Tagged With "Rachel Allen"
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How do these pediatricians do ACEs screening? Early adopters tell all.
Last week, three pediatricians — with a combined experience of 15 years integrating ACEs science into their practices — reflected on the urgency they felt several years ago that prompted them to begin screening patients for childhood adversity and resilience when there was practically no guidance at all. Along their journey , they accumulated a list of lessons learned for other pediatricians and family clinics to use. The three pediatricians participated in the ACEs Connection webinar,...
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Principles for How We Treat Each Other Peace and Justice Institute (PJI) at Valencia College
If building healthy relationships is the healing balm of human existence and human suffering, then the Principles for How We Treat Each Other are practices that move us toward strengthening those bonds in our lives and in the community. These Principles for How We Treat Each Other help support inclusive, caring, and safe environments where individuals learn how to listen deeply and without judgment and communicate honestly and respectfully. The Principles for How We Treat Each Other have...
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Register for This Summer’s PJI Academy for Teachers [The Grove]
The Peace and Justice Institute (PJI) invites you to the PJI Academy for Teachers taking place this summer. Originally, the academy was set up as a series of face-to-face sessions. However, since COVID-19 caused campus closures, participants will now collaborate and learn in an online setting. “Through a highly engaged learning experience, the Academy for Teachers transforms the inner life of the teacher, leading to outer changes with the curriculum and pedagogy,” said Rachel Allen ,...
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A Florida ACEs Tour
RADICAL GRACE – WHAT I LET GOD SEE AND ACCEPT IN ME ALSO BECOMES WHAT I CAN SEE AND ACCEPT IN MYSELF. AND EVEN MORE, IT BECOMES THAT WHEREBY I SEE EVERYTHING ELSE. ~ RICHARD ROHR For the past three months, I’ve been driving through various parts of Florida witnessing events and gatherings of communities committed to creating safe, loving, trauma informed, and trauma healing spaces. On Friday February 22nd, I was in Tarpon Springs, attending the monthly gathering of Robin Saeger’s...
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A Lesson in Resilience [The Grove - Valencia College]
Left to right: Director of the Peace and Justice Institute Rachel Allen, Administrative Manager of the PJI Community Will Jefferson, Keynote Speaker Kenneth Ginsburg and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer To View the Entire Conference Video, Click Here --- Tuesday, May 12, 2020 By Rachel Allen , Director, Peace and Justice Institute The second annual Creating a Resilient Community: From Trauma to Healing conference scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, 2020, was certain to be a success. Our first...
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ACEs Connection Central Florida Launches at First Annual Conference
Photo by James Encinas Raising yellow “Visions & Commitments” cards, 550 attendees at yesterday’s Creating a Resilient Community: From Trauma to Healing Conference pledged their enthusiastic support to create a more resilient Central Florida. The standing-room-only crowd heard Dr. Vincent Felitti deliver a morning keynote address detailing the findings of the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE Study) . He also shared moving testimonials of people who are...
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ACEs Connection's Inclusion Tool makes sure nobody's left out
We developed ACEs Connection's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Tool — called the Inclusion Tool, for short — to ensure that ACEs initiatives across the world focus on being inclusive when forming a steering committee, recruiting leaders, providing education about ACEs science, recruiting members, or providing resources and services within their communities. The more inclusive your ACEs initiative is, the more diverse it will be, giving your initiative a real shot at achieving equity and...
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ACES Strategic Planning Meeting Notes (6-18-2019)
Hi everyone! After the success of the Creating a Resilient Community: From Trauma to Healing conference in April, there has been enormous interest in keeping the momentum going. With this in mind, strategic planning meetings have been held since the conference and the most recent one happened on 6/18/19 at Valencia College. You can read the notes from our most recent meeting here (attached) and see what amazing things people are working on in our community. For example, ACEs tracking...
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Action needed today by trauma advocates to urge Congress to address mental health and trauma in current COVID-19 legislation
The follow is a message from Dan Press, Legal Advisor to the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice ), about the need to contact Congress regarding a COVID 19 funding bill being considered this weekend. He is urging ACEs science/trauma advocates and leaders to send emails to their U.S. Senators and Representatives immediately to address the mental health and trauma implications of this pandemic. All – I hate to bother you on a Sunday, but we urgently need you to contact Congress to...
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Creating a Resilient Community: From Trauma to Healing
Welcome to ACEs Connection Central Florida! For a copy of the program for our conference, Creating a Resilient Community: From Trauma to Healing, please check the resources below.
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Ending cycle of violence starts with making children priority [Orlando Sentinel]
By Guest Columnists Rachel C. Allen and Dr. Judi Addelston “Teenage time bombs: A generation in danger,” a series of South Florida Sun-Sentinel stories printed in the Orlando Sentinel between Dec. 15 and 19, might lead readers to fear our children. Today, thanks to the research of Vincent Felliti and Robert Anda, we have a pathway to resilience and healing from the violence we see in our communities. Felitti and Anda studied the relationship of health risk behavior and disease in adulthood...
