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Mural made with homeless youth of Marin County. < Back Marin’s homeless youth get a hand – ART Mural project gives Marin’s homeless youth a hand – and a paintbrush Mural made with homeless youth of Marin County. Mural made with homeless youth of Marin County. Sam Laidig knows the ropes of being homeless. He knows which public bathrooms and parks are the cleanest and which coffee or doughnut shops open the earliest. He’s become a pro at staying awake all night to guard his belongings. He is 19 and one of the estimated 2,600 homeless youth in Marin County – one of the nation’s wealthiest regions. “I hope that I’m a post-homeless youth of Marin,” Laidig said with a wry laugh as he worked on a mural intended to depict a rosier future. “I spent the last few nights in a park bathroom in San Rafael, but I think I just found a place to live.” Laidig is part of a mural project organized by two Marin County nonprofits, Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity, and Unity Through Creativity, and supported by organizations including the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art. Two days a week through July and August, youths gather in a home in San Rafael to paint, and to share their stories. They talk about what they’ve been through, and what they’d like for the future. There are teenagers who are homeless or at risk of being homeless, and there are high school students who are involved because they want to make a difference and help a hidden population. The homeless and at-risk youth are paid for their work on the mural. “It’s a community-wide mural project called ‘The Seasons of Hope Singing Tree,’ ” said Zara Babitzke, the founder of Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity, an organization begun to create a safety net of housing and guidance. “It’s for this overlooked or forgotten youth population.” Babitzke’s program helps youth ages 16 to 25 who are “push outs,” abandoned by their parents, or who have “absent parents,” parents who are unable to parent because of mental illness, incarceration or drug or alcohol dependency. The program provides emergency shelter, rooms with host families or apartments with peers. It also links youth to jobs, scholarships for college, counseling, and legal and medical aid. “I envisioned the whole community coming together as ambassadors of hope and opportunity for young people without families,” she said, as a group of teenagers painted and others created leaves and birds to be placed on the painted limbs. Babitzke partnered with Unity Through Creativity’s Laurie Marshall, who started engaging at-risk youth in art in 1999, and over the years has spearheaded the creation of 24 murals, with four 8-by-8-foot freestanding panels showing the same tree in four seasons. The finished murals are expected to go on a traveling exhibition to nearly two dozen Marin County schools and other organizations. Kaila McDonald, who is 21 and formerly homeless, serves as the program director for Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity. “I became homeless at 17 when I was taken out of my home by child protective services,” said McDonald, who attends UC Berkeley. “We are not as visible as the adult homeless because we are couch surfing and we sleep in cars. I slept in my car. I was working three jobs. I just wanted to go to college. I was helped by Zara and her program.” Laidig, working nearby, said, “Being a part of this is great. I get to do art, which I haven’t really had the chance to do. The sentiment is good. It’s nice to be around people who care.” Article write by Julian Guthrie, San Francisco Chronicle, Aug 17, 2012 (used with permission) UTC is no longer involved with Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity (AHO) due to their discrepancies and malpractice. Previous Next

< Back Emmanuel “Emma” Kavuma Certified Singing Tree Facilitator Emmanuel “Emma” Kavuma is a self-taught artist born in Masaka, Uganda. Emmanuel “Emma” Kavuma is a self-taught artist born in Masaka, Uganda. He was orphaned at age four, during the AIDS epidemic, and was sponsored by an Austrian family that helped him practice painting and drawing through pen and pencil friendships, in which he would send pieces of his artwork.When that sponsorship ended, Emma joined high school with the intervention of a member of parliament. after helping him create his portrait in pencil. During this time he served as tour guide an artist at the Kasubi Tombs and the Buganda Kingdom’s royal palace in Mengo, painting on backcloth. This experience engendered a love of adventure, and Emma has taken his art to Zanzibar, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana, Sweden, the Netherlands, and beyond. Emma has done numerous fundraisers for animals and civic activism. His passion is to see all youth and children become creative. He says: “It is only through this that we can change the world.” Both Emma and Kanizius are enrolled in the Singing Tree Facilitators Training though scholarship support.

