Photography by Paper Monday
Photography by Paper Monday
Wounded Healers: A Healing-Centered Education Portrait Series & Podcast
This portrait series captures the profiles of nine educators, community leaders and practitioners, all of whom have dedicated their lives to — in some shape or form — creating spaces for others to thrive, flourish and heal. We call them the Wounded Healers.
The concept “wounded healer” finds its roots in both Carl Jung's work and in Greek mythology. For Jung, the wounded healer represented the sensitivity and understanding of one’s own wounds and how this informs helping others heal. As Wounded Healers, they use their deep understanding of trauma to create conditions for collective flourishing and know the importance of engaging in their own personal healing work to authentically be of service to others. They embrace the challenge of often working and teaching in systems that perpetuate violence and inequality, yet they are resolute in moving through the challenges to bring about a better world.The subjects of this series have dedicated their lives to helping others find wholeness, joy, and hope even as they navigate violent circumstances. They are warriors of a different kind — reflective, undaunted, and tender. Read on to learn about their lives and work.
Love recognizes no barriers.
It jumps hurdles, leaps fences,
penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.
-Maya Angelou
6:24 mins
Luis Alejandro Tapia, a son of Dominican immigrants, serves as a social impact and equity consultant, a racial and restorative justice coach and trainer, circle keeper, social justice educator, and facilitator at the intersection of spirituality, justice, healing and liberation. Luis Alejandro is committed to supporting the power of communities of color to create change and to transform leadership and learning into spaces of justice, equity and freedom.
Photography by Paper Monday
Her research focuses on racial literacy in teacher education, Black girl literacies, and Black and Latinx male high school students. A sought-after speaker on issues of race, culturally responsive pedagogy, and diversity, Sealey-Ruiz works with K-12 and higher education school communities to increase their racial literacy knowledge and move toward more equitable school experiences for their Black and Latinx students. Sealey-Ruiz appeared in Spike Lee’s “2 Fists Up: We Gon’ Be Alright”, a documentary about the Black Lives Matter movement and the campus protests at Mizzou.
Photography by Paper Monday
6:43 mins
Dr. Jen Gowers has been an educator and leader in New York City public and charter schools for more than 17 years. She believes the world will thrive when our youth thrive. Jen currently serves as the chief of schools management, instruction and professional development for the Brilla network, where she serves and supports six schools in the Bronx. She is also one of the co-founders of an incredible nonprofit organization called Co-Plan It. She is passionate about transforming systems, developing individual capacity and potential, and making a better and brighter society.
Photography by Paper Monday
Photography by Paper Monday