The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles

Why is a dead, white, English writer from hundreds of years ago still a component of a contemporary empowerment program which includes largely BIPOC youth? Wouldn’t it be empowering to focus on any other playwright/poet/bard of color? Will Power to Youth emphasizes to students, that there are many writers writers and story-tellers of all races, alive and dead, and people of all genders and languages, that are equally fascinating, inspiring, and ...challenging including the youth writers working on the play adaptation in Will Power to Youth! Shakespeare’s works are compelling tools for Will Power to Youth for a number of reasons: First, by hiring youth as adaptors of a Shakespeare play it reinforces that their voice and creativity is equally powerful and worthy of attention. Second, Shakespeare’s language is hard! Young actors must use dictionaries, lexicons and other resources to decipher meanings from the text. The play is like a giant puzzle and requires complex thinking and promotes literary and vocabulary development. Third, overcoming the challenges of Shakespeare supports the youth in realizing that they can do anything if they put their minds and hearts into the effort. When they realize that they can do Shakespeare they feel that they can do anything! Lastly, some philosophies developed by Shakespeare’s contemporaries, many very problematic and reflected in his plays, have become internalized over the centuries and impact the lives of modern youth today. Human Relations helps youth to analyze the historical philosophies and themes contained in Shakespeare’s text. Using the text as a jumping off point, the youth decide how they want to address these philosophies in their play adaptation as well as in their lives at large . In these distinct ways Will Power to Youth explores how Shakespeare’s stories and understanding of the human spirit still resonate for contemporary audiences. #shakespeare #willpowertoyouth #youthartsinaction #changedlives #giveajob #talkitout #humanrelations #shakesrace See more

We’ve talked a lot about Human Relations being an important element in Will Power to Youth but how does it really reduce prejudice and bias or build communication skills for the individual youth? Will Power to Youth’s Human Relations practices create the following outcomes for each youth. I have a full range of feelings and emotions I am shaped by personal experience with people and places I can talk about my thoughts and feelings related to my identity... I can experience and talk about my feelings when they arise I can acknowledge and empathize with the feelings of others I have a community that supports my identity Because I belong to specific groups I experience and am experienced in specific ways I feel positively about the groups I below to and I can show respect to other groups I am an important member of several communities including this one I can describe my communication style and adapt it to better interact with those whose style is different I am aware that stereotypes can be hurtful and I know how to challenge them Human Relations theory outcomes fight bias, promote understanding between individuals in diverse communities, and builds community of trust and respect #willpowertoyouth #shakespearecenterofla #socialjusticeart #socialjusticeteacher #layouth #layouthatwork #youtharts #youthartsinaction #youthlead #changedlives #giveajob #talkitout #humanrelations #raceb4race #shakesrace See more

How is Will Power to Youth is a social justice program? Is it? And how does that happen? The connection comes about in many ways but especially because of the Human Relations component. Social Justice describes a view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. Social Justice work aims to open doors of access and opportunity for everyone, particularly those in greatest need.... The Human Relations practices of Will Power to Youth provide an opportunity for youth to explore individual and group identities through discussion and by examining Shakespeare’s and characters. Youth develop an understanding of how stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination influence interactions in each other’s lives as well as their character’s lives. The facilitators give time to practice conflict resolution when the inevitable issues arise in the creation process of the play. By applying Human Relations youth are more likely to find respectful, productive, and just solutions to conflict. Practicing these skills creates respectful communities which in turn naturally open doors and opportunity to everyone and thus creating social justice. Social Justice access and opportunitymight also be associated with who is served by Will Power to Youth. Most of the youth participants are from underserved neighborhoods or families who are living below the poverty line. Their families and the schools in these neighborhoods are not necessarily able to afford supplemental summer programs. Access to these elements creates life-changing opportunities for participants that they could not even have imagined for themselves on the first day. Will Power to Youth **Transforming Youth, Play by Play** #willpowertoyouth #layouthatwork #youtharts #youthartsinaction #changedlives #talkitout #humanrelations #leadership #socialjusticeart #shakesrace See more

4 Ways that Shakespeare Center LA’s Will Power to Youth program cares for the development of the whole person ... Mentorship- At the time of the founding of Will Power to Youth LA schools were notorious for having overcrowded classrooms where many students were completely ignored. Standing by the Human Relations Theory that each individual is productive when given attention and understanding, it only made sense that Will Power to Youth increase the number of adult an...d experienced youth leaders in each program. Therefore, student to leader ratio can be higher than 2:1 in Will Power to Youth Mentors include: social workers, facilitators, artistic mentors, theatre professionals, teachers, and youth leaders. Workplace Skills - In the aftermath of the Rodney King Civil Unrest the City of LA surveyed youth to understand how they could serve them. Youth replied that the thing they needed most was jobs (mentorship was second!). The city provided funds to programs like Will Power to Youth to create jobs and do job training. Hourly wages incentivized youth to commit to the challenging program (as opposed to stipends which might be easily dismissed for other pressing commitments) Job training prepares youth to succeed in their future workplaces and increase their resume power and earning potential. Life Skills - Human Relations provides a framework for building interpersonal communication and conflict resolution. By collaborating on the adaptation of a Shakespeare play, youth are practicing skills that can be used in everyday life as well as the workplace. Academic Development - Puzzling out Shakespeare’s language with dictionaries and lexicons, creating a play, examining the world of Shakespeare and contrasting it with today, all builds research and critical thinking skills. These activities create confidence and build academic engagement that can be applied to all subjects. Will Power to Youth - Transforming Youth, Play by Play #willpowertoyouth #shakespearecenterofla #layouthatwork #youtharts #changedlives #giveajob #humanrelations See more

