25 Years of Changing Lives

I first came to Mosaic as a student in fourth grade in 2006. It was one of the more important weeks of my life. Growing up in the Bay, I never had a Black male teacher, but at Mosaic, I saw people who looked like me, nurturing us and being role models for us. It was the first time I saw education as a possibility because I saw myself in the leaders at Mosaic, and I came back as a cabin leader throughout high school. In 2021 I graduated from my credentialing program at San Francisco State University. I am now a social science instructor for the ninth graders at Leadership Public Schools Richmond, where I established an Ethnic Studies department and am one of the advisors for our Black Student Union. The conflict resolution and empathy skills I developed as a camper and cabin leader at Mosaic play into my daily experiences as a classroom teacher. I have infused the values of Mutual Respect, Open-Mindedness, Self Respect, a (positive) Attitude, Individuality, and Community into the scope and sequence of my courses and enthusiastically incorporate the ideals that were instilled in me through my participation with Mosaic. I definitely have Mosaic in me everywhere I go. I still feel really deeply connected. It’s such an experience and culture I carry with me every day and share with people every way I can.

I came to Mosaic first as a camper when I was in fourth grade in 2004. I had a really magical experience and always felt like I wanted to come back as a teenager to be a part of it again. In high school I was a youth leader for many years. While I was in college, I took a semester off and came back to work a season as an intern. I am now working as a midwife attending births in the community, both at home and in birth centers. As a midwife, I strive to center justice, autonomy and health equity as guiding principles of my care. My lessons from Mosaic continue to be foundational to how I show up as a healthcare provider. They are an emotional center that I can return to for healing, gentleness, and growth. In addition to my clinical work, I sit on the board of directors for the California Association of Licensed Midwives where I work to champion midwifery access for all families, specifically Medi-Cal recipients. I credit Mosaic for teaching me how to tap into my deepest empathy, how to build community in unexpected places and how to stay with the trouble even when working within oppressive systems. My wish is for all children to have access to programs like Mosaic that ground them in our shared humanity as they prepare to take on the world.

Video editor Raimundo Martinez first came to The Mosaic Project as a fourth grader in 2005, returning again as a Youth Leader five years later. His time with Mosaic shaped much of his teen years, helping him forge meaningful connections, providing him with peacemaking tools, and empowering him as a young artist. “A lot of my friends come from Mosaic, whether that’s from the Outdoor Project or Youth Leader events,” Martinez said. “It’s helped a lot to be able to have conflict resolution as a shared tool.” After Mosaic, Martinez pursued his interest in becoming a video editor. He saw Mosaic as an asset to his artistry, integrating the Mosaic practice of empathy into his editing. “Although film editing is a technical art, the way I see it, I am trying to engage how someone else feels when filming,” Martinez said. “We want to imagine how someone would feel when watching this footage.” Moreover, he said the subjectivity required in film making can often lead to disagreements, so he began to cultivate a culture of healthy conflict resolution within the production team. “‘I-statements’ come in handy when we are working together,” he said. “We’re not secretly resenting each other or bottling up emotions.” Recently, he said he has seen Mosaic values becoming part of mainstream culture, and it feels special to him that he was part of a group that taught these things at such an early age. “We can’t find this magic anywhere else,” Martinez said. “Disneyland has nothing on Mosaic.”

Attending the Outdoor Project in the fifth grade was a life-changing experience, so much so that the first thing I told my mother when I got home from Mosaic was that I wanted be a cabin leader when I grew up. Mosaic’s lessons are the ABC’s of navigating interpersonal conflict and to better understanding the complex relationships that shape our world. Becoming a Youth Leader felt like the right thing to do, to pay back to the organization and to teach another generation of kids. As a Youth Leader, I loved watching as students of different backgrounds got to know and learn from one another, and I could see that five days could create a dramatic shift in these young people’s lives. Now, as an Emmy award-winning news producer for CNN, I am faced with an unrelenting news cycle, but I continue to be inspired by how people throughout the country and throughout the world can leverage their compassion in service of others. Mosaic is a guiding light for me in terms of wanting to lead a life that is socially responsible, dedicated to uplifting those that are underserved and underrepresented, and I appreciate the commitment the Mosaic community has to a peaceful and just world. It is difficult to quantify how impactful something can be in your life, but if something had my endorsement in this life, The Mosaic Project would be that.

