"Ambassadors of Hope" Film Screening with Gloria Simoneaux

About Ambassadors of Hope

Ambassadors of Hope takes place in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, where expressive arts gives hope, meaning, and self-expression to children's lives. The film follows the story of Samson who started with Harambee Arts seventeen years ago and is now a valued staff member. The relationships he forms with children who are in the same position that he was as a child are portrayed with vulnerability and love. The film won the 2024 Dan Eldon Activist Award and premiered at Savannah Film Festival in October 2023.

What to Expect

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Join us for an engaging evening that will inspire you to reimagine how you can contribute to the world, particularly through the arts.

6:00-6:30pm
Reception including light food and beverages to allow people to mingle and settle in. 

6:30-7:00pm 
Gloria will provide a brief introduction and then show "Ambassadors of Hope". 

7:00-8:00pm
Gloria will discuss the film and how she used her training in expressive arts therapies to create meaningful change, with her work as a guidepost for founding impactful organizations. Q&A to follow.

We can’t wait to share this experience with you! Please RSVP below to confirm your attendance. This is an in-person event only.
 

About Our Presenter

Gloria Simoneaux received a B.F.A. from The Cooper Union in New York City, an M.A. in Integral Counseling Psychology and an honorary M.A. degree in Expressive Arts Therapy from The California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. In 2008, Gloria was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to lecture and do research at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, for a year and a half. Later, she received another Fulbright award to teach in Haiti and Dominica.

Gloria’s vision and perseverance have raised social consciousness and advanced human rights throughout the world. She was founder and Executive Director of DrawBridge, serving Bay Area homeless children, for nineteen years. Currently, Gloria serves as the Founding Director of Harambee Arts. Harambee, a Swahili word for “Let’s Pull Together,” sums up Gloria’s desires for helping children. For the past thirty years, she has worked with children who have experienced abuse, violence, illness, poverty, trafficking, and other crises throughout Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. Gloria partners with grassroots programs globally to train local caregivers to provide art programs for vulnerable populations in an environment that fosters their sense of joy, creativity and exuberance.

Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email, and additional details will be shared with you prior to the event. If you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to contact alumni@ciis.edu.