with Donna Smith, JD
Compassion & Choices will host a week of events to highlight the passing of the Death with Dignity Act
DC Week of Compassion
Tuesday, February 18th – Smith Center Presentation and Discussion
Donna Smith, JD, will present her passionate work with Compassion and Choices DC to Smith Center participants. Donna’s talk will focus on options for end-of-life journey options. Food and drink will be provided and all are welcome!
Other Off-Site DC Week of Compassion Events:
Thursday, February 20th – Busboys and Poets forum
Sunday, February 23rd – Compassion Sunday- We are asking faith leaders to take a moment and honor all those who have passed within their congregation.
Compassion & Choices improves care, expands options and empowers everyone to chart their end-of-life journey. We envision a society that affirms life and accepts the inevitability of death, embraces expanded options for compassionate dying, and empowers everyone to choose end-of-life care that reflects their values, priorities, and beliefs. Their programs include: End-of-life Planning, Community Outreach, Legal and Political Advocacy, and Access Campaigns
About Donna Smith, JD
Donna Smith is an accomplished professional with over twenty years of experience in political consulting, legislative advocacy, public affairs, policy and program management.
Donna was the Chief of Policy and Community Programs for eight years at the Maryland Department of Aging. She led a team of program managers that implemented aging statewide programs for the aging and their caregivers. She was also detailed to work on the White House Conference on Aging in as a public relations specialist.
In 2014 she was a political consultant to the Donna Edwards Senatorial campaign where she focused on organizing women and seniors.
Donna has been employed by Compassion and Choices (C&C) for 4 years. She is the National African American Director and the Director of Political advocacy for DC and Maryland. In this capacity she led the campaign to pass end of Death with Dignity legislation in both the District of Columbia (the legislation passed in Feb. 2017) and Maryland, where she organized and engaged over 17,000 volunteers to help pass legislation and acted as a spokesperson on behalf of C&C.
A graduate of Tuskegee University and George Washington Law School, she has one son and resides in Laurel, Md.
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org
with Chef Cathryn Pethick
Nourishing Ourselves in Harmony with Summer, the Season of Pitta: An Aryuveda-inspired Cooking Class with Chef Cathryn Pethick
The fundamental principle of Ayurveda is that our habits, lifestyle routines and dietary choices should ebb and flow with the seasons, in harmony with the cycles of Nature. Our bright, hot and humid summer climate is the time to stay cool and hydrated with appropriate food and preparation choices, and support our energy in being relaxed and grounded. The tastes Ayurveda recommends for summer are those foods that are naturally sweet, bitter and astringent, using fresh, local produce, and just lightly seasoning to allow their wonderful natural flavors to shine through.
Join us in creating a summer menu that features all the farmers’ markets best offerings at the height of the season! We will talk about Ayurveda, provide a dosha quiz for you, and demo some beautiful food and cooking technique for you to put to good use at home!
Suggested Donation: $25
About Cathryn Pethick
Cathryn Pethick, AYS, teaches yoga and Ayurveda in the Washington, DC metro area, and is a long-time professional chef. She is an Ayurveda Yoga Specialist through the Himalayan Institute, teaching the self-care basics of the traditional Indian science of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic cooking to groups and private clients. Since 1997, she has taught both traditional and gentle hatha yoga classes for adults and children, therapeutic classes for seniors and special-needs students, and restorative yoga. It is her deepest desire to offer tools that bring balance and well-being into the lives of those she touches.
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register here or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org
with Julie McCarter
In this creative workshop, you’ll have the opportunity to learn and practice mindfulness through the art of image making. In a series of photographic assignments, we’ll focus on our internal experience of the present moment, alongside the visual components of photography.
This workshop will give you the tools to develop your own “practice” of mindful image-making that will be both nourishing and life-balancing. you will also have the experience of creating images that reflect your unique vision/voice that is often deeply meaningful.
