This Week’s Community Highlights: Celebrating Children & Education

Last Updated on Friday, 24 February 2012 05:53 Written by Urban Zen Friday, 24 February 2012 05:53

One of the great passions of the Urban Zen Foundation is exploring the ways in which innovative education can create real avenues toward children’s empowerment. It’s a part of Donna Karan’s heart and it is integral to the mission of the foundation. This week, our conversations with our online community skewed toward this important topic and we were inspired and motivated by the insights of our Twitter family. @4ArabChildren tweeted about the unique ability children have to educate themselves and @IshaAggarwal touched on how true education needs to encompass more than just academics – a belief that is held near and dear by our founder. We tweeted with our friends from @righttoplayusa and shared some great #twitpics of Donna’s recent trip, where she had the opportunity to explore children’s education in Haiti.

It’s been another great week of dynamic conversations! We look forward to continuing the dialogue with you online.

Giving Love & Creating Hope at the Henri Christophe Community School in Haiti

Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 January 2012 01:55 Written by Urban Zen Wednesday, 25 January 2012 01:53

On a recent trip to Haiti, Donna had the opportunity to visit the Henri Christophe Community School in Léogâne and the experience resonated with her in a very real way as this school embodies the holistic approach to education that Donna believes in.

Not only is the school piloting programs like the environmental educational program, they are also connecting and collaborating with wonderful people and organizations so that they can be a conduit for positive change and growth in Haiti. One such organization is Give Love, run by our friend Patricia Arquette. Haiti Partners connected with Patricia to install and pilot composting latrines at Henri Christophe. It was such an inspiring thing to see in action and we wanted to share more of the details with you here. We invite you to watch the video above to learn more about Give Love’s work at the Henri Christophe Community School.

The Children for Children Haiti Project

Last Updated on Friday, 2 December 2011 03:01 Written by Allison Rapson Friday, 2 December 2011 02:57

Often, our Founder Donna Karan, will speak about her vision for education; about her belief that true learning must expand beyond just reading, writing and arithmatic to include the mind, body and spirit. Children need tactile, experiential learning; they need to learn from their relationships and from diverse cultures and people groups.

It is with these thoughts in mind that we share with you our Children for Children Haiti Project. This project has been designed to connect children through creativity, generosity and a healthy curiosity for new, unexplored cultures.

Here, Urban Zen Team Member Chiara Bombieri-Morales shares her vision:

Allison Rapson: Can you tell us about the project?

Chiara Bombieri-Morales: I am currently working on a project called the Children for Children Haiti Project. The project involves children (grades 3-8) at the Rudolf Steiner School in NYC to create hand-crafted children’s toys that will be donated to orphans in Haiti for Christmas. With the support of the school’s handwork teacher, Mary Lynn Lorinz, children have been making hacky sacks, hand-knit woolen balls, and felted frisbees amongst other things.

This Week’s Community Highlights!

Last Updated on Friday, 30 September 2011 05:35 Written by Urban Zen Friday, 30 September 2011 05:31

This week, we were curious to hear what our community knew about yoga being taught in schools. Friends like @KatGad helped to ask around on the Twitterverse. @lhommedieu and @Emilyrobin let us know of a few schools in New York while @jennychoo815 gave a warm shout-out to @Yokidorg for the work they do in the DC area. @KazemaruYB introduced us to @relaxkids who have created programs in over 140 schools in the United Kingdom. We have to thank teachers such as @Yogini_Jess who are creating a wide-scale movement for Mind, Body, Spirit. By teaching holistic philosophy to children, we are securing the future to a generation in a world where the values of interdependence and compassion are so critical. There is much more to teach our children than simply math and reading. We must teach them about respect and their responsibility for each other. Urban Zen is committed to creating programs which will enhance their spiritual, physical and emotional growth.

Bringing Health, Healing and Haiti to the Hamptons

Last Updated on Saturday, 17 September 2011 06:24 Written by Donna Karan Sunday, 24 July 2011 06:15

This weekend was all about bringing health, healing and Haiti to the Hamptons. It began at Tutto il Giorno in Southampton, where I had the pleasure of hosting a luncheon with my daughter Gabby, Cristina Cuomo and Peggy Siegal. The event brought together a community of women to break bread, connect and discuss the possibilities borne out of philanthropy, commerce and culture. It was a full-on sensory experience from the curation of work by Haitian artisans (who we collaborate with to create gorgeous product), to the models who moved fluidly throughout the room wearing the Urban Zen collection, to the delicious, seasonal menu.

The meal began with Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Yoga Directors Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee leading guests in a meditation. This is exactly the kind of well-being that is a fundamental part of the work Urban Zen is doing to shift the healthcare paradigm. It was inspired by my husband Stephan and now our UZITs are spreading across the country, including Southampton hospital.