Keen Independent Research LLC

As we approach Día de los Muertos, I am reminded of the power of culture, remembrance, and the values we pass down. Recently, Denver7 News highlighted the incredible work my mom does at Valverde Elementary in partnership with the Latino Cultural Arts Center. Her dedication to teaching culturally competent art and her compassion for the community are some things I’ve been lucky to witness firsthand. For all the students (and myself now), Día de los Muertos is more than a celebration—it is a way to honor our roots and our loved ones who paved the way. Her example has shown me how meaningful work within a community can be, and it’s a big part of what drives my passion for what I do today. Celebrating these traditions reminds me of how deeply our stories and histories shape us and how, through community work, we get to build a bridge for the next generation. 🌼🕯️ https://lnkd.in/g_mrARN8

This week, I had the pleasure of attending the #AAED Fall Forum Fall Forum for the first time. Everyone has been so welcoming and the sessions were incredible! Looking forward to being more involved with this great association. #AZEconomicDevelopment

Our publication is finally out! Being Present with Art (BPWA) is a method for integrating Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (#MBSR) meditation with #museum education tools. In our research study, we found that BPWA participants self-report lower levels of stress and higher levels of attention, as well as a greater sense of belonging. Significantly, even attending one session (versus the month-long series) resulted in self-reported lower stress and greater attention and sense of belonging. You can read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eWHS6XAR The Being Present with Art method is based on my experience of facilitating MBSR #meditation since 2014 and working in art museum education since 2008. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and teaching virtually at Yale University Art Gallery , I realized that MBSR + museum pedagogy have key similarities (both encourage the participant to slow down and focus attention) as well as important differences that, when combined, address the experience of #loneliness , which continues to affect our shared world, and fostering a sense of #belonging . Many thanks to my coauthors Hannah Weinberg-Wolf, Ph.D. and Alexa Vaghenas , and to Dr. Laurie Santos for leading as Principal Investigator! The BPWA method has been offered at Yale University to undergraduate, graduate and professional students, at the Yale School of Nursing to address burnout among #caregivers, and to the public at the Barnes Foundation . Thank you to Keen Independent Research LLC for supporting this peer-reviewed article being published open access!

August 9 is the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2024. We share a virtual commemoration: Protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact https://lnkd.in/g73Atw7x..