< Back De Palazzo Board Member at Large De Palazzo brings a passionate spirit and a solid depth and breadth of schools, corporate and community-based knowledge in her varied roles as classroom teacher and advocate. De Palazzo brings a passionate spirit and a solid depth and breadth of schools, corporate and community-based knowledge in her varied roles as classroom teacher, Florida's Statewide LGBTQ+ Safe Schools Director for Equality Florida , National LGBTQ+ consultant, and anti-bias, conflict resolution and communications leader. While opening up conversations in Florida about inclusivity and equity, she has trained over 30,000 senior school district leaders on creating sustainable, institutionalized safety nets for queer youth and adults. De has also worked with hundreds of schools across the U.S., teaching conflict resolution and violence prevention skills to both youth and adults as a senior national trainer with Community Matters located in Santa Rosa, California. She is an avid traveler, meditator, nature lover, and qi gong enthusiast who lives life via "carpe diem!” The Sea Grape Singing Tree of Goodwill More

Wed, Sep 21 | El Paso International Day of Peace Celebration Music * Workshops * Singing Tree Mural Making * 27 tables * Dancing * Art * Food Trucks * Speeches * Permaculture * Wholistic Healing * Peace Literacy Time & Location Sep 21, 12:00pm - 8:00pm This event will be held at Keystone Heritage Park, El Paso, 4200 Doniphan Road, El Paso, TX 79912, USA About the Event Unity Through Creativity and InterFaith Alliance of the Southwest invite you to the The International Day of Peace Celebration. Speakers/Performers Vendors Schedule We are very grateful to everyone that supported and attended this event! Speakers and Vendors Grandma Bea Grandma Bea, Beatriz Villegas (Ilhuicatlahuili-Bea), is an elder from Ciudad Juárez, México. She will be doing the opening ceremony at 12:00pm. Neema Soratgar Neema Soratgar was an instructor in higher education for 20 years in Afghanistan. Narrowly escaping with her life, she brought her two children to El Paso to be a visiting Research Scholar in Women’s Studies. Neema will be speaking at 2:00pm. Pastor Michael Grady Pastor Michael Grady is the former President of El Paso's NAACP. He will be speaking at 1:00 pm on “Ending Racism, Building Peace.” Laurie Marshall Laurie Marshall is an Author, Innovator and Artist who empowers youth and adults through creative collaboration. Laurie will be speaking at 12:00pm and 7:30pm Anna Marie Rosales Anna Marie Rosales is a Texas native singer/songwriter. She will be performing at 7:00pm. Grupo Folklorico Valle del Sol Grupo Folklorico Valle del Sol Mexican ballet folklorico dancing. They will be performing at 6:30pm. Hal Marcus Hal Marcus is an artist who has been painting for over 40 years and has been a long-term supporter of the Vegetarian community in El Paso. Hal will be speaking at 6:00pm. Music & Mindfulness Join Bettina Escudero, expert meditation teacher of Paso del Norte Mindfulness Consulting, on a journey to Embrace Peace in Our Hearts, using soothing music by El Paso Pro-Musica inviting participants to experience the meditation with their full being. Emcee Mónica Gómez has made her living as a writer, performing songwriter, voice talent, creative writing teacher, martial arts instructor, television and radio broadcaster. She will be the Emcee for this event. Speakers and Performers Alameda Eco-Villa Alameda Eco Villa is the first regenerative Eco-Village/food forest in the greater El Paso TX region. VA Caregiver Support VA Caregiver Support Program El Paso Quakers El Paso Quakers Religious Society of Friends Annunciation House Annunciation House helps the migrant, refugee, and economically vulnerable peoples of the border region. Unity Through Creativity Unity Through Creativity is one of the hosts of this event. Its mission is to empower youth and adults through creativity collaborationand will be facilitating The Nectarine Singing Tree of Peace Mural. InterFaith Alliance InterFaith Alliance of the Southwest Is one of the hosts of this event. It is a group of faith leaders dedicated to furthering interfaith dialogue among our various faiths. Pax Christi El Paso Pax Christi El Paso serves as a local forum for the study of and public witness to Christian non-violence. Silver Pick Studios Silver Pick Studios, equine art by Pámela Vigo Sánchez, home of the painted-by-a-horse Indoodle. Abara A community of peace builders in Juarez-El Paso, Abara holds Border Encounter Experiences for groups across the country and provides resources to migrant shelters with needed supplies. They invite us to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters from all over the world who’s migrant path has brought them to El Paso. Raindrop Foundation The Raindrop Foundation aims to cultivate friendship and promote understanding of diverse cultures through its unique services to the community. They will be bring Turkish cuisine to this event! Interfaith Power and Light Interfaith Power and Light work for climate justice. Desert Bloom Collective Desert Bloom Collective , child-bearing, postpartum, and holistic therapeutic services. Borderland Rainbow Center Borderland Rainbow Center creates community space in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex (LGBTQI) people and their allies can heal, grow, and empower themselves and others. The Green Ingredient The Green Ingredient makes plant based cheese and other plant based gluten-free products. Eco El Paso Eco El Paso is a 501(c)3 nonprofit focused on sustainability in the hot-arid climate of El Paso and the surrounding region. Fernanda Lugo Fernanda is a certified yoga teacher, health scholar specializing in behavioral sciences and environmental health. She will be hosting yoga sessions at this event. Dialogue Institute The Dialogue Institute of the Southwest is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating stereotypes, intolerance, and prejudices through direct human interaction. Centennial Museum Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Garden. Vendors Schedule 12:00pm - Opening Ceremony with Grandma Beatrice Villegas and welcome with Laurie Marshall 1:00pm - Pastor Michael Grady, Prince of Peace Christian Fellowship 2:00pm - Speaker Neema Soratgar, Afghanistan Athlete, Activist, Guest UTEP Researcher 3:00pm - Join Bettina Escudero, expert meditation teacher of Paso del Norte Mindfulness Consulting, on a journey to Embrace Peace in Our Hearts. 4:00pm - Laurie Marshal, author, innovator and artist. 5:00pm - Essay Contest 6:00pm - Artist Hal Marcus 6:30pm - Grupo Folklorico Valle del Sol 7:00pm - Musician Anna Maria Rosales 8:00pm - Closing Ceremony Peace Day Schedule

