ABSTRACT
Joshua Rashon Streeter (Classroom Teacher) and Nicole Olusanya (Project Manager) reflect deeply on their collaboration with I Dream: Boston, a partnership between ArtsEmerson (presenting arm of Emerson College), Snowden International Public High School, and award-winning actor, activist Daniel Beaty’s program I Dream. Drawing upon Beaty’s poems as a Black man in America for inspiration, students generate their own work in reframing past experiences to heal and raise consciousness as to how those experiences directly relate to larger social issues. While a seemingly impactful experience for the high school students involved, this project delves into some of the ethical and logistical concerns of facilitating a complex applied theatre program. Reflecting upon this case study, Streeter and Olusanya generously highlight essential practices for asset-based education, collaborative care, access, and artistic expression.
