[Applause] when was the first time you felt like a
when was the first time you felt like a
when was the first time you felt like a professional when was the first time you
professional when was the first time you
professional when was the first time you held a paycheck in your hand and thought
held a paycheck in your hand and thought
held a paycheck in your hand and thought I deserve this I earned this I’m proud
I deserve this I earned this I’m proud
I deserve this I earned this I’m proud of this three years ago I moved to New
of this three years ago I moved to New
of this three years ago I moved to New Mexico from Pennsylvania to take the
Mexico from Pennsylvania to take the
Mexico from Pennsylvania to take the best job in the whole world I’m the
best job in the whole world I’m the
best job in the whole world I’m the theater conservatory director at working
theater conservatory director at working
theater conservatory director at working class room working classroom is a
class room working classroom is a
class room working classroom is a non-profit right here in Albuquerque we
non-profit right here in Albuquerque we
non-profit right here in Albuquerque we nurture the artistic civic and academic
nurture the artistic civic and academic
nurture the artistic civic and academic minds of historically ignored youth we
minds of historically ignored youth we
minds of historically ignored youth we do this through in-depth art theater and
do this through in-depth art theater and
do this through in-depth art theater and new media projects that cultivate
new media projects that cultivate
new media projects that cultivate diverse voices in the arts and demand a
diverse voices in the arts and demand a
diverse voices in the arts and demand a more equitable society most of our
more equitable society most of our
more equitable society most of our students live in the South Valley or the
students live in the South Valley or the
students live in the South Valley or the west side many of their parents don’t
west side many of their parents don’t
west side many of their parents don’t speak English most of them would be
speak English most of them would be
speak English most of them would be considered low income these are the
considered low income these are the
considered low income these are the students the rest of the world might
students the rest of the world might
students the rest of the world might consider disadvantaged underprivileged
consider disadvantaged underprivileged
consider disadvantaged underprivileged and my least favorite at risk but at
and my least favorite at risk but at
and my least favorite at risk but at working classroom we see students for
working classroom we see students for
working classroom we see students for what they are professional young artists
what they are professional young artists
what they are professional young artists at work in classroom we believe that
at work in classroom we believe that
at work in classroom we believe that students have a voice that needs to be
students have a voice that needs to be
students have a voice that needs to be heard we believe they are professionals
heard we believe they are professionals
heard we believe they are professionals now they don’t need to wait and we
now they don’t need to wait and we
now they don’t need to wait and we believe that by investing in them we’re
believe that by investing in them we’re
believe that by investing in them we’re investing in their future and in doing
investing in their future and in doing
investing in their future and in doing so creating an environment where they
so creating an environment where they
so creating an environment where they believe they can do it whatever do it
believe they can do it whatever do it
believe they can do it whatever do it means is decided by them not all of our
means is decided by them not all of our
means is decided by them not all of our students are going to go on to be actors
students are going to go on to be actors
students are going to go on to be actors directors muralists but what they will
directors muralists but what they will
directors muralists but what they will walk away from when they leave working
walk away from when they leave working
walk away from when they leave working classroom when they graduate is that
classroom when they graduate is that
classroom when they graduate is that they are worth it they are worth
they are worth it they are worth
they are worth it they are worth people’s time they are worth people’s
people’s time they are worth people’s
people’s time they are worth people’s money and they are worth their own time
money and they are worth their own time
money and they are worth their own time and ability to invest in themselves
currently I’m producing a year-long
currently I’m producing a year-long project called solving for x the
project called solving for x the
project called solving for x the education project with this project we
education project with this project we
education project with this project we develop a new play inspired by the topic
develop a new play inspired by the topic
develop a new play inspired by the topic of educational equity right here in
of educational equity right here in
of educational equity right here in Albuquerque we’re doing this in
Albuquerque we’re doing this in
Albuquerque we’re doing this in collaboration with playwright director
collaboration with playwright director
collaboration with playwright director milto ortiz and scott barrel from
milto ortiz and scott barrel from
milto ortiz and scott barrel from tectonic theater project and the working
tectonic theater project and the working
tectonic theater project and the working class room theatre ensemble since
class room theatre ensemble since
class room theatre ensemble since februari i’ve been working with for
februari i’ve been working with for
februari i’ve been working with for incredible interns ages 12 to 16 and
incredible interns ages 12 to 16 and
incredible interns ages 12 to 16 and we’ve been interviewing various
we’ve been interviewing various
we’ve been interviewing various stakeholders in education we’ve been
stakeholders in education we’ve been
stakeholders in education we’ve been researching the topic both nationally
researching the topic both nationally
