What authorized and mobilized me to be able to do exactly what I am doing right now - writing this blog - was the practice of acceptance. Radical, radical acceptance. I have been fixated on a lesson I am borrowing from Dialectical Behavioral Theory (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), both of which are rooted in Zen Buddhism (and subsequently Buddhist Psychology - a topic I’ll save for another time). The lesson is simple: Acceptance ≠ Approval.
Read moreBRIDGING: to New Opportunity
I’ve encountered a whirlwind of changes since I graduated college. In just over a year, I moved to Washington, DC, started living with my partner, and changed jobs multiple times (while not always knowing what was next). Through each transition I faced, I had to bridge a wide gap between one thing to another. Although daunting at the moment, I found that building bridges is much easier when you look for common ground, even in unlikely places.
Read moreA2RU: Looking Forward to The Future of the Arts
The experiences shared at the A2RU Conference brought new insight to my personal artistry. As a DMA Candidate in Flute Performance at the University of Houston, I was inspired by the motivation to modify curriculum and encourage the next generation of artists to “think outside the box”. The confines of our art’s education has limited exploration and an understanding of art’s true purpose. This is-of course-subjective and will differentiate among each individual artist. But, I believe that there is a general consensus that artistry is an enlightening experience that allows individuals the power of expression and provides a more meaningful way to make a large impact on controversial and pivotal issues that we face in society.
Read moreCOMMUNITY POST: The Mutual Benefits of Arts Partnerships Ignites Post-Pandemic Community Engagement in Cultural Life
As a music educator during COVID, I reached out to the community and forged partnerships with local museums and organizations.The area museums were viable partners as they were not open to the public and in need of programming. Our school musicians performed lawn concerts at the local museums and recorded performances in their facilities to couple with museum online events.
Read moreHow can we encourage college students to use their Radical Imagination?
On June 10, 2022, Jeff and I moderated and participated on a panel entitled “Learning in Liminal Spaces: Arts Integration from the Student Perspective,” at the A2RU@10 Symposium What’s Next for Arts Integration? hosted by the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. We were joined by two panelists, both of whom have interacted with higher education arts-related programs in various capacities, shared their ideas and reflections about a carving space for unique scholastic journeys in the higher education ecosystem.
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