Intergroup Dialogues on Parenting and Child Caregiving

All are welcome!

Join UHRI facilitators Two Tuesdays a month at 10-11:30am PST (1-2:30pm EST) via Zoom!

Are you a parent or guardian looking to connect with other parents/guardians about raising emotionally connected and aware children during challenging times?

Are you hoping to find other parents and guardians who are navigating our multicultural world with an aim for inclusivity and belonging?
How do you feel talking with your children about race, gender, sexuality or any other aspect of each of our lived experiences?
Do you want to exchange knowledge, information and resources with other caregivers in a non-judgemental, supportive space?

All caregivers of children and adolescents are welcome. This trauma informed space integrates the intergroup dialogue model, which is a a well-established, research-based model that blends active learning with theory and knowledge of systems of oppression, social identities, and injustices to energize us as we seek to make changes in our everyday lives and our communities.

Please see the registration page for how to give.

Our facilitators have worked for decades in mental and behavioral health, education and community organizing. We created this space because we noticed something. Caregivers from all backgrounds and identities, with children who have different needs and experiences, wanted a space to be heard, to share and build power and to exchange information and resources. In sum, caregivers needed a place where they could talk openly and honestly about caregiving, with its ups and downs, with other caregivers. This unique space is group oriented, where all voices are heard and honored, perspectives considered, and shaped by the questions and needs of each participant.

All genders are encouraged to join. Each caregiver plays a significant role in their child’s life. Increasingly, research has been paying attention to the developmental role that fathers play for their children. Whether you are a single parent, co-parenting; whether your family reflects a nuclear or polyfamory structure, you are welcome! Our goal is to meet caregivers where they are at.

Our Facilitators

Francine Ortega, LCSW

Francine Ortega, LCSW, (Dialogue Team, pronouns she/her) is a licensed clinical social worker with a passion for social justice. She is a bilingual Latina raised in Southern California who is committed to serving the Latinx community. For the past twenty years, Francine has worked in a variety of mental health settings with children, youth and families, including therapeutic nursery school, school-based counseling, outpatient community mental health, and early childhood mental health consultation. She sees her mental health work with clients and communities as avenues for both healing and empowerment. For Francine, facilitating intergroup dialogue is an exciting extension of her clinical work, as it seeks to promote individual and system growth and change using the powerful tools of communication and reflection.

Rebecca Cannara, MA

Rebecca Cannara (Executive Director, pronouns she/her) has worked in social work and education for over 25 years. She has served youth and families experiencing homelessness, developed a cooperative preschool, and produced online mathematics curriculum and an equity based course on homelessness. She received her master’s in Education from UCLA, where she trained in the University of Michigan model of intergroup dialogue and conducted research on providing dialogue as part of the professional training of educators. Rebecca is a member of the Global Dialogue Collective, formerly the US Academy of Professional Dialogue.