Intersectionality

This will be an interactive Krump/Dance workshop with an opportunity to learn how building a positive self-image can help you develop as an individual and as a future community leader. Participants are welcome to join in with the movement/dance being presented but it is not required.

Artist bio: Traviance Witherspoon is a Multifaceted Artist from Racine, WI. She is a Sports Management Major at UW-Parkside who previously was a UW-Madison PEOPLE Program Scholar majoring in African-American Studies with an Arts Emphasis and a Certificate in Dance Movement Therapy. She has recently competed in several Miss America Local competitions where she promotes “Celebrating Yourself: Projecting A Positive Self-Image” which is a state of mind/lifestyle that gives you the tools to become unapologetically you. Traviance started her dance journey in 2000 with Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Praise Dance as her foundation. In 2017 she began training in the dance style of Krump, a South Central Los Angeles originated Street Style dance closely related to HipHop, characterized by its high level of energy, expressive nature and its roots in African American Culture. Through her hard work and dedication towards the craft she became the Leading Lady of the Wisconsin Krump Movement (WIBuck) where she is best known as Buckerfly. She has a love for the community and carries this passion everywhere she goes.

What does it mean to be a civic leader or to even have political power? Understand and explore civic engagement, by learning more about grassroots organizing, mobilization, and advocacy that can build the political power of the next generation of young people: You! 

Presenter bio: Maia Pearson, a graduate of Madison West High School, is the Vice President of Madison's Board of Education, serving on the board since 2021. Maia has over a decade of organizing experience, including running successful grassroots campaigns focused on engaging young people and communities of color. Maia has and continues to work directly with the community, government agencies, and local and national nonprofit organizations, focusing on issues around education, food and housing access, and equity in development. Maia received her bachelor's degree in International Relations and East Asian Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Rep. Francesca Hong will lead a discussion on the important intersection of youth politics and governance. This workshop intends to explore how students and activists can use their identity and lived experience to enact change in their communities and effectively lobby policy makers to act on important issues. 

Speaker bio: Francesca Hong is the representative for the 76th Assembly District in the Wisconsin State Assembly. 

This 55-minute workshop incorporates imagination and theater games to create a greater sense of self-expression, how one fits within a group, and how one fits within the greater whole. We will create a safe and fun space to engage with improvisation techniques, the Viewpoints acting method, breath work and movement.

Encore Studio for the Performing Arts celebrates 23 years as Wisconsin's first professional theatre company for people with disabilities and is one of the very few in the United States. Encore offers an innovative, inclusive, and professional environment where all people work together in the pursuit of artistic and theatrical excellence. Encore’s actors develop their creative skills and talents to communicate, through the performing arts, a challenging and authentic message about disability and culture.

Presenter Bio: Jessica Jane Witham, (she/her/hers) is an arts producer, director, performer and educator. Program Director of Encore Studio for the performing Arts and Artistic Producer with Whoopensocker, Jessica has worked with many wonderful companies including American Players Theatre, Forward Theatre Company, Music Theatre of Madison, Theatre Lila, the NYC Frigid Festival, and the NYC Fringe Festival. Additionally, Jessica is a certified yoga teacher specializing in trauma sensitive yoga and founded the hybrid theatre-yoga program TheatriKidz Yoga. Jessica attended American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City and UW–Madison where she received her BA in cultural anthropology and MA from the Bolz Center for Arts Administration. 

Explore variations in dance, hip-hop, popping, krump, locking and house

Presenter bio: Kooy has been teaching street style technique (hip-hop, popping, krump, locking and house) 12+ years and KPOP choreography for 5+. He's won and judged all styles battles all around the midwest. He’s very passionate about utilizing the art forms as a way to express all parts of yourself, build self confidence, as well as using it as therapy for our mental, physical and emotional health. 

In this workshop, students will explore the history of "Asian blepharoplasty," a phrase used to describe the surgery many Asians receive which gets rid of the monolid. Students will watch videos clips, read articles and hear a lecture on the history of this surgery and its impact on Asian across many different nations. 

Presenter bio: Mai Her is currently an English teacher at West High School. This year she is teaching English 1 and AVID 3. She has always worked towards advocating for Race and Equity issues throughout her life especially raising awareness around Asian American issues. She graduated from UW-Madison with a bachelors in English Literature and a certificate in Asian American Studies, Religious Studies, and European Studies. She continued her education at Edgewood College with a Masters in Secondary English Education. She is also the club advisor for Asian Student Union at West High School. In her free time she likes to spend time outside: gardening, riding her bike, and running around with her two very active sons. 

As a transracial, transnational adoptee, my identity was formed by the deep desire to please and “fit in” within the classrooms of rural Tennessee. All I wanted was to be “normal” which really meant being a person my name and physical appearance would betray. When I felt I had sufficiently accomplished my façade, others would remind me of my true status. The pandemic introduced me to seven young men that would help me accept my Korean culture.

Presenter Bio: Adopted in 1968, Rosita is a transracial, Korean-American, Holt International adoptee. Her road has been speckled with Puerto Rican and Appalachian relatives. While quite content with her role as a “Tennerican,” she has discovered that her children, the second generation of adoptees, have inherited her racial ambivalence. As a result, Rosita returned to Korea in August 2014 and makes trips each year to relax in anonymity. She spends her time as an art educator, ceramicist, and performance artist and is passionate about issues of race, gender, and adoption. Find her on YouTube as The Korean Hillbilly and on her podcast, “Bless Yer Lil’ Ol’ Heart.”

An estimated 300 youth in Dane County are homeless every night. In this workshop, we will explore why this is the case, what is being done to prevent youth homelessness, and how we can further address this issue. 