< Back Laurie Marshall Founder, President of Board of Directors For 35 years, author, speaker and artist Laurie has empowered youth and adults through creative collaboration. She practices Peace-Building through Art, inspired by Nature and founded The Singing Tree Project. For 35 years, Author, Innovator and Artist Laurie Marshall has empowered youth and adults through creative collaboration. She practices Peace Building through Art, inspired by Nature. A visionary educator, she has served mostly low-income children, families and their schools as an Arts Integration and Project Based Learning specialist. Her mission is to nurture creativity, a love of learning and a collaborative spirit. She is the founder of Unity Through Creativity Foundation and the Singing Tree Project. In addition, Laurie is a certified K-12 Art and Social Studies Teacher with training in the Waldorf Curriculum, Conversational Intelligence, Peace Literacy and Outward Bound. Her B.A. from Antioch College in history and education, and M.A. in art and education from Beacon College laid the groundwork for her innovative use of visual art and storytelling in consensus building, leadership training and conflict prevention. Clients have included NASA, FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Interior, the U.S. Botanical Gardens, as well as public schools, hospitals and prisons around the United States. After 15 years in California, she now lives in El Paso, Texas with her husband, Tom West, where she is a member of the El Paso Quaker meeting. Her two grown sons, Jeremy and Daniel Slack, live in El Paso and Austin, respectively. To see Laurie Marshall's art click here.

