The Importance of Play for Men

The Men of Trinity House pose for this photo after an InterPlay Session with InterPlay Leaders-in-Training Ade Anifowose and Carolyn Renee.

Written by Ade Anifowose, InterPlay Leader-in-Training

“I stand for a society that creates space for men to play, a society that allows men to recreate themselves from moment to moment.” -Ade

There is a universal myth that men do not express emotions. I say "myth" because it is not true. Have you been around men watching sports, playing with their children or having an argument? Men express emotions, but not always in the same ways as women do.

The irony of this myth is when men do express emotions of gentleness, compassion, or kindness, their masculinity is questioned. Men are generally placed (by society) in a damned-if-you-do or damned-if-you-don’t situation.

Collectively, we all need to shift our mindset about what it means to be a man and develop a better understanding of men’s emotions. Let’s support men and boys in being with their emotions without a rush to judging those emotions being good or bad. Without support, emotions of rage, frustration, and anger intensify. We humans are emotional beings. Our emotions play a major role in how we show up in the world both in our communities and relationships.

Ade Anifowose, InterPlay Leader-in-Training
Atlanta, Georgia

I have found that InterPlay tools empower individuals to “have” their experience. I remember attending an “InterPlay Retreat for Men” last February, in Germantown, Maryland. It was mind-blowing. Watching men, play, create, share their stories, dance, and be in stillness, softened the edges of restrictions that I had placed on myself, based on what I was taught by society.

As an InterPlay Leader-in-Training, on a weekly basis I co-lead InterPlay at Trinity House in Atlanta. There, I get the opportunity to watch and experience men in recovery connect with innocence and their stories of belonging. I watch them share their gratitude for being able to connect with their inner child in a safe environment.  Through their stories, I am reminded that everyone wants to be acknowledged and heard.

There is an invisible thread that connects us all. When we play, we strengthen the connection and we are all the better for it. I stand for a society that creates space for men to play, a society that allows men to re-create themselves from moment to moment.

InterPlay is a rebellious act of self-care in a world where we are taught to not care about our own needs. It allows men to embrace their humanity, emotions, and expressions. This is a gift to humanity.

InterPlay, Art & Social Change

Dear Friends,

As 2017 comes to a close I am reflecting on an incredible year.  It's been a year filled with many changes and calls to action for activists and people concerned with social justice.

In July, thanks to a leadership development grant from Alternate Roots (made possible by funds from the Nathan Cummings Foundation, The Ford Foundation, The Surdna Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation), I was able to travel out to Oakland, CA to InterPlayce the headquarters of Interplay.

The Door To Interplayce - Enter Here for Fun!

A view into the InterPlayce Studio

The back of the InterPlayce building

Here I participated in the second week of Art & Social Change for Millennial Leaders as a sacred lurker in order to learn about the program with the idea of bringing it to the East Coast.

The program is led by Agnotti  & Natty, two amazing millennial InterPlay Leaders with the support of the entire InterPlayce staff for two weeks.

During this program Interplayers learn practical ways to use art to bring awareness to social justice issues.

Heading out for InterPlay on the streets of Oakland with an art response

They listened to their inner authority,
had guest speakers,
took InterPlay to the streets/subways,
went in depth with InterPlay forms to access body wisdom,
did an art response at the peacekeepers park,
finished the week with a performance
and so much more!

Art & Social Change 2017 participants after the performance

 It was a wonderful chance to see the leaders of our organization in their natural habitats!

Some of our InterPlay Staff & The Co-founders!

The Art & Social Change program has made such a difference in so many lives & in the world!
I was so inspired by the leadership, participants and intersection of InterPlay and Social Justice work....Agnotti, Natty, Foluke & I are in the beginning stages of planning an additional Art & Social Change program, open to millennials plus other activists, for the last week of June 2018 - so save the date and stay tuned for more info!

In Peace and play,

Christine

Christine Gautreaux, MSW, CIL

P.S.

Pro-tip:

Thanks to my friend & InterPlay leader Soyinka I had the best tacos ever at International & 22nd street!

Best Taco on the planet 

Reluctant Millennial, Willing InterPlayer

Written by Foluke Nkenge 
InterPlay Leader-in-Training

Rumor has it that I’m a millennial, but I don’t really see myself as a millennial. I chafe a bit at the label, which I’m pretty sure is a trait of millennials. A label that I claim is “InterPlayer.” I came to InterPlay (or perhaps it came to me) during a time of spiritual revival in my life and knew that it was something I needed to be doing, despite the discomfort I felt.