Richelle Gernan, a long-time member of the Mosaic community and current law student, has served many positions with the organization, often self-designed ones. In high school, she founded the Youth Board of Directors and served as its first president. During college, she developed a year-long curriculum for high school students that has been incorporated into Mosaic’s programming. Then, after graduating, Gernan returned to Mosaic as a staff member, and when a position opened up for fundraising and development within the organization she pivoted into that. However, Gernan’s Mosaic journey began in high school as a Youth Leader. “I really appreciated how the training provided language for me to describe the social inequalities that existed in our society,” Gernan says. Mosaic helped develop within Gernan the skills and the desire to be in communities that cultivate and celebrate diversity. The friendships she made at Mosaic have lasted over a decade. “A lot of my best friends are people that I met at Mosaic,” she says, “and we continue to practice Mosaic lessons outside the formal Mosaic curriculum.” Mosaic even influenced what she wanted to study, leading her to take ethnic studies classes, examine nonviolence as a tool for social justice, and attend law school. “Mosaic empowered me to try to strive for change now,” Gernan says. “We owe it to the students that we are training to try to resolve some of the issues created before us.”

I’m now a middle school science teacher and I use my Mosaic experience everyday in my classroom. It’s part of my job to model empathy, resolve conflicts, and teach my students how to use the same skills I learned in the Mosaic outdoor school. The best part of my job is watching students practice open-mindedness with the things we learn and with each other. While teaching is a challenge in many ways, I am grateful for all the communities working to build more belonging in education. It feels amazing to still be connected with my Mosaic family, to be living in a way that would make my 4th grade self and my 15-year-old youth leader self proud.

Severin Atema is one of the first students who was able to experience Mosaic withthe original focus group. He then attended the Outdoor Project and returned as a Youth Leader for many sessions. Atema cherishes singing, dancing, crying, and laughing at Mosaic. “[Mosaic] clears my soul, it makes me feel like nothing ever has.” Today Atema bakes bread and pastries and works the counter at a local bakery. “As with any shop environment, there are miscommunications and tensions. Communication and team building through conflict resolution has been so valuable for me working in a small team. I don’t know what I would do without [these skills].” Recently Atema had his annual review where his boss noted that he is an asset to the team by just being someone that people can come to when there is “a problem that’s not logistical, that’s about human beings.” Atema says that, “Mosaic really taught me to see humans for who they are and not just for who they might appear to be.” He finds immense value in having a counterpoint to all of the negativity and violence in the world. It provides hope that peace is possible. “Our potential is so great as a species and it is so hindered by the fear that we have of things and people that are different… Mosaic teaches us that despite our differences and our conflicts we can still move through them with compassion and with love.” Mosaic has provided Atema with skills, relationships, and a mindset that will last his whole life. “The impact of Mosaic never lessens, no matter how many years have passed since I last went.”

Emily Chow came to the Outdoor Project in 5th grade. Mosaic’s emphasis on kindness and respect across differences encouraged her to return as a Youth Leader a few years later. “Respecting everyone’s identity and respecting everyone’s diversity, that’s so important in the world today.” At the Outdoor Project, Chow enjoyed hanging out with the kids, meeting new people, experiencing shooting stars, and singing around the campfire. But what was most magical for her was “seeing [the kids] grow and develop over the five days.” As a college student, Chow uses Mosaic’s assertive communication constantly. “You always have to work with other people and in teams, and respecting others helped me a lot with communication,” she says. The assertive communication skills that she gained have been especially useful in recent months. “After George Floyd, I started talking more about racial inequality with my friends and family, and that really brought me back to Mosaic, talking about discrimination and prejudices and biases that we all might have and not realize.” Chow appreciates the Mosaic tools that help her have difficult conversations about prejudices and discrimination. She hopes that students coming into Mosaic “have an open mind, and come in willing to learn and have [their] perspectives changed.”