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Re: ACEs Connection Central Florida Launches at First Annual Conference
We appear to be in the beginning of a BEHAVIORALLY TRANSMITTED OBESITY EPIDEMIC! I just attended an amazing meeting with Dr. Felitti, co-author of the famous Kaiser-Permanente Study showing the HUGE impact on health, including weight, that a high ACE -Adverse Childhood Experiences - score has on everything from heart disease to cancer - Including depression, suicides, work and school attendance and performance, lifetime earned income and reducing longevity by an average of 20 years for those...
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Last Week to Register and Apply for Scholarship for PJI Academy for Teachers - Session 1 [Peace and Justice Institute]
As we navigate through our current global crisis, the PJI Academy for Teachers extends an invitation to all educators who are leading the way for our students and teachers to become resilient, lifelong learners. We realize that many of us have added the role of a teacher to our diverse set of responsibilities. With that understanding we open the PJI Academy for Teachers to all educators from Pre-K through higher education who wish to create more inclusive, respectful, compassionate and...
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Virtual K-Ready Community Rally (July 22nd) & Screening of No Small Matter Documentary [K-Ready Community]
If you haven't already, REGISTER for the Virtual K-Ready Community Rally (July 22nd 9:00 - 10:30 am EST) & Screening of No Small Matter ! Seats are limited. Early Childhood Care and Education – the best investment we could make for a more skilled workforce, a stronger economy, and a more just society! You are invited to join Rachel Allen, Director of the Peace and Justice Institute at Valencia College; Glen Gilzean, CEO of the CF Urban League; and Dr. Joel Hunter, Founder and Chairman of...
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We must be willing to sacrifice for common good in troubled times [Orlando Sentinel Guest Column]
Guest Column: We must be willing to sacrifice for common good in troubled times By Rachel Allen, Director Peace and Justice Institute at Valencia College We are living in unprecedented times which invite each of us to grow our inner resources and resilience. Nurturing these strengths may seem daunting in light of the health, social and economic crisis our world is facing. Our humanity is being disrupted and tested. How will we adapt? COVID-19 lays bare the reality of our interconnectedness...
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Let's Continue Learning Together as a Community! Early Registration Ends Friday (Creating a Resilient Community Conference)!
As a community, we have been reading Donna Jackson Nakazawa's book, Childhood Disrupted as part of our Common Read initiative. Now, we will get to experience her research directly and deepen our learning together at the Creating a Resilient Community Conference on April 20 - 21, 2021! Early Registration Ends Friday! REGISTER HERE The Peace and Justice Institute at Valencia College, Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, Creating a Resilient Community Network and Title Sponsor, Orlando...
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Last chance to apply for a scholarship for the Creating a Resilient Community Conference!
Apply for a Scholarship In this new video PJI Director, Rachel Allen shares some exciting information regarding what you can expect at the upcoming Conference! Register for the Conference Conference Overview: The Peace and Justice Institute at Valencia College, the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, the Creating a Resilient Community Network and Title Sponsor, Orlando Health, are excited to invite you to register for the Third Annual Creating a Resilient Community (CRC): From Trauma...
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Register now! Best-Selling Author, Best Trauma-Informed Practices -- Including Handle With Care, Safe Baby Courts -- Highlight Packed Third Annual "Creating A Resilient Community" Conference!
“The agenda for the third annual “Creating a Resilient Community Conference (Virtual Event)” reads like an all-star cast of trauma-informed experts coming together to share the best of what they know, and offers myriad opportunities for communities at all stages of becoming trauma-informed to learn about best practices, in many instances, by people who created landmark trauma-informed programs,” said Rachel C. Allen, PJI Director. The two-day conference, which starts April 20th, features...
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Rachel Allen
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The Check-In Project - A Mental Health Initiative of Wraparound Osceola
About the Check-In Project The Check-In Project is a mental health initiative of Wraparound Osceola. We help families, schools, and employers break the stigma surrounding mental health by providing the tools and resources needed to check-in with one another, start conversations, and provide support. When we are empowered to reach out to those who are struggling, we can improve lives and cultivate a thriving community. Expert Chat: Developing Self Awareness and Building a Community of Support...
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POSITIVE & ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EPERIENCES WHY PACES MATTER
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RESILIENCE – The Biology of Stress & The Science of Hope
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A Message From Rachel Allen, PJI Director
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO RACHEL'S MESSAGE. Rachel Allen, PJI Director, announces the 4th Annual Creating A Resilient Community Conference taking place on April 21st and 22nd, 2022. This year's conference will feature keynote speaker, local epidemiologist and physician, Dr. Asim Jani to outline the paradigm shift needed to create community resilience and well-being in Central Florida. For more information about the conference, click here . To register for the conference, click here . General...
