community Education

Teaching Artist Philosophy

I am interested in developing and implementing creative writing programming for LGBTQI+ youth. I teach and learn poetry, in its endless myriad forms, alongside students of all ages. As a young queer person coming out in the American bible belt, I found visibility, haven, and outlet in words. As a teacher and mentor, I am inspired by the ways in which creative articulation can aid in an authentic discovery and possession of self. I believe that the most generative learning happens when the innate voices and impulses already possessed by my students are carefully reinforced. Because the poetic sensibility of each student is nuanced and unique, my vision for poetical development for each student continually accommodates tailoring. Transparency and humility are central to my teaching. I want poets to leave my workshop thinking about their personal aspirations, whether that be of a poetic, pragmatic or holistic nature.

CWP’s Teaching Artist Project (Cohort Fellow, 2018-2019)

“Teaching Artist Project (TAP) is a comprehensive training and internship program designed to prepare practicing artists to bring their craft to the classroom. The program entails a rigorous, 8-month curriculum, rich in social justice-based pedagogy that also provides supervised on-the-job experience. The program is a division of Community-Word Project (CWP), a New York City based 501(c)(3) arts-in-education organization that inspires children in underserved communities to read, interpret, and respond to their world and to become active citizens through collaborative arts residencies and teacher training programs. Formerly known as the Teaching Artist Training and Internship Program (TATIP), Teaching Artist Project was the first of its kind and remains today the only comprehensive training program for working Teaching Artists. Teaching Artist Project alums have gone on to serve over 250,000 students throughout the world.”

Badgerdog, The Austin Public Library Friends Foundation (Teaching Artist, 2015)

“Writers of all ages and skill levels are invited to examine the techniques of literary artists and experiment with language to communicate experience and meaning. Our goal is to empower Austinites to develop the skills necessary to communicate effectively and beautifully, to amplify individual voices, and to share in a love of reading and writing.”