Julia Marlin returned to Mosaic as a Youth Leader after experiencing “a microcosm of the world [she] wants to live in” at the Outdoor Project as a 5th grade student. The skills that Mosaic teaches have been instrumental in supporting Marlin’s relationships throughout her whole life. Marlin explains that “one of my favorite pieces of Mosaic wisdom is that ‘It’s not you and me against each other, it’s you and me against the problem.’ This concept has been so critical for me,” Marlin said. “I have used it to ease tensions in conflicts, both by actually saying the words out loud or just by reminding myself of them.” Mosaic values have become so ingrained for Marlin that she “uses Mosaic tools every day just by being me.” Marlin is currently earning her Masters in Education with the goal of being a 4th or 5th grade teacher. She is certain that the “Mosaic ideals, lessons, vocabulary, and songs will be central in the foundation and philosophy of my classroom.”

At the Outdoor Project in 4th grade, Juan Daniel went through conflict resolution with a fellow student who had been bullying him. The positive experience and welcoming atmosphere of Mosaic compelled him to return as a Youth Leader, and then again as a member of the Youth Board of Directors. After a video was released of Daniel facilitating at Mosaic, he was given the opportunity to work at one of Mosaic’s partners, Park Day School. From there he was able to get a position as a private teaching assistant, which he credits to Mosaic. Daniel uses conflict resolution constantly when communicating with the students and their parents. He believes that “everyone should go to Conflict Resolution College,” one of the in-depth activities focused on learning assertive-conflict resolution at Mosaic’s Outdoor Project. Daniel is now able to pass the tools of listening and empathy that he has learned along to his students. He “tells the students all the time: be open-minded.” For Daniel, a peaceful world is one where there is a high level of respect for everyone, and no one gets killed or thought less of because of their skin color, accent, socioeconomic status, or country of origin. Despite all that needs to change in order to achieve this ideal world, Daniel has been feeling hopeful for the future. “[We], the youth, are taking this role of leadership that I think is really amazing.”

Imani Pierce’s kindergarten classroom is bursting with Mosaic. Her students know every Mosaic song, are fluent in “I-statements”, know how to talk about their emotions, and practice Mosaic values daily. Pierce explains that as a kindergarten teacher she takes a restorative justice approach to different situations and “the Mosaic values are weaved into every part of that.” Pierce has been involved with Mosaic for the past 15 years after starting as a Youth Leader at age 14. She then became an intern, training Youth Leaders and speaking with parents at schools new to Mosaic, and has stayed involved ever since. Pierce appreciates the way that Mosaic talks about peace not as an unattainable goal, but rather provides a framework for peace that begins with understanding others. She explains that it is “impossible for all conflict to end forever, so peace to me means that everyone will take a step back and take a look at people’s circumstances and really see them in order to then respond to them in a peaceful way.”

Mosaic has been a part of David Shor’s life since he came to the Outdoor Project as a 5th grader in the program’s inaugural year. He returned as a Youth Leader and absolutely fell in love with the program, continuing to immerse himself in Mosaic’s community. Many of Shor’s best friends are people that he met at Mosaic. “Mosaic has impacted my life in more ways than I think I can ever know,” Shor said. Shor appreciates Mosaic’s attention to diversity, explaining that “Mosaic holds diversity in a different way than any community I’m a part of. There is an intentionality around diversity.” He believes that a diverse community allows people to be more than they would be as individuals. Today, Shor is a political organizer and uses Mosaic’s lessons every day. “So much of [organizing] is creating situations where people can do more than they ever thought they could.” He has discovered that a lot of this work is rooted in empathy and trust. “The most effective coalitions are ones where people feel seen and heard and that is something that Mosaic is built on. Mosaic provides a foundation for giving people the space to be themselves.”