< Back Fernanda Lugo Singing Tree Facilitator Fernanda Lugo is an activist and community organizer in El Paso Texas. She investigates and shares sustainable nature-based solutions and works to grow local social capital, by facilitating working groups to obtain grants that can help her community, and directly capacitating others to build and create, with creativity lost under the forces of capitalism. Fernanda Lugo is an activist and community organizer in El Paso Texas, where she strives to raise awareness of nature-based creative solutions and build bridges between organizations local and national, emphasizing how all our struggles are connected. She works with the Alliance For Just Money , and has connections to the American Monetary Institute, Move to Amend and Citizens’ Climate Lobby, trying to grasp some expertise on community building to overcome the limitations of our current economic model. Fernanda has a Master’s in biobehavioral health from Penn State, and experience in research in family health, health disparities as well as environmental health. She investigates and shares sustainable nature-based solutions and works to grow local social capital, by facilitating working groups to obtain grants that can help her community, and directly capacitating others to build and create, with creativity lost under the forces of capitalism. Her first singing tree, towards a Just and Democratic Economy, was completed for MAYDAY for Money and explores the power of money—but also barter and exchange— and how these can help us meet the goals of a just society, with planetary wellbeing and optimized human health. She works towards a Just Transition with AFJM and works directly in local land restoration and peace building efforts. Fernanda hopes that these fields that sustain our ecological health can have access to livable wages, healthcare, and that people with disabilities can have dignified work. Fernanda practices and offers eco-crafts, and eco-exhale yoga in her local community through Eco El Paso and occasionally online. She is an avid learner of permaculture, foraging, herbalism, and languages. She is currently leading the Branches to Roots project, a STEAM curriculum project that fosters trees and climate action and hope. The Desert Willow Branches to Roots Singing Tree of Propagation and Regeneration More The Singing Tree of a Just and Democratic Economy More