researching the topic both nationally and locally and we’ve been training for
and locally and we’ve been training for
and locally and we’ve been training for over a hundred hours with the best guest
over a hundred hours with the best guest
over a hundred hours with the best guest artists from around the country recently
artists from around the country recently
artists from around the country recently we just added eight cast members to the
we just added eight cast members to the
we just added eight cast members to the ensemble ages 11 to 45 and they too have
ensemble ages 11 to 45 and they too have
ensemble ages 11 to 45 and they too have a hand in creating solving for x which
a hand in creating solving for x which
a hand in creating solving for x which premieres at the National Hispanic
premieres at the National Hispanic
premieres at the National Hispanic cultural center in February of 2617 and
cultural center in February of 2617 and
cultural center in February of 2617 and the best most crazy part about this is
the best most crazy part about this is
the best most crazy part about this is that they’re getting paid to do all of
that they’re getting paid to do all of
that they’re getting paid to do all of it and it’s more than just the money
it and it’s more than just the money
it and it’s more than just the money it’s the fact that when you give someone
it’s the fact that when you give someone
it’s the fact that when you give someone a paycheck you are saying to them you
a paycheck you are saying to them you
a paycheck you are saying to them you earned this your time and your skill are
earned this your time and your skill are
earned this your time and your skill are valuable and we see it paid back in so
valuable and we see it paid back in so
valuable and we see it paid back in so many ways sometimes it’s when they come
many ways sometimes it’s when they come
many ways sometimes it’s when they come in for 30 hours in a week to do a
in for 30 hours in a week to do a
in for 30 hours in a week to do a workshop with tectonic tectonic theater
workshop with tectonic tectonic theater
workshop with tectonic tectonic theater project and then volunteer to do five
project and then volunteer to do five
project and then volunteer to do five more hours just to get the piece just
more hours just to get the piece just
more hours just to get the piece just right sometimes it’s when one of my
right sometimes it’s when one of my
right sometimes it’s when one of my interns runs into the building and says
interns runs into the building and says
interns runs into the building and says Megan I just heard my
Megan I just heard my
Megan I just heard my I ins teacher tell another student in my
I ins teacher tell another student in my
I ins teacher tell another student in my class that since he couldn’t read his
class that since he couldn’t read his
class that since he couldn’t read his note book that was written in Spanish
note book that was written in Spanish
note book that was written in Spanish she couldn’t great it he gave him an F
she couldn’t great it he gave him an F
she couldn’t great it he gave him an F we need to put that in the play
sometimes it means that they’re just so
sometimes it means that they’re just so excited to be at working classroom that
excited to be at working classroom that
excited to be at working classroom that they’re in the room before I am but it
they’re in the room before I am but it
they’re in the room before I am but it always means that they understand they
always means that they understand they
always means that they understand they are a part of this process this is not a
are a part of this process this is not a
are a part of this process this is not a play where they simply memorize lines
play where they simply memorize lines
play where they simply memorize lines and our stand where they’re told this is
and our stand where they’re told this is
and our stand where they’re told this is a play where they create the characters
a play where they create the characters
a play where they create the characters where they say I want to transgender
where they say I want to transgender
where they say I want to transgender character in our play where they say I
character in our play where they say I
character in our play where they say I want to let Tina character but she’s
want to let Tina character but she’s
want to let Tina character but she’s white and that’s really confusing for
white and that’s really confusing for
white and that’s really confusing for her where they say I want a character
her where they say I want a character
her where they say I want a character who only speaks Spanish and not because
who only speaks Spanish and not because
who only speaks Spanish and not because he doesn’t understand English because
he doesn’t understand English because
he doesn’t understand English because but it’s because it’s simply the
but it’s because it’s simply the
but it’s because it’s simply the language he prefers and they created
language he prefers and they created
language he prefers and they created they create this world and what does
they create this world and what does
they create this world and what does that mean well right now it means
that mean well right now it means
that mean well right now it means they’re creating a play that speaks to
they’re creating a play that speaks to
they’re creating a play that speaks to them but what does it mean for tomorrow
nearly one hundred percent of working
nearly one hundred percent of working classroom students graduate from high
classroom students graduate from high
classroom students graduate from high school nearly all of them go on to
school nearly all of them go on to
school nearly all of them go on to college with scholarships many of them
college with scholarships many of them
college with scholarships many of them are in schools in Los Angeles New York
are in schools in Los Angeles New York
are in schools in Los Angeles New York Chicago and they do so because they
Chicago and they do so because they
Chicago and they do so because they believe they deserve it they believe
believe they deserve it they believe
believe they deserve it they believe they can succeed this is monumental in a
they can succeed this is monumental in a
they can succeed this is monumental in a district that has a sixty-two percent
