Happy Pride Month! 🌈🌈🌈
Hello, Hello, Hello!
I am so happy you are here.
This is the first Arts + Education Newsletter.
This newsletter is for progressive educators and/or artists who'd like to stay in the loop about all things culture, news, art, and empowerment.
I am Drea, a local spoken word artist, teaching artist, and speaker.
I am an artist co-working with students to make impactful art pieces inside and outside of the classroom.
Let’s begin, shall we?
Happy Happy Happy Pride Month! 🌈🌈🌈
Yasssssss.
I said it.
Happy Pride!
This is the time of year when the badass members of the LGBTQ community show up and show off.
I mean, it’s not easy showing up as your authentic self in a world that has a history of discriminating against people in same-sex relationships. There are still states where employees can be fired for their sexual/gender expression. It's really judgemental and outdated if you ask me. The recent rates of violence against black trans women are appalling. Please look them up if you haven’t heard about the killings of trans-POC in recent years. Unfortunately, intersectional discrimination is a thing. Intersectionality refers to people who identify as more than one minority group such as black gay women, who face heightened amounts of systemic discrimination. This month is really about amplifying the voices that haven't been heard and offering all kinds of support.
Whether it is buying goods from a POC LGBTQ business, or correcting your ignorant friends when they say something uninformed about the LGBTQ or POC communities. This month is about support and visibility.
Lots of stuff going on in the world as per usual! Shootings. Racism. Sexism. Homophobia. This past month has not been easy on a lot of us. Especially us who find ourselves living through trauma on T.V and in real life. If you know, you know. However, we are resilient. We are powerful. We have survived so much and we will continue to. So, we are going to push through all of the clouds and run right towards those colorful little rainbows that we love so much, haha!
Friendly Reminder:
This is just a reminder that companies whose sole contribution to the LGBTQ community is to change their logo to a rainbow for 30 days, are not allies. This is performative activism A.K.A marketing. We are not fooled. Not after investing blood, sweat, and tears into real governmental and social change.
As a bisexual woman, I am beyond thrilled to represent all parts of myself ALL month long! And next month too! And the month after.
Matter of fact, the whole year.
Okay you caught me, I’m gonna be authentically me for the long haul!
Woop! Woop!
And I know you will too. I know you will continue to be authentically you.
Catch me out at one of the pride parades linked here networking, laughing, and basking in the sun with new and old friends.
Want to bask together in NYC? 🗽
Send me events that are going on!
Feel free to send me a message with any indoor/outdoor community events, panels, galleries, and more!
Let’s take over New York with community and art.
Sounds good to me.
Juneteenth.
The month of June also houses Juneteenth. The {newly} federally recognized holiday. If you haven’t checked out my post about Juneteenth make sure you do!
Anyways, in celebration of Juneteenth, there are many locally organized events that celebrate the arts across the diaspora. Check out poetry readings, open mics, black entrepreneur pop-up shops, free museum passes, and more.
June is looking like an amazing month full of connections, love, and light.
Community
On June 11 2022 I was one of many amazing entrepreneurs on-site at a local community resource fair in the Bronx. Hosted by Luis Torres, the Bronx Principal, school leaders were able to come to connect with local authors, business owners, and entrepreneurs about arts programs, sports programs, financial literacy programs, and more.
It was an amazing vibe, and word on the street is that there will be another resource fair in September. So keep your ear to the floor for that one, haha!
Of course, I was there connecting with local leaders about my education program, “Healing With Arts” designed to empower students to heal, grow confidence, and connect with others by stitching creative arts-based workshops.
Y’all know I’m a teaching artist so using art as a tool to address mental health challenges is big over here!
Art, community, and growth are all very important over here!
Local leaders protested over the 200 million dollars in budget cuts in NYC schools. Enrollment rates are down following the pandemic and the reintroduction of in-person learning.
More interactive lessons and arts classes are practical ways to increase student engagement. Students tend to enjoy arts and activities where they are encouraged to express themselves. Especially during stressful times. Arts classes are one way to keep kids running towards schools instead of away from them, haha!
Let's get that engagement up. Along with emotional intelligence and confidence! Art has been proven to increase both.
Since you are reading this, I consider you a part of my community. So that means I want to share useful information with you so that we can plant seeds in our community garden.
I am ready for us to garden together, and then eat the fruits of our collective labor.
Welcome.
If you would like to ignite this vibe in person please feel free to reach out about bringing a workshop or presentation to your organization.
Together we can revolutionize the world and create an even brighter future.
We’ve got this.
We can do anything.
See you next month!
~Drea