Bi Nka Bi Workshop (ISU)

Facilitator: Ama Oforiwaa Aduonum, School of Music

Connect with colleagues to create a campus  community where everyone’s authentic selves are welcomed, valued, and  celebrated. We have talked about students’ belongingness and well-being,  but we have not explored much on our belongingness and wellbeing. In  this multi-sensory workshop, we’ll explore our identities, celebrate our  authentic selves, and explore ways to sustain our energy as artists,  instructors, and scholars. The sessions are grounded in several  ancestral teachings of the Akan of Ghana: Wisdom, Respect, Love,  Humility, Bravery, Truth, Honesty, Interdependence, and Community. We  use various modalities of arts and journaling exercises to actively  engage our senses as we chart our own journey for well-being and  community. After the summer workshop, participants are encouraged to  participate in bimonthly check-ins to continue their journey in the  supportive community.

This workshop is intended for those who interact  professionally (e.g., course instructor, advisor, student affairs staff  member) with ISU’s students on a regular basis as part of their role on  campus.

prodev.illinoisstate.edu/events

Learning Outcomes:

1. Connect with other colleagues to create a campus community where everyone’s authentic selves are welcomed, valued, and celebrated.
2. Appraise participants’ thoughts about their sense of belonging and well-being on campus.
3. Critically engage, examine, and explore ways to sustain our energies as artist-instructor-scholars.
4. Understand how different modalities of arts and journaling exercises promote well-being.
5. Chart our journeys for well-being and community.
6. Explore, understand, and engage with several ancestral teachings of the Akan of Ghana as frameworks for this walk/journey.
7. Understand the importance of a multi-sensory approach in exploring our identities and celebrating our authentic selves.
8. Promote sustainable supportive communities.