, Relate or Wait. Amy’s talks, books, online solution center and podcast helps parents learn how to talk to their kids about this important and awkward part of life. Amy is still married to her first husband and they are getting the hang of parenting their teenage son. She lives in Seattle, WA. You can learn more about Amy and her work at BirdsAndBeesAndKids.com.

How to Have Conversations about Race with Young Children

with Madeleine Rogin

December 2, 2020

12:00-1:15pm

Why is it important to initiate conversations about race and racism with our children? What is developmentally appropriate for children to know as they age? How can we talk about these topics in a way that empowers all children to act toward greater justice and equity? Grounded in personal story and current research, this workshop offers concrete strategies, resources, and an opportunity for questions and discussion.

Workshop for parents/caregivers of PK-5th graders will include:

• Presentation on Madeleine’s journey as a white parent of biracial children, in pursuit of finding developmentally appropriate ways to talk about race and racism.
• Current research on factors contributing to silence around the topic, and problems that result from this silence.
• Discussions of roadblocks that arise, and how to move through them.
• Time to practice, using discussion prompts and real world examples.
• Parent and children’s book lists, and guides for discussions.

About Madeleine:

A Change Leader for Ashoka’s “Start Empathy” Initiative and Changemaker Schools Network, Madeleine Rogin has been an educator of young children for over 15 years. She currently teaches kindergarten at Prospect Sierra School in El Cerrito, CA. Madeleine received national recognition for developing the Peaceful Changemaker Curriculum as a way of teaching about Dr. King and social justice to young children. Her book on talking about race and racism with young children is due out in 2021.

Panel Discussion: Understanding Food Insecurity and Homelessness in Central Oregon

November 12, 2020

5:00-6:00pm

As we kick off a drive to support our local partners at Bethlehem Inn and NeighborImpact, we invite you to join a panel discussion and Q&A with three local organizations working to support people in our community struggling with food insecurity and homelessness. Panelists will include representatives from Thrive Central Oregon, Bethlehem Inn, and NeighborImpact.

Donations of non-perishable food and supplies will be accepted on the Cascades Academy campus from November 12-20: 

The Hearty Child: A Peaceful and Powerful Approach to Parenting in a Time of Uncertainty and Challenge

with Dave Mochel

November 17, 2020

5:00-6:15pm

How do we negotiate the stress and anxiety that we and our kids are facing? Drawing upon modern scientific research and enduring wisdom, we will look at how to support growth and connection in the presence of emotional discomfort. The strategies presented will apply to the wellbeing of parents and children alike. Participants will come away with specific practices and language to use on a daily basis when confronted by challenge and uncertainty.

About Dave:

For more than thirty years Dave has been studying and teaching the principles and practices for living, working, and leading peacefully and powerfully. After a twenty-year career teaching neuroscience, human development, and mindfulness in independent schools, he founded Applied Attention Coaching and Consulting. He now helps executives, athletes, educators, parents, and students focus their attention and energy where it matters most. A two-time cancer survivor, Dave has served as a lecturer at Stanford’s School of Health and Human Performance and is the author of Good Life Practice: A Quick Start Guide to Mindful Self-Regulation. His clients have included Bank of America, The Federal Reserve Bank, Subaru, Cottage Health, and The University of Wisconsin.  Dave has degrees in biology and geology from Williams College, a Master’s in Humanistic and Multicultural Education from SUNY New Paltz, and he has completed a clinical internship in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. You can watch his TED Talk here.