Citizens: Race, Identity, & Democracy

Member Price: $137
SummerWrite Week 5
August 9 – 13
5 Sessions, 3 hours
Ages: Teen
Deadline to Register: August 2, 11:59 pm
Instructor: Almeta Whitis

Using Claudia Rankine’s book Citizen: An American Lyric as a jumping off point, we will engage with discussion and writing around racial identity and social justice issues. We will examine the question of what makes a person the “other.” Through open, ongoing dialogue and an arts process, students will create original stories of everyday encounters with nuances of racism and identity to facilitate a healing dialogue. An anthology of student work will be collected at the end of the week to share with friends and family. Students will receive a copy of Citizen on the first day.

Almeta Whitis is a renowned storyteller, theatre artist, author, and poet who has taught on five continents.  Combining diverse stories and traditions, alongside history, she encourages students to explore movement, dance, film, and the visual arts; and helps them gain knowledge of academic subjects and the world at large.  Her experience as an educator, university professor, and Master Teaching Artist has resulted in many awards, among them, Phi Delta Kappa’s 1995 Lay Teacher of the Year, National Endowment for the Arts’ Most Skilled and Experienced Community Artist, and Governor Mario Cuomo’s 1993 Decade of the Child Award. She is featured in Rochester Museum and Science Center’s “CHANGEMAKERS: 200 Rochester Women Who Have Changed The World” exhibition.

Workshops are conducted EST via Zoom, a virtual platform that allows you to participate in exercises and contribute to group conversation. To participate, please register by the deadline using the ticket portal below, or go to Scholarships. Zoom links are emailed to registered participants.

Scholarships Available