Rationale

Threads of History is an intergenerational arts curriculum for public libraries in New York City designed to engage participants of all ages in exploring and historicizing art learning. The curriculum aims to create connections across generations, promote cultural understanding, and challenge dominant narratives in history by highlighting the voices of historically marginalized groups, including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), Asian, and Middle Eastern communities. By incorporating storytelling around these artistic practices and histories, the curriculum encourages participants to reflect critically on their identities and experiences. The goal is to create a rich, inclusive educational environment that values diverse voices and perspectives, ultimately transforming how art is understood and experienced within the NYC community. Workshops will emphasize active participation, dialogue, and hands-on learning. Social-emotional learning will be a key focus, empathy, resilience, and teamwork skills will also be developed through collaborative projects. By creating a safe space for dialogue and self-expression, the initiative will support participants in navigating complex issues related to identity, culture, and community. The program not only aims to enhance artistic skills but also empowers individuals to become advocates for social change, using art as a powerful tool for storytelling, healing, and connection.

Goals & Reasoning

National Core Art Standards (p.10)

The Arts as Communication
Arts as creative Personal Realization
Arts as Culture, History, and Connectors
Arts as Community Engagement
Arts as means to well-being

Link to National Core Arts Standards

Our Goals

Connect with the community, locally and globally
Learn from elders and ancestors through art
Use art to stimulate the mind
Connecting multiple generations through movement
Art to engage socio-emotional learning

Our Reasoning

Art serves as a powerful tool for people from diverse backgrounds to connect and appreciate each other’s cultures. Involving elders in art helps preserve important traditions and stories, ensuring they are passed down to future generations. Engaging in art activities not only boosts cognitive skills but also fosters creativity, allowing individuals to think in new and innovative ways. The movement and physicality involved in art offer opportunities for different age groups to collaborate, promoting greater understanding and empathy. Ultimately, art provides a space for self-expression, helping people better understand their own emotions while also connecting with others on a deeper level.

Essential Questions

What is community art making ?
How can art making impact the community?
Why does Indigenous stories need to be shared?

Guiding Questions

How do we engage with art as a medium for understanding diverse histories?
How can we create a safe space for diverse voices to be heard?
How can we challenge hegemonic narratives that often dominate educational settings?
How are student voices and histories incorporated into their education?
How do we create practical knowledge that can be used outside of the workshop?

Theories & Educators

Critical Race Theory
Culturallly Sustaining Theory
Critical Theory
bell hooks
Tara Yosso
Paulo Friere
Zhang

Farah Amanda Bobbitt

Farah Amanda Bobbitt is a multiracial person who believes in the power of storytelling and art. She is an experienced early childhood educator, having taught in Chicago, Honolulu, and New York City. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Loyola University Chicago. She gained a Master’s degree in Library & Information Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa with a concentration in School Librarianship. She is currently pursuing her M.Ed. in Curriculum & Teaching from Columbia University. She will graduate in May. She has facilitated professional development at Reimagining Education Summer Institute at Teachers College, iTeach808: Empowering Hawaii’s Teachers in Technology, and Teach21. She was a panelist for Advanced Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction at Harvard University Graduate School of Education, an Abolitionist Teaching Network Recipient, and a co-founder of the Makani Aniani (mirror gift) Award program. She knows we are all storytellers and hopes you are inspired to share your story too.

Jade Charon Robertson

Jade Charon Robertson is a distinguished choreographer, filmmaker, author, educator, entrepreneur, and mother from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Currently an Associate Professor of Dance and Media Technology at Medgar Evers College, Robertson is also the Founder and Artistic Director of 30:11 By Jade Charon and By Jade Charon Company. Renowned for her spirited and soulful movement and choreographic style, Robertson's innovative fusion of dance and film has garnered widespread recognition and numerous prestigious awards. These honors include the Baba Chuck Davis Emerging Choreographer Fellowship at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), the 2024 Angela’s Pulse Dancing While Black fellowship, the 2022/2023 Bill T. Jones/New York Live Arts Fresh Tracks Artist Residency, and the 2020 Hicks Choreographer Fellowship from the School of Jacob's Pillow.

Academically, Robertson holds an M.F.A. in Dance from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts with a concentration in Dance and Theater from Columbia College Chicago. She is currently pursuing the Interdisciplinary specialization as a doctoral student within the Ed.D. Dance Education Program at Teachers College. with research interests that span dance, film, new media technologies, and multimedia dance curricula in Higher Education.

Learn more about her work at www.jadecharon.com and on Instagram at @jade_charon.

Maya Jasmine Vasquez

Maya J. Vasquez is a globally known singer, songwriter, educator, entrepreneur, and activist committed to advocating for underrepresented communities. Born in San Jose, CA, and raised in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Maya J. Vasquez has always been deeply connected to the legacy of farm workers, coming from multiple generations of agricultural laborers in America. This heritage has inspired their active involvement with organizations like the United Farm Workers (UFW) and the Dolores Huerta Foundation.

Trained in both opera and jazz voice, Vasquez has had the honor of performing for notable figures, including Mayor London Breed at the Martin Luther King Brunch in San Francisco. A graduate of the University of Denver with a business degree, they began working on the vision for their own school. Now pursuing a master's degree in Curriculum & Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University, Vasquez is focused on bringing their educational vision to life in their hometown of San Miguel de Allende after graduation.

In addition to their work as an educator and activist, Vasquez is also involved in app development, working on an innovative project aimed at connecting college students with affordable housing options. This app is designed to simplify the housing search process, providing a platform that addresses housing insecurity 48% of college students face during their four years. Set to launch on the App Store in 2026, the project reflects Vasquez's commitment to community empowerment and their entrepreneurial drive, with the goal of creating a valuable resource that will make a lasting impact on students’ lives.

With over three years of experience as an early education teacher, including work with gifted children at the Ricks Center for Gifted Children, Vasquez is dedicated to creating inclusive and equitable learning environments. Their work as an educator, entrepreneur, and activist is driven by a passion for community empowerment and social change.

Learn more about her work here

Follow her on Instagram

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