Presenter Bio: Will Altaweel is a Youth Counselor in the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program at Briarpatch Youth Services, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the lives of youth and families. Will is also a West High alumnus, having graduated with the class of 2017. 

In this workshop, students will learn about rape culture, sexual violence, and consent. Through discussion and group activities, they will ask and answer: What is it, and what can we do about it? 

Presenter bio: Courtney Schwalbach is part of the RCC Sexual Violence Resource Center’s Outreach, Education, and Prevention team. As the Prevention Specialist, I spend much of my time working to empower young activists and support their visions for safer communities. I have a background in youth work, and I hold a degree in Gender & Women’s Studies, Legal Studies, and Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin. 

Where art and activism collide, a workshop to inspire creative thinking and writing while confronting social justice issues and elevating your personal experiences. 

Presenter Bios: 

Ali Muldrow: Parent, Partner, MMSD Board of Education Treasurer, Tuesday host of a Public Affair on WORT 89.9 FM

Mary Swenson: English teacher / educator, Instructional Coach, poetry lover 

We'll learn about bodies and how they work, debunk myths, and explore how culture and media can influence sexual health and autonomy. Bring your questions and curiosity to this safe, respectful space. 

Presenter bio: Emily Beaman, DNP, CNM, APNP, is the full-time nurse at West. Prior to coming to West last year, she practiced midwifery in clinic and hospital settings, providing sexual and reproductive health and primary care to a diverse patient population for 10 years. 

Explore Solarpunk concepts of a liberated future with a deep connection to nature as you creatively imagine a more equitable future through an art form of your choice. Then, discover some concrete organizing steps that you can lead to bring your visions to life! 

Presenter Bio: Karen Polnitz (she/her) is a writer, performer, organizer, and educator who enjoys growing alongside each new group of students she is able to guide in exploration. She holds a B.A. in Playwriting from UC Santa Barbara and an M.A. in Teaching from Fresno State University. She has served as an arts, high school, and spirituality educator for the last decade, organizes and supports social justice efforts in the Madison area through Families for Justice and within her virtual job based out of Fresno, CA. 

This workshop will be centered around how to support LGBTQ+ youth. We will talk about terminology and definitions, why it's so important to support LGBTQ+ youth, and how to support and protect LGBTQ+ youth. 

Presenter Bios: 

Tyrone Creech Jr. (he/him) is the Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at GSAFE. He comes from one of the longest standing black families in Madison, going back four full generations. Graduating from East High School in 2007, Tyrone went on to UW-Platteville to focus on his successful post high school athletics, where he discovered himself and came out at the age of 21. Upon returning to Madison, he’s gone back to pursuing higher education at MATC, focusing on a Communications degree with emphasis on LGBTQIA+. Tyrone has worked with GSAFE as an adult mentor for over four years, being a staple at the Leadership Training Institute camp that is held every year. Since sports have been a part of his life for so long, he dreams of one day focusing his advocacy in the queer community on LGBTQIA+ young athletes, providing guidance through his experiences and hope to nurture their confidence and activism into their future lives. No matter the occasion, Tyrone brings his leadership, confidence, and loveable personality to the table in hopes of positively influencing everyone he connects with.

Sue Neeley (she/her) is the Director of Youth Programming and Family Engagement at GSAFE. She is very passionate about serving children and youth and supporting educators and families. Sue has worked with children and youth as an Assistant Director (Pre-K through 5th) at Goodman Community Center. All of the work she has done, since graduating from Winona State University in 2006, has been centered around children and youth in some capacity. Sue is a first generation American. Her parents left Laos and stayed in a refugee camp in Thailand during the Secret War in Laos. They were later able to immigrate to the United States with most of their family. She speaks Lao fluently and enjoys cooking and sharing Asian cuisine with her family and friends. Sue is a proud wife and a mother to 3 beautiful children and 2 lovely dogs. When she's not working or volunteering, Sue enjoys walking in the woods, dancing, martial arts, playing games, and singing karaoke.

How do YOU imagine the future of the world? This workshop is an opportunity to envision a future you want to occupy. We'll work through a set of brief writing exercises designed to help you voice your hopes and dreams for the future of our shared planet.

Presenter Bios: 

Lauren J. Lacey is an Associate Professor of English at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, where she teaches courses in contemporary literature, gender studies, and environmental studies. Her scholarly publications include The Past that Might Have Been, the Future That May Come: Women Writing Fantastic Fiction, 1960s to the Present (McFarland, 2014), and her fiction has recently appeared in magazines including Silver Blade, Electric Spec, and Tree and Stone.

Rebecca Dickman is a senior at Edgewood College majoring in English and minoring in Art and Psychology. She currently works as a writing tutor and the Student Manager within the tutoring spaces at Edgewood. Additionally, she serves as a youth arts instructor for MSCR.  After she graduates this spring, she plans to attend graduate school for English Literature. 

Shay Pollard is a senior at Edgewood College majoring in English and minoring in Religious Studies. She plans to teach middle or high school post-graduation while working on a writing career, creating stories that promote critical thinking on how we relate to other created beings within our shared world. 

Jenna Sanchez is a student at Edgewood College studying Sociology, Spanish, and English. She is also a softball player for Edgewood and has been playing since she was 8-years-old. She enjoys reading, watching Grey’s Anatomy, and spending time with her family and friends!

Every community in Wisconsin is affected by hate, hate crimes, and violence. We may not know where or when violence will occur, but we can plan how to respond with strength and resilience. This workshop will introduce students to recent stories of hate crimes from across the state and begin a discussion about what students can do to work against hate in our communities. 

Presenter bio: Benny Witkovsky (WHS class '08) is the coordinator of the Youth Powered for Unity project on hate crimes and hate motivated violence in Wisconsin.