bayside martin luther king jr. academy
We are happy to report that, through the hard work of many people, including the resilient students and teachers, we have completed a three-year, school-wide mindfulness initiative at Bayside Martin Luther King Jr. Academy.
We began slowly and intentionally with an opt-in approach, listening to teachers and students, seeking to understand needs and learn from the community — and discovering if mindfulness-based services might be a support.
We then began working alongside students, support staff, and faculty in grades PreK - 8th, integrating strength-based practices for wellbeing and academic success into every classroom.
Bayside Martin Luther King Jr. Academy is a small a Pre-K through 8th Grade school, where 91% of students self-identify as people of color. Located within the otherwise affluent community of Marin County, Marin City has historically been excluded from accessing resources.
As we have worked to spread the word about BMLK, we’ve learned that many people in the North Bay are unaware that a community of color exists in Marin County. We invite you to learn about the history of Marin City and how children and young people are working together to cultivate lasting strengths within the community.
While we wish for all people to have access to resources, our priority is working in solidarity with people and communities where access to resources has been limited by structural oppression and systemic racism.
To everyone involved in this project — the students, teachers, staff, donors, volunteers, the Sausalito Marin City School District, and the Whole School Implementation team at Mindful Schools — thank you for helping us achieve our mission of developing of an equitable and just society through compassionate action.
Warmly,
Chelsea True
Founder, Joyful Mind Project
“As the Principal at Bayside MLK, I can’t say enough good things regarding the work that Chelsea has provided to our school in the area of mindfulness. I am seeing evidence of the skills she is teaching our students and staff throughout our school – in the classrooms, in our multipurpose room, in our school office, and even in our hallways.
We are starting to deepen our understanding of the positive impact mindfulness can have with our children and adults simply by paying attention to the results. We couldn’t be more grateful for the support of this highly impactful program for a student and community population that needs it more than anyone.”
Special thanks to the following people and organizations making this project possible:
Mindful Schools
California Institute of Integral Studies
Rick Hanson, PhD
Christine Durbin
Elizabeth Vaughn
Barbara Sapienza, PhD
Linda Graham, MFT
Rebecca Stoddard
John Koch
Stephanie Elliott
Patricia Kearns
Quin Cowmey
Marleen Roggow
Diosa Arbusto
Joan C. Butcher
Alf Watt