Our TURN
turning toward.
moving forward.
Experiential and culturally responsive learning for youth and adults; designed to move us forward, together.
Our Mission
Through coaching and facilitation, Our Turn seeks to ensure that marginalized young people and adults thrive in school, have access to the arts and nature, and gain opportunities for leadership in our community. Our Turn builds skills within organizations to confront systemic barriers, develop new practices, and center equity and justice.
Know Thyself: A writing workshop
Mandela Masanii (AnyXMeans) and Aviva McClure (Our Turn) team up to offer a unique virtual writer’s workshop for High School and College students that has the power to unite and inspire. In this session, Mandela will lead you through activities to create safe space to express personal experiences, trauma, adversity, as well as dreams and aspirations. This workshop is available for both youth and adult leaders as showing vulnerability is not a weakness, but actually models how adversity can be a source of of strength.
* By appointment
Facilitating Beyond
from $75.00
“Crisis situations such as pandemics, natural disasters, and social flashpoints often amplify racial biases that are deeply rooted in our history. These historically rooted structures, processes, and practices often get in the way of equitable security and opportunity for all.”
Acknowledging and healing from the dynamics of oppression and privilege in our organizations is essential for actuating lasting change. Yet, for those of us who have joined our workplace Equity Team, the role of educating adults in cultural studies might not be embedded in our job descriptions or experience. This workshop is designed to provide hands-on, reusable facilitation strategies to lead staff meetings, focus groups, planning retreats, and leadership team meetings that support adults to do the healing work needed to move our organizations toward a transformative approach.
This 2-day, hybrid workshop will offer educators and organizational leaders facilitation tools, ideas for decision-making protocols, and time for reflection among fellow practitioners to collectively envision implementation strategies. Additionally, we will begin the practice of utilizing an equity audit to know where to begin!
Participants will receive 12 hours of professional development (equivalent to one quarter of college credit=20 PDUs) as Lolo and Aviva model replicable, multi-sensory activities that create new connections and deepen relationships. All attendees will acquire recorded instruction, presentations, and experiential activities that can be used in the workplace to engage a community of multigenerational learners.
*By appointment Only
Previously offered Aug 9-11 at First Congregational Church (1126 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205) & SW Park Blocks
Your Facilitators
Lolo Haha (he/him) is a social justice drama creator, group facilitator, conflict mediator, and artist/activist based in Portland, Oregon. His current work explores the ways social issue drama can be used as a means for deeper dialogue, more lasting social change, and stronger awareness and empathy-building across polarized groups. He combines his training in Process Work and Theatre for Living / Theatre of the Oppressed toward these explorations, and is eager to bring these skills and focuses to the work at Our Turn PDX. lolohaha.us
Aviva McClure (she,her/they,them) founded Our Turn as a response to organizations needing to connect with change makers in the arts community for better outcomes. After 20 years working as a K-12 teacher, administrator, artist, and activist; Aviva journeyed outside of institutions to design programs and professional development that moves justice to the forefront of policy and practice. Our Turn seeks to bridge the gaps between social learning, academia, and open spaces. In addition to local partnerships, Aviva has also developed programs internationally.
Our Programs
Our Turn provides a variety of experiential learning activities to meet the needs of your organization. We also offer free consultation to determine which development opportunity would work best for your community’s needs.
Experiential Learning
Incorporate the arts, wilderness, learning abroad, and visits to community partners! Contact us for collaboration in designing your experiential learning program for staff or students.
WORKSHOPS
Our Turn offers group facilitation, in partnership with community based artists, to create space for dynamic youth and adult experiences. Previous topics have included: Bringing Clay into Professional Practice, Plant Energetics, Social Painting, Youth Speak Outs, and Power Up at Portland Art Museum. Check out our workshop tab for current offerings.
Consulting
Our Turn is here to assist your organization through consulting and design of a scope and sequence that meets your organization where you are and helps to usher you to where you’d like to be.
The following are examples of our areas of work:
Arts and Literature Circles
Parent and Family Engagement
Arts Integration and Curriculum Planning
Get Involved
Please check out the ways that you can be involved in this unique learning community.
Sign Up For a Program
Interested in one of our programs? Sign up here and we will follow up with you to offer free consultation or answer any questions you may have.
Volunteer opportunities
Our Turn is interested in creating a volunteer pool of parents, family members, community advocates, students and artists.
Make a Donation
Our Turn can grow with your support. Please consider making a donation that will go directly to youth scholarships for classes and wilderness trips. Thank You!