International Day of Peace Symposium Saturday, Sept. 21st 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Tomas Rivera Conference Center University of Texas at El Paso Para español Symposium Report can be read here. In our world of conflict, are you committed to PEACE? If so, we invite you to commit to a full day dedicated to Peace with the Earth, Peace with Each Other and Peace Within. Hilda Ontiveros Shares Neema Soratgar's Essay Devon Peña Grandma Bea Peace with the Earth Panel Stephen Niamke Peace with Each Other Panel Peace Within Panel Time & Location Saturday, Sep 21, 8:30 am - 5:30pm This event will be held at the Tomas Rivera Conference Center, University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), 351 W University Ave, El Paso, TX 79902 Registration required. 160 people maximum participants. About the Event Unity Through Creativity, the Interfaith Alliance of the Southwest , the Centennial Museum , The Women’s and Gender Studies Center , the Dance and Theater Department , the Sociology Departments of UTEP and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute invite YOU to participant El Paso's International Day of Peace Symposium. High School students are welcome. The Symposium will be part of over 5000 nationwide gatherings for this year’s UN’s Global Peace Day , whose theme is “Cultivating a Culture of Peace.” As in past years, we will focus on Peace Within, Peace With Each Other and Peace with the Earth. The goal is to build and strengthen networks of local and national peace practitioners. We seek to achieve this end by fostering an Interactive and Creative Time featuring YOU - the participants! There will be Round Table discussions, local organization panels, live-streamed Speakers, Collaborative Art-making and Cultural Celebrations. Schedule National Speakers Peace with the Earth Devon Peña Professor, farmer, author, environmental and food justice defender and protector. He is founder and president of the Acequia Institute a non-profit grant-making foundation supporting environmental & food justice. Home is a 181-acre acequia farm in Viejo San Acacio, CO and is located on Nuchu - Dinè - Tewa - Genizarx lands and waters. Peace with Each Other Stephen Niamke A longtime community organizer and nonviolence trainer from Roanoke, VA, Stephen has joined the staff as National Field Organizer for Pax Christi.Grounded in the Gospel and Catholic social teaching, Pax Christi USA is a membership organization that rejects war, preparation for war, every form of violence and domination, and personal and systemic racism. Peace Within Paul Chappell Paul K. Chappell is an international peace educator and founder of Peace Literacy. He graduated from West Point, was deployed to Iraq, and left active duty as a Captain. Realizing that humanity is facing new challenges that require us to become as well-trained in waging peace as soldiers are in waging war, Chappell created Peace Literacy to help students and adults from all backgrounds work toward their full potential and a more peaceful world. Local Hosts and Presenters Laurie Marshall Laurie Marshall, Author, Innovator and Artist, empowers youth and adults through creative collaboration. She is the founder of Unity Through Creativity and the Singing Tree™ Mural Project. Grandma Bea Grandma Bea, Beatriz Villegas (Ilhuicatlahuili-Bea), is an elder from Ciudad Juárez, México. Tawanda Chabikwa Movement Facilitator, Professor, Dance and Theater Department, UTEP Dr. Hilda Ontiveros Director of Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Texas at El Paso Daniel Carey-Whalen Host of the Day, Director of the Centennial Museum Lynn Provenzano Meditation Leader, Director of UTEP's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Social Dancers The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Social Dancers are a tribal dance group which aim to educate audiences about Tigua heritage and culture. Hal Marcus Hal Marcus is an artist who has been painting for over 40 years and has been a long-term supporter of the Vegetarian community in El Paso. Music & Mindfulness Bettina Escudero, expert meditation teacher of Paso del Norte Mindfulness Consulting, using soothing music by El Paso Pro-Musica. Danza Azteca Omecoatl Aztec Dance Aurolyn Luykx Facilitator of the Day, UTEP's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Panelists Schedule (Subject to Change) IDOPS Schedule 9:00am - 9:20am Welcome by Daniel Carey-Whalen, M.A., M.U.P. Director, Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens and Dr. Hilda Ontiveros, Director of Women and Gender Studies of UTEP 9:20am - 9:30am Invitation to add to the Singing Tree Mural – Laurie Marshall 9:30am - 10:00am Aurolyn Luykx, Moderator for the Day - the importance of the pre- and post-assessment, a Fun Ice Breaker 10:00am - 10:30am Grandma Bea and Danza Azteca Omecoatl Blessing Peace with the Earth 10:30am - 11:00am Keynote Devon Peña, Professor, farmer, author, environmental and food justice defender and protector. 11:00am - 11:30am Panel of Local Community Organizations - Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens - Eco El Paso - Houston in Action (El Paso) - Amanecer - Chihuahuan Desert Climate Fellows- Climate Action Plan 11:30am – 11:35am Twin Hearts Meditation led by Lynn Provenzano 11:35am - 12:00pm Round Table – Artistic and Verbal Reflection 12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch Peace with Each Other 1:00pm - 1:30pm Second Keynote presentation Stephen Niamke. National Field Organizer, PAX Christi USA 1:30pm - 2:00pm Panel of Local Community Organizations - YWCA - Pax Christi - Restorative Justice - Project Regeneracion - Abara 2:00pm -2:25pm Round Table – Artistic and Verbal Reflection 2:25pm -2:30pm Dance led by Dr. Tawanda Chabikwa Peace Within 2:30pm - 3:00pm Paul Chappell, Former Army Captain, Peace Literacy and Human Needs 3:00pm - 3:30pm Panel of Local Community Organizations - Interfaith Alliance of the Southwest - Unity Through Creativity and The Neurobiology of Peace - Hal Marcus - Bettina Escudero 3:30pm -4:00pm Round Table – Artistic and Verbal Reflection Closing 4:00pm - 4:30pm Dr. Hilda Ontiveros will lead a Plenary Session – What’s Next? – 3 Actions 4:30pm - 4:40pm Reflection of the Singing Tree 4:40pm - 4:50pm Aurloyn Luykx - Post Assessment 4:50pm - 5:00pm Closing Daniel Carey-Whalen 5:00-5:30pm Peace Parade and Circle Dance led by Dr. Tawanda Chabikwa to Centennial Plaza Thank You to Our Sponsors Last Years International Day of Peace

Full Certification Scholarship First name Email Last name Phone Address What are three goals you have in participating in this program? Suggest the payment plan that works for you. We will be in touch. How did you hear about the Singing Tree Project? Full Certification Scholarship $4000.00 $3000.00 Register Now Thanks You!

