Skip to main content

Yaasmeen Brown - The Roof is On Fire / Due 2/19

Yaasmeen Brown - The Roof is On Fire / Due 2/19



1. CONTEXT: What were the circumstances that framed the meaning and process of this project?
Teenagers of color living in a society that does not value them the way that white members of society are valued. 

2. CONTENT: What was the issue, need, idea or opportunity addressed by this project?
The issue addressed in this project was that teenagers of color are being treated as animals and then expected to succeed in a world that continues to stereotype, discriminate, and exclude them. 

3: FORM: What is the medium that was used to address or embody the content?
The medium was a live performance that took place in cars on a roof in Oakland, Ca. The   teenagers spoke freely without the use of a script. Audience members surrounded the cars while the teens spoke. 

4. STAKEHOLDERS: Which are the groups or individuals that invested in the process and outcomes of project?
Teachers, Adults, Teens, White people, Black/ Brown people, Art organizers, Artists. 

5. AUDIENCE: For whom was this project conceived? 
This project was conceived for people that live in "bubbles." I also feel that this project was conceived for black and brown people that feel like their voices/ stories don't matter. 

6. ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES: How were the stakeholders, audiences, and others engaged/connected to the project?
Audience members were there to simply listen, other members connected to the project such as the teachers and artists were connected to the piece by organizing the performance space and informing news media outlets about the project. 


7. GOAL: What are this project's objectives?
To give voice to teenagers of color. 
To empower teenagers through the act of speaking. 
Giving teenagers the space to relate, disagree, and express their beliefs freely and openly.

8. VALUES: What were the project's guiding values or core beliefs? How were they expressed in the process?
- When you treat people like animals they have no choice but to respond like animals. 
- When you grow up in a society that believes your a certain way you begin to believe in certain stereotypes about yourself and others around you. 
- Listening is revolutionary. 
These core beliefs were expressed through open dialogue from the students in the project. 

9. RESOURCES: What tangible and intangible resources were used to pursue the project's goals?
-A performance space 
- cameras / filming/ photography 
- Cars 
- Students 
- school
- teachers 
- artists 


10: OUTCOMES: What were the results of this project?
The results of this project :
- watching under privileged teens come together and express themselves freely without having to contain themselves or filter their thoughts. 

Another result was having audience members leave the performance with new ideas and perceptions that they didn't have before they left. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

CalArts Garden

The reason why I choose this topic is that I know a lot of students are complaining that CalArts is too plain. It is just one main building with a small campus. I would like to design a space for the CalArts campus where students and teachers can work together as a community and taking care of the plants. The community can hold a farmers market, season food festival or food-related artwork competition.    Few things I read about the benefits of school garden:   -  Gardens create opportunities for students to work cooperatively and to take on responsibilities.  - Gardens provide unique opportunities for cross-generational connections.  - Students learn to focus and patience, cooperation, teamwork, and social skills.  -Combining language arts and gardening activities brings a hands-on element to a subject normally taught lecture-style, providing inspiration and motivation for students who struggle to focus in traditional cl...

Katharine Means What a Riot! Response

In 2005 Mady Shutzman was invited by CalArts CAP to write a play for the teenage participants Plaza de la Raza arts center in East Los Angeles to perform. At first I was intrigued by this, as my limited knowledge of Boal and Theatre of the Oppressed techniques has been around the participatory games, activities, and techniques used to build community. I know some about Forum and Legislative Theatre, but had little conception of what a TO play would look like. Shutzman's piece, UPSET! , was modeled using Boal's Joker System. There is a character called the Joker who probes the characters and audience during the play with the "ultimate goal to raise questions, offer multiple points of view, and encourage dialogue". Shutzman used this form as a "means to incorporate the teens curiosity, dismay, outrage, confusion, fear, and inspiration in relation to the subject matter of the play within the play." The teens decided upon Rodney King and Claudette Colvin (a youn...

What a Riot!

What strategies did she employ in her process of making in play with the youth? Some of the strategies Mady Schutzman employed in her process of making a play with the youth were, utilizing the Joker System, presenting exercises to create a “safe” space by opening the floor and space to the youth to speak, reflect, and share their stories. What approaches resonated with you? Many of the approaches that were used were very intriguing and interesting, but there was one approach that resonated with me. Particularly, the questions that came out of one of the approaches. In the vein of the Joker System, it was designed to ,”promote social inquiry and personal agency by asking questions (How do I know what I know? Who authored the historical narratives we reiterate? Are those stories relevant to me and my community? Who do they privilege and who do they marginalize?” Mandy shared. These questions resonated with me because they are questions I have been asking myself this...