One thing I do know about my generation is that authentic connection in this smartphone-dependent, instant gratification culture is difficult to come by, but we crave it. InterPlay gives me the space to find connection without judgment, especially in a world where judgment is so prevalent. I’m free to be weird and to need some space and to need a hug and those are such unifying experiences because we all feel them. And I have a community of caring people that give me the support I need and that invites me to do the same: I like to call them my “InterPlay family.”

Foluke Nkenge

Within InterPlay, we’re equal. I, as a 27-year-old, am not assumed to be spoiled, lazy, and self-centered or any other stereotype of my generation. My voice has value, as do the other voices in the room, young or old, white, black, and in between, short or tall, big or small, InterPlay invites everyone into the space to play. Not only that, but it gives us a place to shine in our strengths and operate outside of our comfort zones.

InterPlay is my place to land.

Hoopla! November 2017

Written by Jennifer Denning
photos by Ruth Schowalter and Joe Gautreaux

Why not celebrate and make an "unnecessary fuss"? Ade Anifowose and Foluke Beveridge (pictured in the center of the hula hoop above) have completed the InterPlay Life Practice Program and are on their way to becoming Certified InterPlay Leaders. Hoopla!

InterPlay Atlanta celebrated them during November's Second Saturday gathering with an InterPlay tradition of having them go through the decorated hoop and walk down the aisle while we showered feathers and blessings upon them. It was joyful, a little bit silly and so much fun.

As the nights grow long and the holidays approach we can be drawn into the desire to do too much, consume too much, spend too much. Perhaps we can remember this wisdom of the hoopla and create a little spontaneous giving- with some feathers, some words of affirmation, or maybe even a song or two? What gifts could an unnecessary celebration of the ordinary or a necessary celebration of the extraordinary bring?  What type of celebration truly feeds your soul at this time of the year?  Let's notice what creates grace for us and make space for that!

Soulprint Players Prepare for "Allies for Racial Equity" Conference

By Jennifer Denning

How does a bi-racial performance company prepare for an improvised performance at a Unitarian Universalist conference sponsored by the UU’s “Allies for Racial Equity?”

As the white director of this company, I find myself in an interesting position. I’m aware of the need to decentralize whiteness, and I’m also holding the responsibility of creating the structure for a performance that will be meaningful and effective for performer and audience alike.

My own journey of understanding systemic racism, the oppression of people of color and white privilege has come though self-education as well as honest communication across color lines. I have been sending articles to our white company members to deepen awareness, as well as inviting our POC company members to communicate what they need during this performance.

Soulprint Players rehearsal, photo by Ruth Schowalter

And so we move into new territory together with as much bumbling grace as we can, and I notice a new presence of realness emerging as we openly acknowledge difference and inequity and grapple together on how to create real change.

Personal story and connection, artistic expression of that which is “beyond words”, “exformation”- InterPlay’s tool for moving information out of the body, and embodied awareness are just some of the tools InterPlay offers in the movement towards racial justice. InterPlay creates a space where we can find our connection to possibility, flow and grace and then move wisely forward in our work for equity. InterPlay roots us in the present, where creative possibility dwells.

Come join us at the conference October 20-22. Let’s deepen awareness, explore creative possibilities and move into action for racial justice together!

2017 InterPlay People of Color Retreat

By Carolyn Renée

In 2016 at InterPlay's Leader's Gathering, Leader's of Color (LOC) met each morning for a breakfast check-in. It was the Racine LOC group who unilaterally decided we wanted a retreat to spend more time together, to express and share more with each other and other InterPlayers of color who were not there. We decided we wanted to use the retreat to get to learn more about other InterPlayers of color; to discuss issues of racism and isolation within and beyond the InterPlay context. A committee was formed, for which I was honored to serve as the lead organizer, and months were spent planning for a 2017 Memorial Day Weekend InterPlay People of Color Retreat.