Join us to discover new ways of being, seeing and expressing with mindfulness and your camera.
Please select one meaningful object for the workshop. Any camera, including a cell phone, is perfect for this workshop.
Suggested Donation: $20
About Julie McCarter
Julie is a fine art photographer and therapist, offering workshops that blend her two worlds of creative expression and emotional wellness. She is based in the Greater Washington DC area. Her photographic work may be viewed at: http://juliefischermccarter.com
Contact email: jfm@juliefischermccarter.com
with Cheryl Hughes, LICSW, OSW-C
Learn more about the benefits of mindfulness and mediation for cancer and cancer related side-effects.
More about Cheryl Hughes
Cheryl Ann Hughes, LICSW creates a safe and supportive environment from which individuals can define their goals, as well as the means by which they can be achieved. Cheryl tailors each treatment plan using a variety of modalities including EMDR, strengths-based and solution-focused techniques, and with recognition of– and a deep respect for — the strong connection between mind and body. Cheryl infuses her work with mindfulness-based techniques to assist her clients in recognizing their own ability to create a reality that will lead to a satisfying and fulfilling life. Cheryl received her master’s degree in social work, with an emphasis on clinical and medical social work, from Catholic University. She works with cancer patients and their families as they deal with the increased stressors caused by cancer and its treatment.
With Candida DeLuise, LICSW
This workshop presents evidence-based meditation techniques to help us focus and be more fully present. We will learn several mindfulness and meditation practices to deepen our relationship with ourselves and our world.
with Eva & Meera
The purpose of this workshop is to promote communal growth. We will experience a fusion of mystical preserved practices and a modern twist of curated poses designed to enhance togetherness. Experienced meditators and beginners alike will come away with deeper insights into the reality of “no self.”
Sufi whirling is an active form of meditation that the extraordinary poet and spiritual teacher Rumi practiced and shared with his disciples. Reiki is spiritually guided life force energy defined as a support for healing that uses hands-on technique for channeling healing energy.
We are all worthy of healing. Come as you are to awaken your senses and be fully present through intentional gentle movements and guided touch routines. We will utilize breathing, dancing, stretching, touch, and postures to access the love within us and enhance the connections between all people. We will explore vulnerability, share the energy we awaken, and receive energy among each other. Hot tea will be served at the end.
Facilitated by Eva and Meera. Eva is a Reiki II healer on track to becoming a Reiki master and Meera has a background in dance healing as well as OSHO meditation.
With Kiersten Gallagher, RYT 200
Enjoy a greater sense of wellbeing and enhanced energy in our gentle yoga classes. Learn various yoga postures, techniques in progressive relaxation, breathing practices, and meditation to help reduce stress, as well as balance mind, body, and spirit. Our classes are specifically designed for adults facing stress, cancer, or other illness and are open to anyone interested in attending. All levels are welcome.
In addition, our yoga classes are listed with the National MS Society and we welcome patients and caregivers of those with multiple sclerosis to our gentle yoga classes.
Kiersten’s Gentle Morning Yoga Classes Meet Weekly on Thursdays from 10:15am – 11:30am.
Our programs are also open to the community, and tailored to meet the needs of people affected by cancer. Classes and workshops are free or low cost on a pay-as-you-can basis, ensuring that our programs are accessible to everyone.
Suggested Donation for 1 Class: $10
Suggested Donation for 1 Month of Classes: $25
About Kiersten Gallagher
Kiersten Gallagher, RYT 200 and Certified Herbalist has studied yoga for over 25 years. Over the last decade, Kiersten has developed yoga programs and has provided a place for healing in the cancer community, in underprivileged neighborhoods, for special needs children, for teens and adults with drug addiction and for those struggling with body image.Kiersten invites you on a journey of healing to help guide you to a place where yoga will make a real difference in your life. Kiersten’s goal for you is that you feel better when you leave class- mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually, than you may have felt when you stepped through the door to begin your practice.
