Cindy Foley - Thinking like an Artist

What is the purpose and value of Art education in the 21st Century? Foley makes the case the Art’s critical value is to develop learners that think like Artists which means learners who are creative, curious, that seek questions, develop ideas, and play. For that to happen society will need to stop the pervasive, problematic and cliché messaging that implies that creativity is somehow defined as artistic skill. This shift in perception will give educators the courage to teach for creativity, by focusing on three critical habits that artist employ, 1. Comfort with Ambiguity, 2. Idea Generation, and 3. Transdisciplinary Research. This change can make way for Center’s for Creativity in our schools and museums where ideas are king and curiosity reigns.

Cindy Meyers Foley is the Executive Assistant Director and Director of Learning and Experience at the Columbus Museum of Art. Foley worked to reimagine the CMA as a 21st century institution that is transformative, active, and participatory. An institution that impacts the health and growth of the community by cultivating, celebrating and championing creativity. Foley envisioned and led the charge to open the 18,000 sq. ft. Center for Creativity in 2011. In 2013, the museum received the National Medal for Museums in recognition of this work. Foley guest edited and wrote chapters for Intentionality and the Twenty-First-Century Museum, for the summer 2014 Journal of Museum Education.

In 2012, Foley received the Greater Columbus Arts Council Community Arts Partnership award for Arts Educator. She was a keynote speaker for the OAEA (Ohio Art Education Association) 2012 Conference. She is on the Faculty of Harvard University’s Future of Learning Summer Institute.

Foley is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and The Ohio State University. Prior to joining the Museum, she was with the Institute of Contemporary Art at the Maine College of Art, the Portland Museum of Art, and the Wexner Center for the Arts.

"Artists realize that ambiguity is part of the process. They take it, they identify it, they tackle it head on," says Cindy Foley.
 

Katerina Gregos - Why Art is Important

Katerina Gregos is convinced that contemporary art has an important role to play in society, as one of the last frontiers of free expression. Today, artists and cultural practitioners, rather than politicians, are leading some of the key discussions about the state of the world. Contemporary artists challenge each and every one of us to reinterpret social and political events, and crack cemented opinions as well as dominant narratives propagated by the media and those in power. As an internationally respected curator, Katerina has curated a number of exhibitions dedicated to exploring the relationship between art, politics, democracy, the new global production circuits, and human rights. Let yourself be inspired by Katerina’s talk at TEDxGhent 2014, and find out what contemporary art can contribute to society.

"No great artist sees things as they are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist," Katerina Gregos quotes Oscar Wilde.
 

Linda Nathan - Why Art Matters

An internationally recognized teacher, author, and speaker on school reform, Linda Nathan is the founding headmaster of Boston Arts Academy, Boston's first public high school for the visual and performing arts. Under her guidance, BAA has won state, national and international awards and recognitions, and consistently sends over 94% of its graduates on to college. Dr. Nathan is the author of the book, The Hardest Questions Aren't on the Test: Lessons from an Innovative Urban School, and is currently executive director of BAA's Center for Arts in Education. In this talk, she explores the importance of the arts as key to a complete educational experience.

"I learned early in my training as a young teacher, that there was something about the arts, that could bring people together, across racial divide, across linguistic divide, across socioeconomic differences," say Linda Nathan.

Raul

"When you drum, you can't lie. Drumming comes from the heart. Drumming is my soul. When I drum, I'm at peace. And I want to do something in the homeless community, that will give those men the same experience," say Raul.
 

The Curious Case of Rachel Dolezal (5)

An All In exclusive: Melissa Harris-Perry's extensive interview with the highly controversial former head of the Spokane NAACP, who has been accused of deceiving everyone about her race.

Melissa Harris-Perry is firm but empathic in her interview: She seeks earnestly to understand who Rachel Dolezal is and what she has experienced.

The Curious Case of Rachel Dolezal (4)

"The city of Spokane, Washington, has opened an investigation into whether Rachel Dolezal, the president of the local chapter of the NAACP, lied about her race when she identified herself as African-American on her application to serve on the citizen police ombudsman commission, thereby violating the city’s code of ethics.

In addition to serving as the chair of the police commission and president of the local NAACP chapter—which the Spokesman Review credits her with revitalizing—Dolezal works as an adjunct faculty member at Eastern Washington University."

Identifying with a race or ethnicity that isn't yours is one thing. But lying, deceiving, or otherwise misrepresenting your race or ethnicity is quite another thing. This is definitely a curious case!
 

The Curious Case of Rachel Dolezal (3)

A CNN panel tonight on Rachel Dolezal really just unloaded on her completely unnecessary posing as a black woman when she still could have been involved in race issues as a white woman. Marc Lamont Hill in particular was incredibly puzzled by Dolezal’s actions, saying that no one really chooses to be black as an identity.

"People historically have lied about their race, in order to get more stuff," Hill points out. "Very few people choose Black as an identity, unless they have to. Black is something people have historically tried to get out of, which is also problematic."
 

The Curious Case of Rachel Dolezal (2)

Ruthanne and Larry Dolezal, parents of Spokane NAACP President Rachel Dolezal, talk about why their daughter might be masquerading as African-American.

"I think a lot of people are puzzled, this TV anchor [CNN Kate Bolduan] included."
 

The Curious Case of Rachel Dolezal (1)

Rachel Dolezal, president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP, talks to KXLY4's Jeff Humphrey about several hate crimes she's reported over the years, but walks away from the interview when asked questions about her ethnicity.

"I would love to live in a world where hate crimes didn't exist, and I could assure my children that we're safe," says Dolezal.