In the spring of 2013, Andrew Ignacio volunteered as a Youth Leader at The Mosaic Project. The following fall, he joined the staff, staying on for four seasons. What brought him back again and again were the people: fellow Youth Leaders, the students, and staff who served as mentors. “After just one week of being a Youth Leader, I fell in love with the program and the Outdoor Project,” Ignacio said. He remembers watching the community come together after the unexpected passing of a staff member. “It really imbedded in me how much community means to so many people and how powerful and loving it can be,” Ignacio said. Mosaic has since been an integral part of Ignacio’s life, and the tools taught there have helped him strengthen his interpersonal relationships. “Mosaic convinced me that conflict is inevitable and healthy,” Ignacio said. “Having tangible tools to navigate it helped me cultivate a lot of relationships that may have stopped being relationships.” Conflict resolution has also helped Ignacio in professional contexts. During the global pandemic and the national racial reckoning, many Mosaic concepts emerged in his workplace. “Being able to name different kinds of discrimination and talking about it in an assertive manner has helped me navigate the complexities.” Ignacio said he appreciated the many perspectives that exist in the organization. “Mosaic and the people who make up Mosaic are doing the most important work in the world.”

Katiana Carey-Simms began as a Youth Leader at Mosaic as a part of the inaugural season with schools in 2002. “Mosaic taught me to see and value myself in ways that continue to benefit me today,” she says. Mosaic’s lessons, as well as the joyful and magical environment of the program, compelled her to return as an intern, and then as staff. Carey-Simms explains: “Mosaic was my first extended family and the Mosaic Community remains in my heart today.” As a nurse and midwife student she is constantly met with differences, communication barriers, and a need to listen to others with empathy. She reflects that, “My ‘Mosaic Foundation’ shaped me in ways I am still realizing. It built an expectation of possibility, and the desire to problem solve. Mosaic helped me connect with people I might never have had the chance to know and love.” Carey-Simms firmly believes that a peaceful world is one where everyone has access to what they need and are able to feel fulfilled, joyful, and participate in life. She says “It also means building collectively and honoring our many layers of interconnectedness.” For Carey-Simms, “Mosaic is an integral part of realizing these goals for our communities, nation, and world.”

First-grade teacher Maya Ibrahim-Barley has been connected to Mosaic for most of her life. Her godmother, a co-founder of The Mosaic Project, first introduced her to the work at a young age. She attended the program as a student, returned as a Youth Leader, and now teaches at ASCEND, one of the many schools Mosaic serves. “It’s been such a positive experience for me, my family, and my friends,” Ibrahim-Bartley says. As a 5th grader, the Mosaic experience helped her develop stronger connections with other students in her school as well as new friendships she may not have had otherwise. “The Bay Area is really diverse but pretty segregated,” Ibrahim-Bartley says. “I think Mosaic was one of the few opportunities I had as a kid and Youth Leader to meet people from different schools and backgrounds.” Ibrahim-Bartley’s strongest memory from Mosaic is the “Very Unusual Dinner,” an activity that explores socio-economic status and inequity. “I just remember saying this is not fair,” she says. “As somebody with a lot of privilege, it was the first time I zoomed out to look at the bigger picture.” Early exposure to vocabulary and complex ideas surrounding equity and justice has helped Ibrahim-Bartley navigate adulthood. “It asked me to look beyond myself and recognise that calling out my own privileges and biases doesn’t mean that I’m necessarily bad.” As a teacher, she has seen social-emotional learning implemented throughout Oakland Unified School District. This shift has allowed Mosaic to be more than a weeklong experience, making it a practice throughout elementary schools. “I am so grateful that Mosaic has been a staple in my life,” she says.

Cameron Grigsby loved his time at Mosaic as both a 5th grader and a Youth Leader.. He still works with young people, helping high school athletes prepare for and navigate college recruitment. When he moved to Chicago, he relied heavily on his Mosaic skills. Despite a big change and a new city, he stayed open-minded to the possibility of meeting new people. “Celebrating differences has taught me to seek out the beauty in exploring new people and opportunities,” Grigsby said.

