Warriors in the World: Meena Srinivasan
Meena Srinivasan possesses a warm, glowing presence. Immediately upon meeting her, one can sense her generous, open heart. Meena’s work in our community is an inspiration and her willingness to share her experience and wisdom with others is a source of great joy.
Meena is a thought leader in the mindfulness in education field. She is currently part of the Social Emotional Learning & Leadership Development Team for the Oakland Unified School District.
Social Emotional Learning is “the process through which children and adults develop the fundamental skills for life effectiveness. These are the skills we all need to handle ourselves, our relationships and our work effectively and ethically.” The five skills taught district wide to adults and students are self management, self awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. Strengthening our social emotional skills and competencies enhances our ability to connect across race, class, culture, language, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, learning needs and age.
Meena is also a National Board Certified Teacher and was a leader in India’s Mindfulness in Education Movement. She’s a student of Thich Nhat Hanh and has taught 6th through 12th grade in Brazil, India, and California. And she was recently part of our local conference on Teaching Mindfulness and Compassion in Schools and Community Youth Organizations. She brings her experience, training, and generous heart to our schools and our community.
