Illuminating Youth Voices 2023

The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles (SCLA) presents Illuminating Youth Voices a professional development workshop designed to teach Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet exploring Identity, Community, Justice and Action. The workshops provide arts-based teaching strategies that can transform how Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is taught in high school English Language Arts/History and Social Studies classes. Offering teachers an innovative curriculum that emphasizes the Learning for Justice standards developed by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Led by local and national teaching artists and Shakespeare-focused educators.Teaching Artists and Educators will have an opportunity to learn alongside our Youth Leaders from Will Power to Youth (WPY) as an integral part of the development process. Teachers will receive two (2) free tickets to a performance of WPY’s Romeo and Juliet this summer and discounted tickets to a main stage show. 

08:30 - 09:00 am – Sign-in (coffee & treats provided)

09:00 - 09:05 am – Staff Welcome

09:05 - 10:15 am – Opening activities/ Overview

10:15 - 11:00 am – Guest Speaker: MAMA J

11:00 - 12:00 pm – Aspects of Identity 

12:00 - 01:00 pm – Lunch with Will Power to Youth participants (1 hour)

01:00 - 02:30 pm – Tools to explore Shakespeare + Social Justice/ Will Power to Youth: Youth & Mentors

02:30 - 03:00 pm – Reflection and final comments

08:30 - 09:00 am – Sign in (coffee and treats provided)

09:00 - 09:15 am – Processing the WPY experience

09:15 - 11:00 am – Romeo & Juliet: IDJA connection

11:00 - 11:45 am – Guest Speaker: Robin Lithgow 

11:45 - 12:00 pm – Guest Speaker: Cori Stevenson

12:30 - 01:15 pm – Lunch (45 min)

01:15 - 01:30 pm – Youth led activity

01:30 - 02:30 pm – Snapshot work

02:30 - 02:45 pm – Reminders/ Presentation/ Lesson Plan for 7/29

02:45 - 03:00 pm – Reflection 

08:50 - 09:00 am – Zoom opens

09:00 - 09:30 am – Welcome and Processing the Week’s Activities

09:30 - 12:00 pm – Collective Action preparation

12:00 - 12:30 pm – Lunch (30 min.)

12:30 - 02:30 pm - Presentations

02:30 - 03:00 pm - Conclusions and Post Evaluation

SCLA has arranged a special rate for attendees at the LA Athletic Club, a boutique hotel in a historic private club adjacent to the Jewelry District and the Broadway Historic Theater District, located 1.4 miles from Shakespeare Center LA.

• Rate: $200 including tax - Please give group name “Shakespeare and Social Justice” when booking.

• The hotel features continental breakfast, WIFI, Restaurants on-site, and parking (may include additional fee)

• Additional restaurants close to the hotel include: Little Sister Vietnamese, Bottega Louis, The Exchange, The Bloc, Grand Central Market, Dama, La Cha Cha Chá, and much more.

Most street parking around the building has a parking limit during the day. Please read the signs.

• Street parking on 2nd & Bixel (very limited)

• Self Parking Lot $8 at 1st & Beaudry

• Seoul Sausage - Counter service; 2 minute walk from SCLA

• Masa of Echo Park - 1.4 miles 

• Sticky Rice - 1.4 miles

• Tamales Albertos - .8 miles 

• Tribal Cafe - .8 miles

• Clark Street Echo Park - .5 miles

• Jack in the Box - Drive Thru - 0.5 miles 

Breakfast and lunch are provided on July 21 and 22 (on in-person days).

• Bring anything you think you might need but all materials will be provided. We recommend bringing a water bottle, pencils/pens, laptop (if you prefer to take notes on a device), and a notebook.

• Wear whatever is comfortable for you. There will be light movement activities.

• Please be aware a videographer will be onsite on July 21 and 22 to capture our progress.  Video clips or photography may be placed on SCLA's website, used for advertising, or used for training purposes.  

Please contact NaLonni Madden at nalonni@shakespearecenter.org.

• Expect weather to be 83 degrees (high) / 65 degrees (low)

• The venue is air conditioned.

SCLA follow the LA County Guidelines. At this time, proof of vaccines and masks are not required. Health and safety policies are subject to change according to the LA County Public Health recommendations.