Crafting Care During Election Season

You Are Expansive Program at RAC

Dear community:

We’d love for you to join us on Sunday, November 3rd, for a special event, “Crafting Care During Election Season,” where we’ll come together to get creative, process our feelings, and build a little extra resilience for the road ahead.

Whether you’re feeling anxious, energized, or somewhere in between, this community art project will provide a responsive and supportive space to express yourself through art, connect with others, and explore what care looks like during election season. We’ll have a variety of crafting stations set up, from collage-making and painting to contributing to a community quilt that will serve as a symbol of hope and collective care.

✨ Details:

When: Sunday, November 3rd, 1:00 to 4:00 pm

Where: Riverside Arts Center, Off Center

What to Expect: A warm welcome, grounding exercises, and plenty of time to create at your own pace. We’ll also enjoy some snacks, reflect on what we’ve made, and discuss ways we can continue to care for ourselves and our communities throughout this election season.

This isn’t just an art event—it’s a chance to nurture ourselves and each other during a time that can feel overwhelming and isolating. We’ll close with a group reflection, share some resources for ongoing support, and of course, there will be space for networking and future collaborations for those interested.

All are welcome! Bring your whole self and let’s craft our way to resilience together. 🎨💖

Looking forward to seeing you there!

November 3rd 1:00 – 4:00pm.

Off Center

$0 – 15 suggested donation. Tickets are pay what you can to help offset event costs. Your contribution, big or small, supports our ability to provide this space for everyone.

All ages are welcome but minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Bios:

Kayla Skinner-Roy (she/her, You Are Expansive Program Founder) is an experienced social worker, artist, and educator who recently launched an art-based, community-centered education initiative at Riverside Arts Center that integrates expressive therapies, liberatory education, and the Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy model, called You Are Expansive (YAE). Prior to this, Kayla held positions as a case manager for families experiencing housing instability, sexual violence, food insecurity, and education concerns. Most recently, Kayla helped design an asset-based scholarship program for first-generation, limited-income (FGLI) undergraduate students at the University of Michigan, called the Kessler Scholars Program. As a FGLI, neuroqueer woman, Kayla knows firsthand the unique barriers and deficit narratives historically marginalized students encounter in their pursuit of education, and she is committed to creating innovative and humanistic learning experiences to empower and transform.

Laura Lee Smith (she/her, facilitator) is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan and a research associate at U-M’s Campus Abolition Research Lab. Laura Lee’s research interests include Race & Ethnicity, Race in Education, Critical Whiteness Studies, and Social Justice Education. She also specializes in dialogue facilitation and instructional design.

Jarell Skinner-Roy (he/him, facilitator) is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan and a research associate at the Campus Abolition Research Lab. Jarell’s current research examines the ways racially minoritized students conceptualize safety and security in the context of racialized policing and surveillance on college and university campuses. Prior to attending U-M, Jarell taught English in Benin, worked at an education nonprofit in Minneapolis, and led international programs abroad for high school students.