Photo credit: Ade Anifowose

The months of planning by the committee paid off.  The POC Retreat was POWERFUL!  From the beginning until the end, love, laughter, tears of joy and delicious food. We began the opening night with dinner, then invited key POC/LOC unable to attend in person to join the opening ceremony via technology. We opened with drumming, singing and building a sacred altar; then moved into a powerful "Where I Come From" InterPlay Form Walk-about.  The foundation for the retreat was laid with these activities.

On Friday we began with breakfast, then transitioned to play in nature. This was powerful too. In the afternoon we explored Physicality of Grace. Instead of looking at stress in the body, we looked at racism and oppression in the body; and how the opposite feels in the body. In the evening we had Play Performances using InterPlay Forms.

Photo credit: Ade Anifowose

The remainder of the weekend brought so many gifts. We played in nature on Saturday, and later on in the morning leading into afternoon, InterPlay Leader, Soyinka Rahim led the group in sharing how POC experience InterPlay in our communities and in the larger InterPlay organization. Later on Saturday, Leah Mann, Seattle InterPlayer led the group in a rich combination of forms (Blind Babbling, Blind Physical Contact, and Dance of Behalf of).  This is where we explored Internalized Racial Oppression by pairing up, and one partner opened their eyes while the other closed theirs.  We ended Saturday with an unstructured Group Play. Fun!

The power of what we'd created was evident when one InterPlayer left a day early due do a work commitment. The evening of his departure, the committee decided we'd have participants do a walk and share what they leave with.  Just prior to the InterPlayer's departure we circled up to do an "In Circle Walk About" based on the phrase "I Leave With". The departing InterPlayer walked inside a POC Circle of pure love with tears streaming down his face, deeply staring into the soul of each InterPlayer in the circle.  Finally​, on Sunday we did a big group evaluation and wrap up.  We closed with a grand celebration of our anchors, Soyinka Rahim and Coke Tani; literally picking Coke up and holding her in suspended air for 10 minutes sharing affirmations ​of love and appreciation.

InterPlay's first ever People of Color Retreat was transformative and filled with love.

Atlanta InterPlay April Newsletter- Gratitude!

Give InterPlay Day Thank you! Thank you to the Atlanta InterPlay community and beyond for supporting InterPlay projects in Atlanta on Give InterPlay Day! This once a year online giving event is a great boost to local InterPlay communities. In Atlanta we are grateful to have support for our programming at The Atlanta Pretrial Detention Center and Trinity House (see more info about that program below.) Week after week InterPlayers and participants find connection, joy, stress-relief, and pathways of meaningful self-expression in these programs. We know that positive ways forward can be found more clearly when the body and mind are at ease. Thank you for your financial support as well as your gifts of encouragement and affirmation on this path. It makes a difference. The InterPlay Life Practice Program Time to register! Starts April 21st!   Community support, Play, Body Wisdom tools and individual attention= a space to grow, know and be in new ways!  2016 Life Practice, photo Ruth Schowalter Decrease stress and increase ease. Make wiser, more grounded decisions. Thrive by getting body, mind, heart and spirit to all work together. Discover your hidden resources. The InterPlay Life Practice Program is an active, creative way to change your life and change your world. Immerse yourself in the system of InterPlay-ideas and practices that can move you from where you are to where you     would like to be.  InterPlay Partnership with Trinity House "This building used to be a place where they prepared the dead for burial. Now, it's a place where the 'dead' are reborn."  - Charles W., Resident of Trinity House-Big Bethel InterPlay Atlanta has begun to work with Trinity Community Ministries, an organization that houses a 36-bed residential recovery program called Trinity House, which responds to the growing needs of men experiencing InterPlayers Carolyn Renee' and Ade Adifowose at Trinity House  homelessness. We are proud to offer InterPlay as a resource to help these men return to their families, their communities, and ultimately, to a better life. Our hope is that through this partnership, InterPlay Atlanta will become an essential component of Trinity Community Ministries' mission to promote the sustainable independence of those faced with homelessness, which typically stems from addiction or other disabilities.  Community Building for Georgia Environmental Group InterPlay Atlanta went to the 2017 Adopt-A-Stream's Volunteer Conference in March to bring together in conversation and play AAS volunteers, trainers, community partners, students and educators from across Georgia. Certified InterPlay leader Ruth Schowalter co-led the Friday evening social with her scientist husband Tony Martin from Emory University. Participants babbled about their watersheds, water monitoring teams, spoke from the perspective of their streams, became water flowing, running, and stopping and more.