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Blog

Ground Spark

August 24, 2011

Working in the classroom with Respectful Relationships (R+R) youth, we often find that media tools including YouTube videos, documentaries, and magazine articles assist us in our dialogues with youth. We encourage youth in their critical thinking about Media and its influence on our lives and try and present positive media that influences meaningful social change. San Francisco based Ground Spark, a producer and distributor of visionary films that address sexism, racism, and homophobia.  Ground Spark has an exciting library of captivating films that further engage island youth in meaningful conversations around violence, respectful relationships, school culture, and social norms.

“Let’s Get Real,” “Straight Laced,” and “Its Elementary” are films we use in R+R to encourage thoughtful dialogue. Academy Award winning documentary filmmaker Debra Chasnoff, president and senior producer of Ground Spark,  is a nationally recognized champion of using film as an organizing tool for social justice campaigns.  She is a pioneering leader in the international movement, working to create safe and welcoming schools and communities.

It’s exciting to continue to see the work we do at SWOVA as part of a wider global social justice movement dedicated to health and safety for all people. Check out Ground Spark at www.groundspark.org

Best Books to Read for International Women’s Day

Best Books to Read for International Women’s Day

Leading up to International Women’s Day, we asked Sophia vom Bauer Jackson, service manager at the Salt Spring Island Public Library, to make a list of contemporary female-focused books. This is her Top 5 (fiction and non-fiction) plus some extra recommendations (all...

Healthy Risk Taking is about Growing and Developing

Healthy Risk Taking is about Growing and Developing

Teenagers crave and seek risks. It helps them to develop and grow. We often think of risk-taking as dangerous, but risk-taking is not always negative. Healthy risk-taking – like hiking up a mountain, riding a unicycle, or performing on stage – helps kids build...

Social-Emotional Learning during the Holidays

Social-Emotional Learning during the Holidays

School is almost out, and students will have a well-deserved break from class. However, learning doesn’t have to stop completely as soon as school is out for the year. The holidays are the perfect time to practice kindness and generosity. We've curated five tips to...

Never too Young to Remember December 6

Never too Young to Remember December 6

On December 6th, 1989, the day that fourteen young women at l’École Polytechnique in Montreal were killed by a gunman as a deliberate act of violence against women, Quinn Mulherin (21, she/they*) wasn’t born yet. She learned about the tragedy years later when she...

The Past and the Future of the Core (Inn)

The Past and the Future of the Core (Inn)

Salt Spring Island does not have a lot of facilities to accommodate young people, but we do have The Core (Inn) on McPhilipps Avenue. It is a safe place where island youth can come together to hang out, play music and games, and where snacks and healthy food are...

Book about stereotypes helps kids combat bias

Book about stereotypes helps kids combat bias

Identifying and questioning stereotypes, bias, and prejudice has been part of our educational programs since we started to develop our social-emotional learning framework for kids and youth twenty-five years ago. It turns out that stereotypes start to take form in our...

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