"Deep Lounge Place is my year-round moving meditation in support of individuals, parents, educators, and education entrepreneurs. It is where I tap into the six senses and my forever love of Deep House and Lounge music in service of people who are raising children, educating families, and building safer spaces for learning and community-building to happen." M.
YOUR DEEP LOUNGE GUIDE:
Maleka "M" is an equity-centered, spark-igniting community convener, organizer, and natural healer dedicated to investigating the indoctrination of practices that show up throughout parenting and learning approaches. She is the founder of the organization and framework Speak and Be Easy™ (SBE), an ubuntu-centered lighthouse and bridge connector that invites and nourishes individuals, groups, and organizations.
SBE Vibe Check Collective
The Vibe Check Collective (VCC) is composed of members of Speak and Be Easy (SBE) who represent a culturally diverse and multi-generational group of voices that reflect the core values of SBE and the communities it serves and aspires to serve. Each VCC member was nominated directly by the Spark Igniter of SBE for their wisdom, insight, and thought partnership in order to provide guidance, support, and opportunities for growth and learning within and beyond SBE.
The individual and collective wisdom of VCC members is the heartbeat of SBE. It is essential for its sustainability and for ensuring that SBE remains true to its values from the inside out, leveraging past successes.
Kelly Limes-Taylor
Living a *speak and be easy* life represents a way to live one's full authenticity, and I believe full authenticity is the highest attainment available to those of us on this side of dirt.
Alexa, she/her
Jonie Marie, she/her
Slowing down has become vital for me to hear the pace and texture of what it means to presence life as an interbeing experience. Honoring the steaming compost heap as scared has been an infinite learning space along this journey.
Practice: Jonie Broecker
www.joniebroecker.com
OUR WISDOM KEEPERS
The DLP Wisdom Keepers represent a culturally diverse collective of voices that reflect SBE's core values and the communities it currently serves and desires to serve.
For the prosperity of DLP and its offerings, each Wisdom Keeper enriches us with a treasure trove of wisdom, insight, and thought partnership generously shared over the past four years. Their contributions guide, support, and foster opportunities for growth and learning within and beyond DLP.
The individual and collective wisdom of DLP Wisdom Keepers is the lifeblood of DLP, a vital element for its sustainability. It ensures that SBE not only talks the talk but also walks it from the inside out, leveraging past successes.
Zee, they/them
Living a "speak and be easy" life involves embracing a sense of ease and simplicity, fostering honesty, and seeking inner peace, all while considering the importance of community connections.
Practice: Daizee the Doula
Juwariya A.
To fully embody myself and to fully honor my physical and spiritual body and desires without external interference.
Practice: Moju.Design Wellness Collection
Jonie Marie, she/her
Slowing down has become vital for me to hear the pace and texture of what it means to presence life as an interbeing experience. Honoring the steaming compost heap as scared has been an infinite learning space along this journey.
Practice: Jonie Broecker
www.joniebroecker.com
Kristina Cockle, they/she
To me, living a speak and be easy life means orienting our lives to embrace radical hope for a better world. We question how we have always done things, interrogate how our actions might be reinforcing systems of oppression, and work together to create spaces of collective liberation.
Melissa, She/they
Getting in tune to self and spirit and boldly walking in your truth and values with much grace and gratitude for all the beings and energies we are blessed to be in community with.
PARENTS.
For parents to...
• gain deeper and healthier relationships with themselves and their young people.
• live and be the change they desire to see in themselves, their community and beyond.
• tap and lean into their innate capabilities that nurture, guide, and support their young people rooted in belonging, identity, trust, and equity.
For parents...
• to strengthen their abilities to engage in and feel through noticing moments as an invitation to disrupt the fixed perceptions we carry around learning and living
• and caregivers who are currently or considering learning approaches beyond compulsory schooling for their children
• who desire to shift away from coercive parenting methods towards partnership-based parenting and liberation-centered learning approaches.
For parents who...
• recognize that compulsory schooling does not align with their young person’s needs but struggle with disrupting the cycle
• are looking for a community intentionally designed for and by parents.
EDUCATORS.
For educators,
meaning new and experienced liberatory and youth-centered facilitators, dedicated spark-igniting volunteers and space-makers. Also meaning teachers in the standard system who are questioning the norms and eager to contribute differently.
For educators to...
• create learning environments that support a wide range of learning approaches
• explore how their perceptions of how learning happens and is valued shows up through learning engagement.
For educators...
• to strengthen their abilities to engage in and feel through noticing moments as an invitation to disrupt the fixed perceptions we carry around how learning happens and is valued.
• exploring learning engagement that centers and meets young people where they are based on their individual needs, interests and curiosities.
LEARNING CENTERS.
Existing learning spaces (in-person, hybrid, and virtual) that align with Deep Lounge Place core invitations.
For burgeoning and established learning spaces (minimum of 2 years in operation) committed to the building and sustaining youth-centric programming rooted in liberatory approaches and practices.
Supporting these spaces to intentionally establish learning environments that provide a viable and sustainable option under educational choice.
WATCH IT!
DLP members can access a conversation between M. and their selected thought partner, along with an ongoing feedback form to share insights about that conversation.
INTERROGATE IT!
Matinee watchers are encouraged to participate in special prompts and exercises designed to stimulate their personal growth and insights.
NURTURE IT!
Matinee watchers are also invited to a support space that focuses on the emotions of grief, loss, not-enoughness, and feeling stuck.
CONNECT LIVE!
Every quarter, members who have watched at least one Matinee can gather to connect with other members, sharing what inspired them, how they engaged in the prompts and exercises, and any emerging ideas and thoughts.
