Reading to the kids of Nickerson Gardens
Last week I flew to Los Angeles for an American Federation of Teachers media event on August 19th. As a child, unions were a natural part of life to me. I grew up with talk of Cesar Chavez, as well as shop talk about the electric union my father belonged to. So I was honored to be included in supporting the union that supports some of my favorite and most respected fellows: educators.
The event took place at the Head Start Center, deep in the Nickerson Gardens Projects in Watts, Los Angeles. The outside walls were covered with fading, but powerful renditions of Martin Luther King Jr. and inspirational words. The images reminded me Continue reading »
Filed under Events, Maya in the Classroom | Tags: children, event, family, neighborhood, outreach, school visit | Comment (0)Endings are Beginnings
Ahh…well here it is, the end of the school year. The feet are standing in summer already. School is like a memory. It was a very busy Spring up until the very end. And while the school visits are over, we are heavy into our next big project, our latest venture, Gender Now Coloring Book, but more about that later.
It’s time to remember and close the books on this last school year. May 13 we went into Paul Revere Elementary School here in San Francisco. I was asked to come visit the school by the mother of one of Zai’s close friends, Virginia, who I adore. So not only was Virginia there (they met in nursery school and became deep friends) but for the first time Zai got to come visit me “at work.” 
This made it extra special. I always tell her tales of my adventures, but I LOVED having her there in person. I always have a lot to learn from kids, but having one of my greatest teachers with me, my sweet Zai, was awesome.
The very next day Matthew and I were off to El Granada Elementary School near Half Moon Bay. I got to talk to some excellent Continue reading »
Filed under Maya in the Classroom | Tags: children, family, fun, library, presentations, school visit | Comment (0)Watching the Master at Work
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 Continue reading »
Filed under Maya in the Classroom | Tags: children, children's books, creative process, presentations, school visit | Comment (0)Letting Go to Express
I went to Almaden Elementary School in San Jose in January. It was one of those visits that leaves me feeling very happy. I enjoyed an especially full day because I got to come into contact with basically every kid in the school. This meant 3 big assemblies and 2 preschool readings. The last assembly was the older kids, 4-5th grade, so besides my presentation we got to do a project together. I’m always moved by the generosity and exuberance of childhood and what children show in their art. But this time what I was most moved by was the very last question of the day. We only had time for one more. Thankfully I called on this boy who asked, “How do I let go and express my emotions in my art?”
I swear it was like having a plant in the audience to ask the most beautiful question possible. I get asked a lot, a lot of things, but this was unique. This question seemed Continue reading »
Filed under Maya in the Classroom, The Creative Process | Tags: children, CLAIMING FACE, creativity, empowerment, presentations, school visit | Comment (0)Two Boys
There are moments that stand out when I visit schools. Moments that stick with me and become part of my stories. There are a number of kids through the years that have never left my side. I can see them still, remember our interactions. I imagine many must be grown up now and I wonder how they’re doing. They’re the ones that remind me the most of myself. Their lesson my lesson, my lesson their lesson. They reflect some aspect of my own experience although it’s not always obvious to me at first.
When I go into schools these days I don’t often get to work with the kids closely. Things are far more assembly oriented now, but any time there’s a chance I still try to make art with kids. Although now it’s not in a classroom but a cafeteria or library, and I’ve got 200 kids instead of 30. It’s definitely a different kind of interaction. But within the parameters I still try to get some of my message across and be fully present with the kids. I know there’s something I understand about being a kid and being stressed out on many different levels. Art served as a great tool for me as a stressed out kid and now I’m old enough to talk about it. What is important to share about art and creativity to me is how it can support kid’s understanding of how to use it as a tool. A tool to process their experiences, create personal reflection and know and empower themselves. When I do get to work with kids, the projects are geared to ground my philosophies which are rooted in my experience as a bi-racial, child of color dealing with a number of serious stressors.
I only have a few moments to provide an opportunity to use art like this so the projects have to be simple and fertile. In these assembly settings I have a current, favorite project. I ask the kids to draw a picture of their self. There are only two requirements. Completely forget you know what you look like and share something about yourself that I cannot see by looking at you. I ask them a few questions to explore what we cannot see when we look at someone. Can you tell who I love by looking at me? Can you tell what scares me? Makes me angry? Where I came from? In my imagination I have huge deer horns. I can feel them, can you see them? I tell them since they don’t know what they look like, they can Continue reading »
