Watching the Master at Work

Posted on May 3rd, 2010 by Matthew

I went along with Maya this last Thursday, April 29th, as she visited an elementary school in Pacifica, CA. I’ve gone along on Maya’s presentations in the past, usually for a library or classroom visit where there’s maybe 30-40 kids, but never an assembly-style one where she speaks to over 300 children at once. I have to say, I couldn’t do it. Not yet anyway. It’s funny though, I can’t help but get nervous for her. I always ask her, “aren’t you nervous? You don’t really know what they want you to do or how many kids you’ll be speaking to!?” She laughs and shrugs and says, “It’s exciting, I love to play!” with a huge smile.

On this day, we arrived nice and early to check in and they almost seemed surprised to see us. We didn’t know much of the details beforehand or whether the children had been reading any of her books in the classroom in preparation for her visit. I just kept thinking that I couldn’t do what she does. I like to know what I’m getting myself into, what the general plan is. I like plans. Maya, she likes surprises. She asked how many children would be in the assembly. The assistant principal said it was 2nd through 5th grade and she paused as she did the calculation in her head and then said, “around 300 kids.” I gulped as I felt all nervous again and I wasn’t even presenting! But not Maya, excitedly she said, “oh good!”

They showed us into the cafeteria/auditorium as some of the 5th graders were finishing lunch. I could see all the kids looking at us, mostly at Maya, curious about what was going on, about who she was. Maya is not someone you would expect to see in a public school, she’s so obviously fabulously outside of the box. Wearing all pink, lots of jewelry, hair all done up like the characters in her books, tattoos and all, she radiates individuality. I wish I had had presentations by her when I was a kid, maybe I wouldn’t have felt so alone. You can watch the kids beeline to her too, it’s obvious that they can sense that she will look at them, listen to them, and treat them as an equal. And watch I did. It wasn’t long before one kid, two kids, three kids surrounded her, asking her questions, “why are you wearing all pink?” “why are you here” “why do you have so much jewelry”. She laughs and jokes with them, which only attracts more kids. They are anxious to tell her stories about themselves, to tell how they like to wear all black, how they like to draw this, draw that. You can see the hunger they have to be seen, to be heard. And Maya always takes the time with each one of them. It’s amazing to watch. In fact it’s not all that different from when I watch the adults surround her and want to tell her all their stories, although they’re not usually quite as brave as the kids are!!

My Colors, My World turned upside down to see the faces in the wind swirls Gradually the crowd around Maya dwindled as the teachers guided the students out of the cafeteria, only to return again later when it was transformed for the assembly. I sat in the back as I watched a sea of students fill the space. There were so many kids they even had to sit some of them on the floor in the aisle. I could feel their energy, their desire to run around and be loud, especially the ones who just finished lunch not moments ago. I could also watch the teachers desperately trying to keep a lid on the pent-up energy. All throughout the assembly I could watch the dynamic play out. As any chance the kids could get to be a little louder they would take until the teachers had to quiet them with a stern look or a “sshhhh.” It’s such a delicate balance that always leaves me wondering, is there another way? Seems like a lot of energy spent pushing down other energy. You have to hand it to the teachers, they have a tough job in the current system.

With all that palpable energy flying around it was obvious it was time for Maya’s Bob Trick. She’s talked about it in other posts and in our newest book, Claiming Face. She tells the kids that since her name is so long they can call her “Bob.” From my position in the back I was closest to all the 5th graders. I could see them look at each other slightly stunned for a moment. I imagine it’s not every day that they have an adult leading an assembly joke with them. But it didn’t take long before the loud chorus of “Booooooooooob” rang through the space filling the room all the way up to the high ceilings, traveling on and on as the energy in their bodies carried the sound longer and longer. It was pretty impressive, almost meditative in a way. Then Maya ended it with a clap and on she went with the assembly, discussing the secrets in her books, talking about her three rules, all that good stuff she likes to talk about. It was interesting to watch the difference between the kids. They sat the 2nd graders in the front and then progressively went back from there, 3rd, 4th, then the 5th graders in the back.

From my viewpoint on the stage in the back I could see all of them and Maya. I could watch the 2nd and 3rd graders enthralled with Maya and what she was saying in contrast to the 4th and 5th graders who had to be just a little too cool to enjoy it too much. But I could tell they were intrigued even if only because she looked so completely different from what they would expect, or be told, a children’s book illustrator/author would be and look like. Apparently one student even asked a teacher, “is she Latino like me?” I know that’s part of what is so special about Maya going into the schools. She can present kids with an alternative to what they may be told (verbal or nonverbal) that you must be like or act like to be successful. You can do what you love no matter the color of your skin, no matter whether you go to college, no matter whether you dress differently or express yourself differently. She is a shining example of what you can become by trusting and believing in yourself. In fact I’d even say she is proof that Claiming Face works.

I’ve been along on so many of Maya’s presentations now that I could probably do many of them for her but it would SO not contain the heart and individuality that Maya brings to the experience. In fact, it probably would resemble all the assemblies I attended as a kid – a great excuse to get out of class but not all that entertaining. But, with Maya’s presentations, it seems that no matter how many times she says similar things, it’s always different because she’s speaking to a different audience. She says she likes it when she doesn’t know what to expect. It allows her to be present in the moment with whoever she is speaking to and tailor it to them. I am amazed by that, by her ability to surrender to the moment and trust herself, trust her own knowing. I’m still learning that one. Like I said, I like plans.

But, I’ve come along way and a lot of it is being in the presence of someone who trusts herself so fully. It can’t help but rub off. And as it has rubbed off, I have to say it is a great experience to trust yourself. It takes off a lot of the stress of whether you’re doing something right, whether you’re supposed to do this or that, be this or that. You can just be and know that you are being yourself exactly right. It takes time though to forget all the conditioning you’ve been taught that you should look externally for validation. The conditioning that starts taking over right around 4th grade. It was amazing that I could see that shift so clearly from my vantage point on the stage during Maya’s presentation. And, that conditioning becomes so ingrained that sometimes you don’t even know that you aren’t trusting yourself anymore. So for now, while I’m still learning that one, if I have to give a presentation to a room full of 300 kids bursting with energy, I think I’ll hand that one off to the master. Maya, you’re on…