How might we use the lenses of our individual lived experiences, our capacity for empathy and our understanding of institutions and the arts to talk openly about race? In this five part series, educators from around the region join together to explore, reflect, and practice building spaces of racial justice and equity both in the classroom and community.

Interrogating Our Collective Imaginations and Building New Worlds Part 1:

Using the paintings created by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye for the Carnegie International, 57th edition 2018, we will interrogate our imaginations and possibilities. As an artist Yiadom-Boakye says, “Everything is a composite. I work from sources. I make scrapbooks; I make drawings; I collect things that I might use later.” Her current work is governed by these key questions:

-What story do we tell? Will it be a story of beautiful people with artistic souls? Will it be a story of blackness? Will it be a story of painting?

-How might we interrogate our collective imaginations and build new worlds with beautiful people with artistic souls right here in Pittsburgh?

The Empowered Educators Series provides a forum for teachers, educators, administrators, counselors and the like to think critically and openly discuss topics of race, equity, bias, and pedagogy. Empowered Educators Series promotes ongoing learning, partnerships with supporting organizations, and community-building among teachers.

The Carnegie Museum of Art, Center for Urban Education, Western Pennsylvania Writing Project, The Learning Instigator and Remake Learning have joined together to support educators in their approaches and abilities to facilitate thoughtful discussions about race in the classroom.

This series is fully supported by The Grable Foundation and is free and open to the public, though registration is required. Dinner will be provided with a vegetarian option. Please help reduce food waste by letting us know if you need to cancel your registration.

Act 48 hours are available through the Carnegie Museum of Art.

Not quite sure what to expect? We’re here to help! Email Ani (ani@remakelearning.org) with any questions or concerns.