From Turnover to Teambuilding - Growing a Culture of Trust, Innovation and Productivity George Washington University's Center for Excellence in Public Leadership Schedule Here Is your organization experiencing: Reorganization? Acquisitions? Interdepartmental Challenges? Communication Breakdowns? “So why aren’t employees fulfilled in their current jobs? Three big reasons: Not enough challenge or growth, not feeling appreciated or connected, and a lack of ownership or impact. A deficiency in any of these can prevent people from experiencing fulfillment at work.” —2023 Global Culture Report, Finding Fulfillment, O.C. Tanner 82% of American workers report being unengaged in their work 86% of employees say that poor collaboration and a lack of communication are the main causes of workplace failures A study of 615,000 American workers found that culture, values and leadership matter more than money Unity Through Creativity has a proven program that brings integrity, engagement and skill to replace communication blocks and to accelerate collaboration. “I think my next mission is to continue this program and provide an environment where more employees can participate.” — Joe Kaseda, President, ANAD, Silicon Valley, CA Our Peak Team Building experiences and on-going Leadership Training programs use Visual Art, Storytelling, Neuroscience and Ecology to deepen trust, innovation and productivity. We incorporate experimentation, play and mural production. According to Dr. Karyn Purvis, it takes about 10 to 20 repetitions to learn a new skill through play, compared to 400 repetitions without play. This is the key to our fast and firm route to a Growth Mindset Culture. Goals of Unity Through Creativity's Team Building Workshops: To increase employee engagement, contribution and retention To provide creative common endeavors that uplevel collaboration To increase understanding of the neurobiology of communication so that conflict is productive To increase innovative abilities To gain on-going support for creative collaboration and teamwork To increase a Growth Mind-Set Culture “I gained an approach to a problem for which there seemed to be no answer.” — Riku Nakishima, Azbil, Tokyo Outcomes A portable or permanent mural that expresses the mission, values and shared vision of success of your business The creation of unique marketing images and stories Improvement in being able to listen without judgement and share with vulnerability. Increase in group innovative results needed for a competitive edge in today’s world Increased creativity and collaborative skills Increased neuro-integration of right and left brain for innovation "It was an awesome workshop. Thank you for all you do. This process is very powerful." — Jennifer Telfare, General Manager, Department of Justice “This was an extremely useful and exciting workshop. It was impressive to see our group collaborate so quickly. I am taking Unity Through Creativity’s program to our colleagues in Japan so they can have this transformative experience. It fostered collaboration and communication, which we needed. Additionally, there were challenges that took me and my colleagues out of our comfort zones. It was vital practice for the reality of our business and left us as a more united team.” — Jeremy Tole, Vice President, Azbil “The Creative Collaboration process of Unity Through Creativity works. It just works.” — Tamra Gedd, Director, Creative Learning Center, Roswell, N.M. Schedule a free half-hour conversation Schedule Here The neurobiology of art as transformation is a multidimensional field that explores the ways in which engagement with art can have positive e ects on the brain and overall functionality. Learn more here Clients and Partners Azbil Corporation Oracle NASA FEMA US Department of Interior US Botanical Gardens Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, PA Boys & Girls Club, El Paso Sonoma State University Keystone Heritage Park UTEP GWU Unity Through Creativity builds: • Community • Trust • Collaboration • Conflict Resolution ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us.

Interviews Conversations Around Peace-Building Through Art - Inspired by Nature Peace Podcast | Empowering Youth and Adults Through Art and Collaboration | 2025 Laurie Marshall and The Singing Tree Mural Project - Musea Museum Interview | 2024 Painting for Peace - Bioneers Interview - Laurie Marshall | 2023 Soul Creativity - Laurie Marshall and Rivera Sun | 2022 International Day of Peace Celebration with KTEP | 2022 Soul Creativity - Laurie Marshall | 2022 Rappahannock Radio - Interview with Kiaya Abernathy and Laurie Marshall 2022 Interview with Jack Canfield and Laurie Marshall | 2022 TreeSisters Creative InnerViews with Laurie Marshall "The Singing Tree Project" Peace Community Magazine About the Singing Tree Project | 2022 | Article Think Tech Hawaii and Laurie Marshall Unity Through Creativity, Not Force (The Creative Life) | 2022 | Video Laurie Marshall and Peace Podcast Barbara Gaughen-Muller and Laurie Marshall | 2022 | Video Interview with Laurie Marshall and Mark Lewis Mark Lewis Wagner and Laurie Marshall | 2021 | Video Supporting Children Through COVID-19 Interview with Laurie Marshall and Gwilda Miyak | 2020 | Audio Kindness, A Family Value Real Hope Lifestyle and Laurie Marshall | 2020 | Video Interview with Laurie Marshall and the SingingTree Project Mark Lewis Wagner and Laurie Marshall | 2020 | Audio Peace Building Through Art – Inspired by Nature: The Singing Tree Collaborative Mural Project A conversation about Peace with Three German Social Work students | 2020 | Video Middle Age Can Be Your Best Age: Simple Tools for Stressed Out Parents Interview with Laurie Marshall and Roy Richards | 2020 | Audio Permission to be Powerful The power of holding space for children with Michelle Maree and Laurie Marshall | 2020 | Video Interview with Laurie Marshall Laurie Marshall and Rae Luskin | 2018 | Video Learning from Nature Interview with Laurie Marshall and Haley Campbell | 2017 | Audio What Can We Learn From Nature? Interview with the Human Current: Casual Conversations about Complexity | 2017 | Audio 016, Ignite Creativity in Every Classroom, Edspiration Podcast, International School Climate Institute Interview with Laurie Marshall and John Linney 2015 | Audio

