Tag: Bridge Conference

Play is for everyone with Greentrike

By Adriana Zazula

Be inquisitive. Be about community. Truly. Let youth not only be a voice, but an active contributor for the programs they want to be a part of.  These are just a few takeaways from my conversation with Fahren Johnson,  Director of Strategic Initiatives at Greentrike in Tacoma. Greentrike is an organization that “honors children and youth and champions play.” Beginning as the Children’s Museum of Tacoma, Greentrike has become a county-wide advocacy and education organization—one that believes playful experiences are essential for learning, joy, and a thriving community. Fahren emphasized that accessibility is key to their work. The organization is … [ ]

Tanaya Winder will share her “heartwork” at the 2022 Bridge Conference

By School's Out Washington

We are thrilled to have Tanaya Winder as our Opening Keynote Speaker at this year’s Bridge Conference. Our Bridge Planning Team was inspired by her storytelling, artistry, and messages about healing and wellness, which match our desire to build a Conference that integrates opportunities for healing, restoration, and joy. We appreciate her roots in youth development and we sought out people whose identities have not been as well represented in the past few years. She is able to talk about difficult things while still leaving folks feeling uplifted and her work is well-aligned with our theme of Illuminating Becoming. Tanaya … [ ]

Meet this year’s Bridge artist—Saiyare Refaei

By School's Out Washington

Saiyare Refaei (they/them/she/her) is a Chinese Iranian artist based on the traditional lands of the Puyallup and Coast Salish peoples referred to as Tacoma, Washington. Their mediums include community murals, printmaking, drawings, and poetry. Saiyare strives to utilize art as a means of community building, education, and healing. Saiyare organizes with La Resistencia for the freedom of immigrants detained in the detention center in Tacoma and is a member of Justseeds, a transnational decentralized network of artists committed to social, environmental, and political engagement. Find more of Saiyare’s work here or @_saikick_ on Instagram. What inspired their art for this year’s Bridge … [ ]

Bridge Destination–Tacoma!

By School's Out Washington

Come early and explore! Tacoma is more than just the Greater Tacoma Convention Center and Marriott Tacoma Downtown where this year’s Bridge Conference will be held. Tacoma is a vibrant city filled with art, walking history and spectacular scenery. Why Tacoma? Tacoma is the second most populous area in Washington state and a unique area within Pierce County. The Bridge Planning team chose Tacoma as our conference location for the next two years because we’ve renewed our work in the area and are also excited to highlight the diversity of youth programs offered by local organizations . Our advice? Take … [ ]

2021 Bridge Conference Reflections

By School's Out Washington

This year’s Bridge Conference reminded us of the power of collective knowledge and community building. Over 500 registrants logged in for our second virtual conference and were asked to tap into their radical imaginations.  Values that guided us include Nourishment, Community, and Change.   Nourishment  This year’s theme, From Seedlings to Stardust, inspired many during our conference including our workshop facilitators, keynote speakers and storytellers. We dared to dream and to pour into continued transformation.   “The theme and values were so clear and consistent; I really do feel nourished by my time at Bridge– and supported to *act*,” said one attendee.  Cultivating Connections was also brought back as a space to digest, reflect, and simply connect like we might … [ ]

3 things to do before the Bridge Conference

By School's Out Washington

1. Download the latest Zoom While you do not need to have a Zoom account to access Bridge, we do encourage you to download the latest version of the Zoom Client to your device. 2. Log into Sched and set up your schedule  Be sure to search your Inbox and Junk Mail folders for an email from notifications@sched.com with the subject, “You’re Invited to 2021 Bridge Conference” or “Build your schedule for 2021 Bridge Conference.” If you cannot find your invitation or if you have not yet received one, you can check out this tip from Sched on activating your account … [ ]