There are a couple things that I'm extremely proud of participating, being part of, or helping to bring forward when it comes to Teens Rock the Mic..
The Power Summit and Gopher Writing Camp are two such things - that are just so happening to come back to back this June...
It's 4:28pm on Friday, and I've just come from the closing ceremonies at the Power Summit, where Heart of the Beast Puppet Theater Artist, Esther Ouray, (Chana's mom) facilitated and lead the group of 30 young adult artists/activists in the closing ritual.
And WOW! Wow! is all that I feel like I can say...The POWER in that experience, following the WEEK of amazing, inspiring, information-loaded sessions....With Gayle Smaller kicking off Tuesday morning with his poem on "QUESTIONS" and that leading into our Socratic Seminar session, unpacking Rilke's words about "living in the questions" and the intersection (philosophically and practically) between Art and Social/Global activism....
WOW! Again....
Brittany's session co-lead by Caitlin on the idea of non-violence and art.....AHA! And she totally borrowed from Marc Bamuthi's workshop she took in NYC and asked the participants to create scenes featuring violence (after brainstorming ways we are violent, and sharing a poem herself..)
And the Cycles of Violence we saw staged by a group, and then got to unpack...Caitlin Hill stepping into that role as facilitator, and using the Critical Response protocol to engage and bring forward the voices of participants...Well let's just say, that the group had so many triggering ideas and comments and questions, there wasn't enough time....As the mentoring teacher working with these poets, I am so proud to see Brittany and Caitlin as they are growing in identifying their goals and objectives as young emerging teaching artists....To be able to end a facilitated discussion, borrowing on Rilke's words about "living in the questions" that we'd broken open the day before, it was BRILLIANT in my estimation to see and experience a closing that was simply further QUESTIONS each participant had as they were going forward from the session....
Hot stuff, guys. Hot Stuff!
And I don't think it's any small coincidence to run into Bill and Edye Howes this week, (down from Duluth doing the Freedom School work over at the Harrison Community Center) and then to hang out and brainstorm with Reggie Harris about our community of artists and activists coming together..!!!....There is so much beauty and richness here in our network of associates and artists....It's takes my breath away...
And to be privy to how these young people are working to BUILD THEIR SKILLS and KNOWLEDGE Of the WORLD and WAYS TO MOVE THROUGH IT INTENTIONALLY USING THEIR GIFTS....
Well, that just ROCKS, right?!
Okay...Reflection time is up for now...I'll close with pix, and good thoughts to you all...
Next week, head's up! You know I'm going to have to send something about the Gopher Writing Camp...
Good stuff!
Change is coming!!
Peace, Love, Holla back!
Melissa B
Brittany performing at PS
Watching the poets
Collaborating teachers
Rilke's words
Facilitating 2*
Posing the Questions/ Making objectives Public
Final ceremony directions
HOTB Ceremony
HOTB Ceremony 4 Directions
HOTB Puppet of Peace
Beautiful Group
No comments:
Post a Comment