Tesserae
{ˈte-​sə-​rē, plural noun, the small pieces used to build a mosaic }
Mosaic Georgia Newsletter | February 2023
Co-authored by Marina Sampanes Peed, Executive Director and Amanda Makrogianis Mickelsen, Mosaic Marketing Team

1 in 3 teens experiences verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual abuse from a dating partner. That’s a lot of young people! Teen dating in the 21st century is more challenging than ever and can lay the foundation for future relationships. Adults in teens' lives can be allies and guide them in learning healthy, positive relationship skills while working to change destructive patterns. loveisrespect.com offers resources for teens facing dating issues, how adults can help while Mosaic Georgia is here to support them.
IN THIS ISSUE
The Big Picture
Connecting the Pieces
Building the Mosaic
Mosaic in Action
Mosaic Participates in Saprea Open House
Faces of Mosaic Georgia
Upcoming Events
Connecting the Pieces The Future of Healing in the Black Community
Join the Mosaic Conversation
February is Black History Month
On January 17th we celebrated the life and sacrifices of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And now we celebrate February as Black History Month to honor Black Americans throughout history for their contributions and commitment.

But Black History and Dr. King's legacies are more than just one day or one month out of the year. Whether you are Black or non-Black, what are some ways that you can honor the unique experiences of the Black community in your everyday life?

Join the conversation and share your answers with us on social media.
by Ashia Gallo, MPA, Wholeness Collective Coordinator
Black folk around the world have experienced unique threats to their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health for generations. The many ways in which cultures have survived and thrived despite these realities across the Black Diaspora spans multiple continents and generations. And the resilience they demonstrate is awe-inspiring. How can we learn from these many different traditions to use in our own lives today while facing everyday life stress, constant bombardment with divisive, negative messaging and bigger cultural problems in post-pandemic 2023? And if you're a victim of abuse and trauma, you can benefit even more from the Black experience around the world.
Building the Mosaic The Wholeness Collective Launches
by Ashia Gallo, MPA, Wholeness Collective Coordinator

At Mosaic Georgia, we play a very sensitive role for the clients we support. We may be meeting them - victims of a traumatic crime - on the worst day of their lives. We take this role we play very seriously.

What is often overlooked in working with survivors of sexual trauma and abuse, however, is the tough road ahead once they take those first steps toward healing. The spiritual warfare, the identity crisis, the loss of self and safety at a soul level, all of these can be felt for months or even years after a trauma. To fill this gap and create a complete program of long-term care for victims of sexual trauma and abuse, the Wholeness Collective was born.

We launched the Wholeness Collective, with generous grants and donations, in Summer 2022 under the leadership of Ashia Gallo, who brings her unique world experience and study of multicultural, holistic and science-based healing methods to build a program of free classes, support groups, seminars, and other healing events to support survivors and their families after the trauma. And you can be a part of it!
Mosaic in Action
Mosaic Georgia's Kendall Wolz and Sara Cherry joined the Georgia Women's Chamber of Commerce at the New Year Reception and Open House event at Saprea, a trusted partner in liberating individuals from the lasting impacts of child sexual abuse.
Faces of Mosaic
A visionary healing coordinator, a dedicated client experience specialist, and a bilingual advocacy champion: Meet Ashia Gallo, Vanessa Zavaleta-Beltran and Liliana Jimenez and find out how they help our clients on the road to healing.
Upcoming Events
Mosaic in the Community
A healthy relationships summit with a drum-line, D.J. Geronimo, tasty food & more!
Saturday February 25, 2023 • 10:00am
Gas South Convention Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy in Duluth

Black Heritage Festival
Enjoy food, music and merchants in celebration of Black history and culture.
Saturday February 25, 2023 • 1:00pm-4:00pm
Shorty Howell Park, 2750 Pleasant Hill Rd in Duluth

Medical Trainings for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals 
Interact real time with your instructor in this virtual, live-taught, interactive training.
March 6-8th and 13-15th, 2023
Registration ends February 21, 2023

SANE moderated peer reviews to foster shared learning and skill building.
Dates and times variable.

A private, supportive online gathering place for SANE medical professionals and leaders.

Wholeness Collective Class Offerings
Join a Finding Hope support group, healing yoga and sound classes or Baile con Mayra! Check out these classes and other events offered in our new trauma-informed healing and wellness program.

Retreats for Survivors
Saprea's ongoing Haven Retreats are a free, clinically informed four-day experience followed by a self-guided online course for adult women who were sexually abused at or before age 18 for survivors in North Georgia.
How You Can Help!

Your donation is the most powerful way you can help Mosaic Georgia to empower those who have been impacted by sexual violence and abuse. Our services are always free of charge to those we help, but we can only do that with your help.
Mosaic Georgia, Inc. is a private, nonprofit corporation that is a Children’s Advocacy Center and Sexual
Assault Center that strives for and demands safety, health and justice for children and adults victimized by
sexual abuse, assault and trafficking. Donations are tax-deductible EIN: 58-1762829.

Find us online at MosaicGa.org