Adobe and the Warriors share the power of self-expression and mindfulness with local students

Two years into the pandemic, we continue to see creativity inspire, help bring people closer together, and drive positive change.

This is especially true within schools, where teachers have had to find new ways to nurture creativity to help make a tangible impact on a student’s journey beyond the classroom. According to our research with Civitas and LinkedIn, demand for creative skills within candidates is accelerating and the volume of hires possessing creative skills has grown 78 percent in the last two years. That’s why creativity is so valuable to a child’s development, not only intellectually, but emotionally. Creativity can be profoundly healing, and it’s needed now more than ever.

Adobe and the Golden State Warriors have come together to partner with local Title 1 elementary schools to equip students with the necessary tools to foster creativity as a means of healthy self-expression, peaceful communication, and social emotional learning. Since 2015, Adobe and the Warriors have hosted the Peaceful Warriors program, to provide elementary-aged students from underserved communities in the Bay Area with in-person activations that focus on mindfulness, creative self-expression, body movement and connection with each other.

“The last couple years have been tough for all of us, especially students. At Adobe, we’ve always been passionate about nurturing creativity given the profound impact it can have in developing students’ potential and supporting emotional wellbeing.” said Amit Singh, Adobe’s Global Brand Marketing director. “We’re proud to join forces with the Golden State Warriors to continue to help foster creativity and mindfulness in our local schools.”

Creativity is a powerful outlet for self-expression, and it needs to happen in a judgement-free zone. The Peaceful Warriors program includes an Adobe Fresco learning exercise on iPads where students are invited to draw, paint and explore their creativity freely. One student shared: “We were drawing whatever we felt like and I really liked that because it felt like it gave me a chance to express my feelings.”

The Peaceful Warriors program is brought to life through Mindful Life Project, a non-profit that brings comprehensive mindfulness-based programs to students to foster emotional wellbeing. We are also excited to collaborate with BRIDGEGOOD, an arts non-profit organization based in Oakland, to design a sketchbook with mindfulness themes and activities for the students to use during the program.

“It is no secret that the pandemic has severely altered the lives of our youth in ways we are still discovering,” said Warriors vice president of government and community relations, Yoyo Chan. “From social interactions, to creativity, to self-expression, our Peaceful Warriors platform is the perfect answer to establishing programming and resources in local schools that work to address the gaps we’re seeing in education today. Given Adobe’s expertise in technology and their deeply rooted social impact core values, they are uniquely positioned to lock arms with us as we continue to positively impact the lives of Bay Area youth.”

Now more than ever, creativity is critical — to how we express ourselves, cope and connect with others. We’re proud to join forces with the Golden State Warriors to continue to support the wellbeing of students in our community.

To learn more about the Peaceful Warriors program, click here. For students and teachers who want to create and share their stories, check out Creative Cloud Express for Education.