Explore the Pine Project I’m Your Neighbor Books and the Maine DOE produced the Pine Project: Professional Development, a self-led, SEL-driven training you can take —anonymously. It is designed to increase your ability to talk about race, culture, and the barriers and pathways to classroom and community belonging. Within the Pine 3 module (timestamp: 18:22-34:00),… Read more »
by D.D.Rathnayake With powerful words from Kirsten Cappy, Executive Director of I’m Your Neighbor Books, set the tone for an unforgettable celebration of culture, community,and storytelling on November 9, 2024 in Portland. “We ALL belong in America.” -Kirsten Cappy, Executive Director of I’m Your Neighbor Books The spotlight of the evening was on the… Read more »
By D.D. Rathnayake Dr. Megan Welter, Associate Commissioner for Public Education at Maine Department of Education, set the tone for an extraordinary celebration of diversity and inclusion at the Westbrook Performing Arts Center on September 13, 2024. “A warm welcome is so much better.” —Dr. Megan Welter, Maine Department of Education Hosted in partnership with… Read more »
BY Kirsten Cappy Illustration by Rafael López from The Day You Begin What do kids absorb when they hear lies or generalities about immigrants? What does hearing “Venezuelan” paired with “violent gangs” again and again do to children’s perceptions of themselves or their Venezuelan classmates or neighbors? It is hard to find the words to… Read more »