Upcoming Events Innovative Team-building Training April 10th, 11th, and 12th 2026 This innovative team-building program uses the arts to help change agents creatively transform heartbreaking challenges in their communities. More Info

Embody Kind Book Bonus Congratulations on accepting this free gift of instructions to make a mini-Singing Tree Collaborative Mural. Enjoy! SESSION 2 1.5 hours 11. Draw the tree on the earth with chalk on the galaxy you had prepared in Session 1. 12. Paint the tree on the earth. It’s fun to think about where the imaginary sun is and add light and shadow to the tree and the earth accordingly. You can portray the earth imaginatively or realistically. You get to decide together. Add details to the galaxy. Some people can paint while others make the paper elements 13. Make a stencil of the leaves of your tree. Manilla folders are good. 14. Use a template of birds from the Unity Through Creativity (UTC) website or draw your own. Make sure they fly both directions. Use the star template on the UTC website 15. Trace stencils on paper. Two or three leaves for each person. 16. Cut out leaves, birds and stars. Chat away – about your theme or whatever you want. SESSION 3 1.5 Hours 17. Make images on your leaves, birds and stars using colored pencils that envision a positive future to your challenge. Fill in all the white space of each element. Put your passion and love on to the paper. Trust your hand. We’ve been drawing for 60,000 years at least and only writing for 5000. Leaves often symbolize service, what action you will take to bring about the positive future. Birds often symbolize the dream of the positive future. Stars often stand for loved ones who are no longer with us. You can attach whatever symbolism you want. We are meaning-making animals. 18. Share the symbolism of what you have created with each other. 19. Place the paper elements on the painting. Experiment with locations. Using the Singing Tree story, the birds are flying to the tree. 20. Using the acrylic gloss medium, cover the whole paper, placing the paper elements in your chosen locations with a layer of gloss medium underneath and a layer of gloss medium over the top. Be sure to get all the air bubble out. 21. As the medium dries (15 minutes), share your experience of the Singing Tree you’ve created – your feelings, your thoughts, your appreciations for each other. 22. Put the image on the wall using push pins. Look at it together and decide where it can go to bring joy to your small community, to your larger community, to the world. 23. Decide on your next project. 24. Send Unity Through Creativity (admin@UnitythroughCreativity.org ) your high-quality Singing Tree photo and a description of your experience creating it: What you learned, felt, discovered and/or were surprised by. Please also note “freegift.”Thank you for adding to the Forest of Singing Trees. The whole world is invited!!

c2ce1785-d0d1-41c1-bb48-a24697f8755c Singing Tree Murals of 2011 21 Redwood Singing Tree of Biodiversity More 20 The Tree of Life that Sings More 19 The Maple Singing Tree of Families More 18 Sycamore Singing Tree of Success More Previous Next

Interview with the Human Current: Casual Conversations about Complexity. < Back What Can We Learn From Nature? Interview with the Human Current : Casual Conversations about Complexity. What Can We Learn From Nature? Previous Next

ba53eeed-6879-42e2-9d92-79ee87b19ce6 Singing Tree Murals of 2014 36 Garden Of Eden Singing Tree More 34 Sarajevo Singing Tree of Renewed Togetherness More 33 The Banyan Singing Tree of Interfaith Movement More 30 Singing Tree of Living Waters More 25 Diversity Glass Singing Tree More 24 The Singing Tree of Diversity Sky Mural More Previous Next