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A Reflection from the 2022 PJI Teachers Academy
A cohort of over 20 educators took part in this summers' Peace and Justice Institute Teachers Academy (PJITA). The weeklong program included a training (developed by the CRC Network) titled Why Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs) Matter. Below is a reflection from one of the program participants. Author: Daniel J. Smith, MA Photo Credits: Willie J. Allen Jr. From June 27, 2022, through July 1, 2022, I participated in the Peace and Justice Institute’s Teacher’s Academy at...
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Peace Day is Here - Celebrate with PJI!
Photo Credits: Steven Sobel The United Nations (UN) sanctioned International Day of Peace is September 21st. The mission of “Peace Day” is to have at least one non-violent, cease-fire day throughout the world. The international theme for 2022 is “End Racism. Build Peace”. Each September, the Peace and Justice Institute (PJI) celebrates the International Day of Peace, followed by the Global Peace Week (GPW) Conference . The work of peace-building ties directly into the work of building...
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Sofiya Asedrem supports PACEs Connection to help address root causes in her fast-growing Florida community & make mental health a human right.
Note: PACEs Connection is in dire financial straits. We need you, our almost 58,000 members, to help cover the loss of foundation funding that was promised and did not come through . Unfortunately, staff pay and hours have had to be cut for December. The good news is that, since sounding the alarm this summer, we’ve raised more than $52,000. Thank you to all who’ve donated. To get a sense of who your fellow members are, who is donating, and why, please read and share this seventh in a series...
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Join us today! Art-of-the-Possible Webinar: The Power of Data Science for Social Impact
Art-of-the-Possible Webinar: The Power of Data Science for Social Impact Date: February 22, 2023 Time: 4:00 - 5:00 pm EST About the Webinar: Accessing data and computing power has never been easier and the potential to use data to accelerate social impact is tantalizing. Unfortunately, gains from using data science and AI techniques are often out of reach for most mission-driven organizations. DataKind, the Peace & Justice Institute and the Central Florida Foundation aim to change that.
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PJI Announces Nonprofit Status and Mayor Dyer Proclaims March 2 as Peace and Justice Institute Day for Orlando, FL
Press Release (Released March 2, 2023) PEACE AND JUSTICE INSTITUTE FORMS AS NONPROFIT ENTITY Mayor Dyer Announces Peace and Justice Institute Day ORLANDO, March 2nd, 2023 – The Peace and Justice Institute (PJI) announced today that it has formed as a nonprofit. This is the next step in the organization’s long-term vision of continued growth, innovation and transformation. PJI’s work will continue without interruption and plans for expansion are in place. Under this new status they will...
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Local Leaders Rachel Allen and Dr. Candice Jones Join Monica May on Orange TV to Discuss Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs)
Local leaders Rachel Allen (Director, Peace and Justice Institute) and Dr. Candice Jones (Board Certified Pediatrician, Author) were recently hosted by Host Monica May (Radio and Television Vet, Co-chair Orange County MLK Commission) on Orange TV's Candid Conversations with Our Community to discuss The Life-Long Impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). To watch the full video, click on the play button below: The panel covers what ACEs and toxic stress are; how to screen for ACEs;...
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Orlando conference promotes compassion, kindness to prevent violence (Wesh 2)
(Originally posted May 11, 2023) The Peace and Justice Institute hosts 5th Annual Resilience Conference WINTER PARK, Fla. — The Peace and Justice Institute is hosting the 5 th annual Resilience Conference in Winter Park this week. The conference focuses on trauma and covers different ways of preventing and dealing with violence. In a crowded room on Thursday, Rachel Allen directed people’s attention to the trauma that folks are feeling in their neighborhoods, schools, homes and work. Allen...
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Hot Topics: Healthy Communities Equal Healthy Democracy
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2024 Common Read Book Reveal: Healing by Dr. Insel
Last month PJI Executive Director, Rachel Allen, and PJI Resilience Community Manager, Sofiya Asedrem, went live on the Peace and Justice Institute's Facebook page to announce the Common Read book for 2024. Click here to watch the Common Read Reveal. This book club was started in 2019 to encourage the common read of books related to Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs), toxic stress, trauma, healing, and resilience. To date, the group has read the following books: 2019: The...
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PJI Director Commentary Featured in Orlando Sentinel - Empathy is key to managing conflict after Election Day
By JAY REDDICK | jreddick@orlandosentinel.com | Orlando Sentinel PUBLISHED: October 19, 2024 at 5:30 a.m. How do we manage what is coming the day after voting, with the anticipated conflicted feelings? This is my response. Years ago in couples therapy I learned that when I reacted to another’s poor behavior with my own angry, vengeful response, I received the “counseling.” This felt unfair. “Hey wait! Why am I getting feedback when they behaved badly?” I learned that I needed to manage my...