Monthly Spoken Word “Kickbacks” in which artists will showcase their talents through the art of spoken word in front of an audience virtual or in-Person. Each month artists will have the opportunity to submit themes related to social justice/activism/the Black experience, etc. Submissions will be voted on, and the theme with the most votes will be introduced via email or via social media with an inspiring quotation from a notable activist/author/educator, etc. one week before the monthly “kickback”. The “kickback” date will be made available two weeks in advance. Example: September, Activism as Courage “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” -Thoreau
Director/Host: Jodi Fernandez
Jodi Fernandez is a passionate educator, creator and director who began teaching at Peekskill High School in 2007. That summer, Jodi rewrote the curriculum for the course, African Diaspora, to reflect the anthropological, cultural, and social histories of the descendants of the first modern humans. In 2015, Jodi’s course was accepted as an accredited college course through SUNY Albany’s “University in the High School” program at PHS. For the past three years Jodi has written, created, and directed her SUNY Albany African Diaspora students in “edu-tainment” performances—Black Lives Matter (2018), Rise Up (2019) and Melanin Magic (2020). Jodi holds a BA in Communications, an MA in English, and a MS in Adolescent Education. One of Jodi’s greatest passions is helping children hone their artistic gifts and using those gifts as a vehicle for social justice. “Edutainment is Scholarship for the Soul”—Jodi Fernandez