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The Community School
Puentes de Poder /
Bridges of Power

Building on the history of workshops, forums & discussions that Esperanza has sponsored over the years, Esperanza is currently designing a series of intensive talleres (workshops) to address the hard issues of racism, sexism, homophobia, classism & especially the interconnections between these oppressions.

Esperanza recognizes that valuable and magical moments occur each time we host an event — in the discussions, the exchanges — magical moments of understanding, beautiful artistic moments that make you breath and feel deeply... But these moments can be fleeting. Often conversations just get started when it's time to go home. Puentes de Poder was conceived as a chance to create long-term conversations.

The school will be organized into small groups that commit to meet together weekly for several months. Each group will be the same, and as people get to know each other, trust each other and develop bonds, the conversations can reach deeper and deeper.

We plan to center the curriculum around STORIES. Our own stories, as participants, the stories of our ancestors, the stories of the people and communities around us.

As we tell our stories, and share the pain of oppression and the joy of life, we learn about the connections between ourselves, and about our differences.