Crafting Hope in Challenging Times

In Crafting Hope in Challenging Times, diverse participants from across the educational ecosystem are invited to engage in a shared, reflective experience focused on how today’s social and political dynamics are felt and lived in schools. Blending design thinking, narrative inquiry, and accessible hands-on making (no artistic background required), participants will translate lived experiences into small quilt-square artifacts using mixed media as metaphor, assembled into a collaborative installation representing collective experience, hope, and imagined change. In a moment of heightened polarization, the session treats craft as a tool for connection, sense-making, and pedagogical imagination. Lunch is included in each deep dive. LUNCH MENU Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free) Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan) Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free) Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free) Tahini Dressing Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free) Roasted Vegetables   Lemon Bars & Baklava