700 of Edmonton's Inner City Youth get to BLOOM this year!

Youth Bloom Through Play

October 6, 2017

95% of Edmonton's inner city youth schools have students living with trauma and adverse childhood experiences that impact their ability to learn, function, and feel safe in their respective communities.  Most students struggle with not being able to get their basic physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs met in order to develop into healthy young adults.

There are many nutritional meal programs that help address gaps in their daily caloric intake. However, what really helps build resilience in children continuing to build their positive relationships and sense of connection to a larger community.

Youth Bloom Through Play is a collaboration between Its Time To Bloom and Qi Creative to help Edmonton's inner city youth build resilience through yoga, meditation and play expression.

The multi-disciplinary team of Pediatric experts at Qi Creative will collaborate to provide an opportunity for youth to learn about trauma informed care and positive forms of play and self-expression.

Jon Jon Rivero and Paulina Rivero will be leading the charge from Qi Creative. We will be working with 4 inner city junior high's to bring them for a day of yoga, music, talks and dance with Ryan Leier and MC Yogi who have both agreed to take part in the event. 

This is a part of a bigger initiative with Together We Bloom Society to bring more access to inner city youth for wellness, yoga and meditation programs to their schools throughout the year. 

How can you help? You can bring your child to the program on Friday October 6th from 10:30am-2pm, for a $5 donation which will help us fund ongoing programming for these inner city youth. 

We are also looking for 300-400 yoga mats that we can donate to the schools and kids that come to the event. We have drop off locations at Yogalife Studios South and North. 

Meet Jon Jon Rivero

2016 TED Summit Talent Showcase Winner, Spoken Word Artist, Children's Author, Beatboxer Philanthropist and Martial Arts Master that changes the world one audience at a time

In 2006, he was the recipient of the Alberta Rehabilitation Coordinating Council Sunrise Therapist Award, which recognized him as the top clinician contributing to rehabilitation medicine within their first 2 years of practice.  As the Founder and CEO of Qi Creative Inc. (www.qicreative.com) he integrates his creative talents and passions to inspire children, adolescents, families, and schools living with special needs and trauma by celebrating their talents and strengths to overcome challenges. Jon Jon co-authored the International Children's Book, My Name Is Trauma (www.mynameistrauma.com) and conducts seminars, keynotes, and resilience training in disaster relief areas. He is featured internationally at educational and leadership conferences around the world. As a spoken word artist and producer, he has collaborated with thousands of youth activists and leaders from various countries to use their strengths and talents to promote peace, creativity, and unity in their respective local communities. Jon Jon is the founder of the Balikbayan Project Philippines (www.balikproject.com) and is committed to working with youth and families living with trauma in Tacloban, Leyte by collaborating with orphanages, rehabilitation medicine clinics, and schools to create safe and meaningful art forms of therapeutic healing through self-expression. As an author, 5th Dan black belt Master, musician, and filmmaker, Jon Jon is committed to positively influencing the world, one community, one family, one child at a time.

2016 TED Summit Talent Showcase Winner, Spoken Word Artist, Children's Author, Beatboxer Philanthropist and Martial Arts Master that changes the world one audience at a time

In 2006, he was the recipient of the Alberta Rehabilitation Coordinating Council Sunrise Therapist Award, which recognized him as the top clinician contributing to rehabilitation medicine within their first 2 years of practice.  As the Founder and CEO of Qi Creative Inc. (www.qicreative.com) he integrates his creative talents and passions to inspire children, adolescents, families, and schools living with special needs and trauma by celebrating their talents and strengths to overcome challenges.

Jon Jon co-authored the International Children's Book, My Name Is Trauma (www.mynameistrauma.com) and conducts seminars, keynotes, and resilience training in disaster relief areas. He is featured internationally at educational and leadership conferences around the world. As a spoken word artist and producer, he has collaborated with thousands of youth activists and leaders from various countries to use their strengths and talents to promote peace, creativity, and unity in their respective local communities. Jon Jon is the founder of the Balikbayan Project Philippines (www.balikproject.com) and is committed to working with youth and families living with trauma in Tacloban, Leyte by collaborating with orphanages, rehabilitation medicine clinics, and schools to create safe and meaningful art forms of therapeutic healing through self-expression. As an author, 5th Dan black belt Master, musician, and filmmaker, Jon Jon is committed to positively influencing the world, one community, one family, one child at a time.

Paula Audrey Rivero

Paula has a Master’s Degree in Social Work with a clinical specialization and is registered with the Alberta College of Social Work. She is also a Certified Trauma Specialist with the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children. Her experience connecting with traumatized youth in Alberta and with children living with trauma around the world with the Balikbayan Project, have allowed Paula to share the power of love, connection, and play in healing trauma and building resilience. She has co-authored the International selling book, My Name is Trauma, and facilitates workshops and training programs about trauma informed care and helping traumatized children heal through play. Also known as the “Burning Fire of Love”, Paula is dedicated to share and inspire love around her. As a former supportive listener with Edmonton’s distress line, she has honed her listening skills and has been able to support and empower hundreds of people struggling with depression, suicidal thoughts, domestic violence, sexual assault, and addictions, among others, to make positive choices and action steps towards a meaningful and purpose driven life. The driving force behind her practice is the belief that everyone has talents and strengths that make them awesome and that everyone’s awesome is worth celebrating. She loves with her whole heart and is willing to dare greatly in the journey of life to serve others.