Teaching Artistry with Courtney J. Boddie Teaching Artistry with Courtney J. Boddie

Welcome back to the second part of our special episode​, the first of which was recorded live at the Face to Face 2024 Conference in New York City. In our last episode, we ​featured an insightful discussion with James Miles, also known as Fresh Professor, about the transformative power of hip-hop in education. James shared his mission to reshape the perception and treatment of children in the U.S. education system, highlighting the importance of teaching methods that resonate with how kids learn and the crucial role of collaboration.
​I​n Act 2, Courtney continues her engaging conversation with James Miles, delving into audience comments and questions from the live session. Together, they explore topics such as the challenges of standardized testing,​ the importance of parental involvement in education,​ and how hip-hop can bridge generational gaps and serve as a catalyst for human connection. Join us as we continue to unpack these vital ​t​opics and more, and their impact on education and community.

In this special episode, recorded live at the Face to Face 2024 Conference in New York City, Courtney J. Boddie has a panel discussion with James Miles, also known as Fresh Professor. With a rich background as an artist and educator, James brings over two decades of experience from New York City to Seattle, where he now serves as an Assistant Professor at Seattle University and Creative Economy Manager at the Seattle Office of Economic Development.

In this discussion, centered on the transformative power of hip-hop in education, James reflects on his mission to change how children, particularly those who resemble him, are perceived and treated in the U.S. education system. James also notes how hip-hop culture can bridge the gap between students and curricular content, offering a relatable and engaging learning experience. James highlights the importance of teaching methods that align with how kids actually learn, being a positive influence in all educational spaces, and the crucial role of collaboration. Additionally, he pays tribute to his colleagues at the New Victory Theater in New York City, whose guidance helped shape his inclusive and inspiring approach to education.

Our newest episode, Episode 69: "Building Intentional Queer Spaces,” features Adam Odsess-Rubin, whose many roles include Founding Artistic Director of National Queer Theater (NQT). In their conversation, Adam offers a glimpse into NQT’s programs, including DREAMing Out Loud; Write it Out!; and Staging Pride Queer Youth Theater, a program that offers free acting classes for Queer and Trans youth that culminates in devising original works. At the heart of these programs, Adam notes, is Queer activism through community-engaged arts programming. The heart of this thoughtful conversation shines when Adam states, “I’m looking for community,” he says and continues by reflecting, “I’m that queer artist that needed a home.” Their conversation continues as they discuss: creating supportive spaces for Queer youth to be creative and build community; how, within current systems, administrative practices can’t always act in concert with the support systems created for meaningful community engagement; and the friction that comes with the balance of programming and finding moments for rest and grace.

Our newest episode, Episode 69: "Building Intentional Queer Spaces,” features Adam Odsess-Rubin, whose many roles include Founding Artistic Director of National Queer Theater (NQT). In their conversation, Adam offers a glimpse into NQT’s programs, including DREAMing Out Loud; Write it Out!; and Staging Pride Queer Youth Theater, a program that offers free acting classes for Queer and Trans youth that culminates in devising original works. At the heart of these programs, Adam notes, is Queer activism through community-engaged arts programming. The heart of this thoughtful conversation shines when Adam states, “I’m looking for community,” he says and continues by reflecting, “I’m that queer artist that needed a home.” Their conversation continues as they discuss: creating supportive spaces for Queer youth to be creative and build community; how, within current systems, administrative practices can’t always act in concert with the support systems created for meaningful community engagement; and the friction that comes with the balance of programming and finding moments for rest and grace.

In Act 2 of Episode 68: “Pockets of Light,” Courtney continues her conversation with multidisciplinary artist Jerron Herman. What sticks from Act 1 of this episode are the internal themes of personal and professional growth, and disability justice through disability artistry. What’s new and exciting about Act 2 is Courtney and Jerron’s deep discussions centered on art-making by and about disabled communities through a disability justice lens; Jerron’s invitation to identify one’s authentic curiosity about this work and considering ways one might enter deep conversations that explore disability justice; what solidarity means in the context of building bridges from one community to the next; and we have been indoctrinated to believe that capitalism (an oppressive presence in our lives) is the only way to exist and how, together, we can move toward a more liberated society, deeper thinking and move beautiful art-making.

Our newest episode, Episode 68: "Pockets of Light,” features multidisciplinary artist Jerron Herman. In their conversation, Courtney and her guest discuss their time together at New Victory, when Jerron was just starting out in the arts world. The episode continues by exploring Jerron’s position at the intersection(s) at which his artistry currently lives and continues to evolve. This leads Courtney and Jerron to discuss personal and professional growth and their respective trajectories into their current positions/careers—for Jerron, this is an emphasis on disability justice through disability artistry.