In February 2022, Learning Courage hosted our second annual virtual event. This year our theme was Courage. It takes courage to tell your story, to stand up and speak out for change, to shift damaging cultural systems and dynamics that lead to harm, and to heal from sexual abuse and violence. This year our performers were inspired by our theme of courage and showed it through dance, poetry, song, spoken word, and storytelling; several of them even created new pieces, especially for our event.  We were honored to have Gregory Jbarra, well known for his role as “DCPI Garrett Moore” on the hit CBS police drama BLUE BLOODS, his extensive work on Broadway, and his Tony Award-winning for his portrayal of the Dad in Billy Elliot the musical serve as our host for the evening. 

First to our virtual stage was Amikaela Gaston. Proclaimed as one of the “purest contemporary voices” by National Public Radio, Amikaeyla is a force for change. She is a nuanced thought-leader, author, public speaker, and performer, and MTV says “her sultry sound is like listening to velvet waterfalls.” Amikaeyla travels the world for the State Department as a Cultural Ambassador doing expansive work with political refugees, war survivors, and at-risk populations worldwide, “opening paralyzed voices and transforming wounded spirits through the miracle of her music.” Amikaeyla | Facebook