First grade teacher Aziza Yaropa loved her week at Mosaic in 5th grade. She remembers the lively campfires and creating friendships with kids from other schools. “I had the best time of my life at Mosaic. I loved it.” In Yaropa’s interview for her teaching program she was asked to develop a lesson plan, and decided to use Mosaic’s “I-statements” as her sample lesson. She now uses “I-statements” every day in her class. “Students come running to me with a problem after recess and we use ‘I-statements’,” she said. It has been very helpful for her to have the framework of conflict resolution as first graders are still learning to articulate how they feel. Yaropa appreciated Mosaic’s distinct hands-on approach: “You aren’t just sitting there listening to someone talk, you are getting involved in actually understanding how to use the skills.” Yaropa believes that a key to a peaceful world is equal educational opportunities. “If people are educated they can be a lot more free.” Her family still sings Mosaic’s songs and practices Mosaic’s conflict resolution skills more than a decade later, and she appreciated the opportunity to bring these skills into her house. She believes that if everyone had the opportunity to attend Mosaic, people would be able to solve problems more effectively and, as she says, “be able to communicate how they really feel instead of going around the problem and yelling at each other.”

Mosaic laid the foundation for Lydia Glenn-Murray’s life. She now runs a community art education center in Berkeley and has been studying nonviolent communities. Mosaic values directly impact the way in which Glenn-Murray views her art; she appreciates the joy, creativity, and imagination with which Mosaic runs its programs and tries to bring the same into her work. She values the diversity of culture and art in the Bay Area, and it has been especially inspiring for her to bring this diversity into her community center. Glenn-Murray was first introduced to Mosaic as a student at the Outdoor Project in 2003 and later returned as a Youth Leader. She reflects that her time as a cabin leader was a “very profound experience of being in a role where I felt deep love and responsibility for others,” and where she “felt the loop of care.” Mosaic has taught Glenn-Murray to embrace her full range of emotions and develop deep empathy for others. These skills have been especially essential in her relationship with her brother who has a severe mental illness. “My whole idea of empathy has been challenged in that relationship. I don’t understand what it is like to be him.” Empathy allows her to keep her “mind and heart open to possibility.” Glenn-Murray tries to stay involved with Mosaic as much as she can now. “Something about the Mosaic story feels like my story. It grew with me. That sentiment is so powerful. I feel so connected to this thing that is so much bigger than me.”

Andrew Gordon-Kirsch works as an executive coach in inclusive leadership development. He appreciates the opportunity to bring activism and Mosaic’s lessons of inclusion into the corporate world. As a Mosaic Youth Leader, Gordon-Kirsch appreciated the responsibility and autonomy that he was given with his cabin. Additionally, he was provided a space to practice facilitation and conflict resolution, skills that have defined his professional career. “Mosaic played a key role in the work I do today and my interest in Diversity and Inclusion.” Mosaic instilled in Gordon-Kirsch the continued desire to meet people different from himself and to be curious about their stories. Recently, Gordon-Kirsch began wearing a kippah as a way to present himself as Jewish more publicly and to stand up against white supremacy and assimilation. Gordon-Kirsch says Mosaic’s foundation allowed him to celebrate his culture and individuality and “reclaim bringing my whole and authentic self to my relationships.”

Kara first joined The Mosaic Project as a high school student Youth Leader in 2008. At Mosaic, for the first time she saw true diversity: people from all different backgrounds—with different biases, privileges, joys, woes, and experiences—working to be better while loving each other. It was transformational for her. Since then, she has served in just about every role within the organization, including Administrative and Outreach Director. She has also worked as the Senior Project and Change Control Coordinator at Bayer Healthcare, which led her to universal healthcare activism and campaign field work. Kara received her BA from Stanford and is currently an MBA Candidate at The Wharton School and an MPA Candidate at Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

My first involvement with Mosaic was as a cabin leader during my senior year of high school. I had always envisioned a career working with youth, and Mosaic provided an invaluable opportunity to gain exposure and experience. The experience ended up being far more impactful than I anticipated. Not only did I witness multiple cohorts of children transform in profound ways, but I also became a much more empathetic and open-minded individual. I currently work for Rippleworks, an organization that supports scaling social impact ventures around the world. I see so much of Mosaic’s vision in the organizations we partner with, and it gives me immense hope for our future, especially as Mosaic reaches more and more children. It is why I am on the board and aim to support for as long as I can.