Welcome to Random Acts of Vulnerability
Meet the author of Random Acts of Vulnerability
Despite the tremendous hardships of his own childhood Dr. Michael Allen has believed, from a very young age, that he could accomplish anything. He earned a doctorate in administration and supervision from Loyola University in Chicago, and began his first year as a school principal at age 24.
Currently Dr. Allen is the principal of Oakton Elementary School in Evanston, Il.. And yet despite his story of personal achievement, Dr. Allen also has a long-held dream to influence the policies and conditions that have proven to hold people of color and other marginalized groups down. To this end Dr. Allen has facilitated round table discussions on the topics of trauma and childhood adversity, on equity, and on emotional intelligence and mindfulness in schools such as Northwestern University and Harvard University.
Dr. Allen is the recipient of many accolades including the prestigious Jefferson Award for Public Service and the Illinois Principals' Association's 2020 Principal of the Year Award. He believes that the Random Acts of Vulnerability blog is one of the ways that he can give back to humanity what he has been so fortunate to experience along his personal and professional journey through adversity.
Explore Mindfulness With Me
Workshops & Retreats
Dr. Allen continuously teaches on-line and in person workshops for K-12 educational teachers and leaders as well as community agencies. His workshops focus on training participants about the value of implementing mindfulness practices and other comprehensive wellness principles in schools and other organizations to improve culture and performance.
Speaking
Dr. Allen has been a guest and keynote speaker at various conferences, workshops and events in the United States. Dr. Allen’s passionate and powerful speeches will demonstrate to students and adults that all have tremendous talent – talent that is directly connected to the adversity that they have experienced over the course of their lives. His goal is to enlighten students in understanding that the road to releasing talent is through education, allowing them to access freedom, success, and the highest quality of life.
Everyday Random Acts of Vulnerability Resources
Joe Burrows Incredible Heisman Acceptance Speech (EMOTIONAL)
Breaking Through Emotional Barriers