district that has a sixty-two percent
district that has a sixty-two percent graduation rate in a state that ranks
graduation rate in a state that ranks
graduation rate in a state that ranks dead last in the country for education
and it all comes back to seeing
and it all comes back to seeing themselves as professionals at 11 years
themselves as professionals at 11 years
themselves as professionals at 11 years old they can walk through our doors and
old they can walk through our doors and
old they can walk through our doors and we can tell them I see you and what you
we can tell them I see you and what you
we can tell them I see you and what you say and think and do aren’t important
say and think and do aren’t important
say and think and do aren’t important just to our organization but to our
just to our organization but to our
just to our organization but to our collective future there’s a quote that
collective future there’s a quote that
collective future there’s a quote that says students might be twenty percent of
says students might be twenty percent of
says students might be twenty percent of our population but they are a hundred
our population but they are a hundred
our population but they are a hundred percent of our future I believe that
percent of our future I believe that
percent of our future I believe that everyone in this room has been a student
everyone in this room has been a student
everyone in this room has been a student at one time education has impacted all
at one time education has impacted all
at one time education has impacted all of our lives in both positive and
of our lives in both positive and
of our lives in both positive and negative ways it is vital to be able to
negative ways it is vital to be able to
negative ways it is vital to be able to say your future is important to us let
say your future is important to us let
say your future is important to us let us show you by investing in you there’s
us show you by investing in you there’s
us show you by investing in you there’s another quote from Augusto Boal wall and
another quote from Augusto Boal wall and
another quote from Augusto Boal wall and he said theatre in itself is not
he said theatre in itself is not
he said theatre in itself is not revolutionary it is a rehearsal for the
revolutionary it is a rehearsal for the
revolutionary it is a rehearsal for the revolution we live in a society that too
revolution we live in a society that too
revolution we live in a society that too often wants artists and young people to
often wants artists and young people to
often wants artists and young people to work for free that doesn’t see students
work for free that doesn’t see students
work for free that doesn’t see students as a valuable resource but rather a
as a valuable resource but rather a
as a valuable resource but rather a product that needs to be fit into a box
product that needs to be fit into a box
product that needs to be fit into a box these students the same students will be
these students the same students will be
these students the same students will be our leaders our innovators our bosses
when these students write a play about
when these students write a play about education they are also getting an
education they are also getting an
education they are also getting an education and so am i we are training
education and so am i we are training
education and so am i we are training alongside some of the best artists in
alongside some of the best artists in
alongside some of the best artists in the country as equals and the students
the country as equals and the students
the country as equals and the students don’t have to say I want to do this but
don’t have to say I want to do this but
don’t have to say I want to do this but I can’t afford it or how am I going to
I can’t afford it or how am I going to
I can’t afford it or how am I going to fit this into my schedule when I have to
fit this into my schedule when I have to
fit this into my schedule when I have to work to support my family this is their
work to support my family this is their
work to support my family this is their work this is their contribution not just
work this is their contribution not just
work this is their contribution not just to their education but to the future of
to their education but to the future of
to their education but to the future of their community and we all benefit we
their community and we all benefit we
their community and we all benefit we can’t train for the Industrial
can’t train for the Industrial
can’t train for the Industrial Revolution anymore it’s time we train
Revolution anymore it’s time we train
Revolution anymore it’s time we train for the creative revolution
these students are creating a map for
these students are creating a map for the future and in this map they get to
the future and in this map they get to
the future and in this map they get to lead us at working class room we don’t
lead us at working class room we don’t
lead us at working class room we don’t believe that students or that teachers
believe that students or that teachers
believe that students or that teachers no more than students we’ve simply been
no more than students we’ve simply been
no more than students we’ve simply been around longer I know I learned more from
around longer I know I learned more from
around longer I know I learned more from my students every day than they learn
my students every day than they learn
my students every day than they learn from me I guarantee it and when i get my
from me I guarantee it and when i get my
from me I guarantee it and when i get my paycheck i’m able to look at it and
paycheck i’m able to look at it and
paycheck i’m able to look at it and think i deserve this I’m proud of this
think i deserve this I’m proud of this
think i deserve this I’m proud of this so let me ask you again when was the
so let me ask you again when was the
so let me ask you again when was the first time you felt like a professional
first time you felt like a professional
first time you felt like a professional how old were you and what difference
how old were you and what difference
how old were you and what difference would it have made if you felt that by
would it have made if you felt that by
would it have made if you felt that by the time you were 11 years old
”
Be First to Comment