Round 6
Learning and Action Supporting Community Building and Social Justice
April - June 2022

These eleven projects were selected for the Spring 2022 round of Wellbeing Microgrants. In creative and exceptional ways, they each focus on aspects of community, environment, learning, health, and economic opportunity.

Many respond to the issues our communities are facing in the wake of the pandemic to promote community connections, storytelling, mental health support, connection to the earth and soil around us, and more.

Santa Monica Hopes: An Archive of Hopes and Dreams

Paula Goldman

Creating a space for teens to share their hopes and dreams for life after the pandemic by writing and printing quotes about mental health to create a sense of community and combat feelings of loneliness.

Follow @smhopes on Instagram for more.

Empower Santa Monica through Youth Entrepreneurship

Gabriela Paniagua

Gabriela, having previously participated in the Youthful Savings Program, will be receiving a youth grant to further develop her online business- Bibi’s Tie Dye Creations. By receiving this grant Gabriela hopes to inspire other youth toward entrepreneurship and to create more products for her business.

Nubia's Spoken Word Workshop

Na'ilah Muied

Nubia’s Spoken Word workshop will present writing and speaking techniques essential to spoken word. Participants will be invited to unlock a deeper sense of confidence and presence associated with performance poetry.

Keeping Kansas Clean

Patricia McCall

Patricia and a team of committed volunteers will meet bi-monthly to clean their neighborhood around Kansas Ave. From Cloverfield Blvd to Stuart St. thereby transforming their beloved community from Trash to Treasure. They intend to add receptacles to the area and encourage other neighborhoods to foster community engagement and care for shared living areas

Sustainability Education at the Pico Farmers Market

Chelsea Lawson

Chelsea will have a booth at the Pico Farmers Market to educate people about reducing plastic pollution and the benefits of alternative mesh bags for produce. She will also be giving out such bags at the booth in different sizes for a suggested donation of 1 for $2 or 3 for $5.

Critical Conversations

Mark Vickers- Willis

Mark, an educational leader of New Roads School, with the help of a team of other Santa Monica educators will leverage the most Critical conversation with Mark Bradford, a contemporary artist community activist, into a student-led community engagement project so that students can explore cultural narratives through artistic expression.

Planting More Beds Pico Roots Community Garden

Daniel Thurmond

High School recipient Daniel, advocates for food security and sustainable, regenerative gardens for unhoused individuals within the Santa Monica community through formerly running Pico Roots Community Garden. Daniel is currently working to extend his efforts to the community.

The Healing Circle

Books for Kids

Casey Fienberg and Kim Hansen

Casey & Kim will be holding a book drive in Santa Monica for children’s books to be donated to schools in Los Angeles that have low literacy rates or a high percentage of students whose second language is English. As many students in these schools struggle with reading proficiency their learning spaces lack resources or organization of their materials, to combat this Kim and Casey will be building classroom book nooks to help students improve their reading skills and discover the joy of literature.

Samara McCardell

With the drive to make an impact on health and wellbeing in youths, Samara created a community group open to ages 13-18. The Healing Circle is a safe space for youth to discuss vaping culture, mental health, peer pressure, and more while creating community.

To learn more check out @thcthehealingstadium on Instagram

Transouldence

Ebony Tay

Ebony, a 2ND time Microgrant leader and SMC student, will be hosting an event as a continuation of her previous microgrant project, Sounds and Words for All. With the help of Luchina Fisher and Zackary Drucker, Ebony will be showcasing the story of Jackie Shane, a Black Queer performer from Toronto, and include live performances in her honor.

Big Talk for the Community

Kalina Silverman