What makes Will Power to Youth unique? After all, there are lots of youth programs out there. There are lots of youth programs that teach theatre and Shakespeare too. There are a few programs that teach job skills and underwrite hourly or program stipends for salaries. There are programs that teach youth about social justice. Many youth programs increase academic achievement and graduation rate in some way or other. What makes Will Power to Youth uniqu...e is that it DOES ALL THESE THINGS. All the elements are knit together and work together to create outcomes that transform the lives of youth. #willpowertoyouth #shakespearecenterofla #ArtsInLA #ArtsCA #youthartsinaction #giveajob #learning #theatre #Shakespeare More info on Shakespeare Center LA's Will Power to Youth -->> Link in Bio. See more

Clearing up confusion today! Is Human Relations the same as Human Resourcesthe department that gives me my medical and dental benefits Short answer=Different things: Prior to World War II the Scientific Management or Taylorism focused on worker productivity and efficiencies and considered workers an extension of machinery Humans were considered resources.... Human Relations Theory was popularized just after World War II as a business theory that proved businesses received greater benefit when they treated their workers as thinking beings with needs. Principles: : Treat each employee as a unique individual : Individuals find value in belonging to groups : When people are provided attention they are motivated and challenged to get more out of themselves : Every person’s behavior is complex :To fully understand people it is important to recognize their personal motivations Shakespeare Center LA and NCCJ, a social justice organization, found that Human Relations Theory also applied to reducing racism and building communities, not just profit centers in business. By giving attention to the individual people, identifying the groups they belong to, by identifying feelings associated with their individual and group identity, and providing time and space to discuss issues, people in diverse communities are more likely to find respectful, productive, and just solutions to conflict How? The youth artists in Will Power to Youth learn and practice Human Relations through reflection on Shakespeare’s themes, small group dialogue as well as full-community discussion, playwriting ( and more! Lastly, challenges in Will Power to Youth (of any sort including workplace-oriented, arts-oriented, personality differences, etc) are dealt with in direct and honest ways within a safe and respectful environment to learn and practice conflict resolution skills. Special Thanks to Patty Mulder/Tools Hero for Human Relations Theory details #willpowertoyouth #socialjusticeart #socialjusticeteacher #socialjustice #layouthatwork #youtharts #youthartsinaction #changedlives #talkitout See more

How did Human Relations come to be a part of a youth arts and workforce development program? Is it important to have Human Relations as part of the curriculum? Human Relations is part of the origin story of Will Power to Youth. Following the Rodney King Uprisings 28 years ago theatre artists from Shakespeare Center were galvanized to be part of long-term positive change for LA youth community. They partnered with NCCJ, a Human Relations organization dedicated to... equity, justice, building community and racism, to create a multi-faceted youth jobs and empowerment program called Will Power to Youth. :Theatre artists brought arts, playmaking, Shakespeare and academic development. :The city government and grant-makers provided funding for youth salaries and job training :The NCCJ provided the Human Relations framework for conflict resolution and productive community building which nurtures self-respect, promotes mutual respect, encourages the valuing of differences. During the course of the program, a trained human relations facilitation team works to create and maintain a safe place for a diverse group of youth and adults to learn together and work toward a common goal, the production of their own original adaptation of a Shakespeare play #willpowertoyouth #shakespearecenterofla #shakespearecenterla #ArtsInLA #ArtsCA #leadon #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #socialjusticeart #socialjusticeteacher #socialjusticeactivist #socialjustice #latheatrelives #layouth #layouthatwork #youtharts #youthartsinaction #youthlead #changedlives #giveajob #talkitout #humanrelations #learning #theatre More info on Shakespeare Center LA's Will Power to Youth -->> Link in Bio See more

Watch this space for a fun 10 part series this fall on Will Power to Youth, Shakespeare Center LA’s youth program. Find out: :Origin story of WPY (well, one of many!) :what human relations ismaybe not what you think! :what makes WPY unique and special :learn how WPY empowers social justice in the community ... :and much more! Is Will Power to Youth a theatre program for underserved youth? Do the kids actually get jobs? Why is Human Relations used in WPY; isn’t Human Relations the department that gives me my dental benefits at work? How does a program empower contemporary BIPOC youth using Shakespeare’s playswithout using Othello? Is there a connection between Social Justice and Will Power to Youth? Answers to these questions and many more! #willpowertoyouth #shakespearecenterofla #shakespearecenterla #shakespearecenteroflosangeles #ArtsInLA #ArtsCA #education #learning #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #socialjusticeart #socialjusticeteacher #latheatrelives #layouth #layouthatwork #youtharts #youthartsinaction #changedlives #giveajob #youthlead #losangeles More info on Shakespeare Center LA's Will Power to Youth -->> Link in Bio See more

Check it out in just a few minutes on Instagram Picture Mexican America!

So excited for Tom's bird encounter in Henry IV to be remembered in NYT this week! Some other moving and delightful outdoor experiences described within. Let us know some of your favorite outdoor theatre moments in the comments!

We are deeply saddened to be bereft of our good friend and champion, Shakespeare Center LA Board Director, Alan Friedenthal who passed last week. Thank you for sharing your love of Shakespeare with us and for everything you did to support programs for youth, veterans and life-long learners.

@piratecork on helping the community to prepare for program. It’s still important to move our bodies and free our voices on Zoom!

Happy 27th birthday to Shakespeare Center LA's distinct, White House awarded program WILL POWER TO YOUTH!! Here are some of our fav aspects of the program L-R 1) circle of Full Community 2) Shakespeare performance and academic study 3) small group "dialogue" reflection and writing ... 4) youth theatrical adaptation of a Shakespeare play 5) learning Human Relations skills and practices including self-respect, mutual respect, and how to value differences. What are some of your favorite aspects of the distinct Will Power to Youth program? Virtual butcher paper rolls out in the comments below ;-) See more