Spring 2020 - ACE

It's interesting the Duchamp's fountain is in this genealogy. I would never peg that piece as a work of community engaged art. In fact I think the point of the work is to be contrary to what the art community was doing at the time. A clear piece of evidence for this is the face that fountain was rejected from every gallery that Duchamp presented it to. Fountain may have been created in 1917 but it was utterly rejected by the art world at the time and wouldn't be presented until the 1960's. I guess maybe what makes Fountain a piece of community  engaged art is the fact that it didn't fit within the meta of art being produced at the time. If that's the case then any work of art that pushes boundaries in the art world should be considered community engaged because it is engaging with the art community itself. It's interesting to have my eyes opened to how engaged most good art is. It feels as if the only works that are worth while are the works that are engagin...

What changed about your understanding of community-based arts after reviewing this genealogy? I didn’t know that there were that many theories surrounding community-based arts. I thought that the community-based arts was a big circle where people just wanted to support the public and the communities that were surrounding them. Some things that changed for me were the differences between the public art. I assumed that they would not all fall under the same category, but I did not assume that there they would be that many categories that tied together the genealogy of arts and community engagement. As time went on, it seems as if artists became more self aware of the things they were doing and the effect it can have on the area and the people who reside in that community. I believe that they wanted to do more than create art and to have a place in the community.  What questions emerged for you? Before John Dewey came up with his theory, did people not value the process of mak...

Fabian Debora is really interesting due to his openness and humility. He had an inspiring journey into becoming the artist he is today. He is very straightforward about his past and doesn't let prior life experiences bar himself or the people he works with from being responsible and engaged community artists. A second takeaway is that he approaches everyone he works with an equal footing. He supports and acknowledges each person he's working with so that everyone is a part of the conversation and feels comfortable. It's good to consider that you can't engage the community if you aren't engaging the individual. The final takeaway is how important it is to have someone from the same community or, at least, a similar background to work with marginalized groups. Fabian being able to connect with the communities he works with allows him to better support and encourage them.

Our team has made good progress in reaching out to people, scheduling interviews, and collecting people's responses to the immigrant and sex worker communities online. We currently have 2 interviews recorded with 2 more on the way. I have set questions and collected answers to internet forums about how sex workers and immigrants have been affected by covid-19, how they feel about their communities, and how outside communities feel about them. The next step for me is to take all the responses I've gathered and separate out 20 of the best/ most relevant ones according to the interview content. For the team, our next step is to determine how we're putting all our materials together and whether we're creating one giant video with text inserts or doing a video magazine of sorts with the slideshow presentation.

I think our final project is coming together, and the process has illuminated a lot of things for me! Initially, our project idea was to interview people in person regarding stereotypes and perceptions of specific groups (immigrants, women, and sex workers), conduct surveys and experiments, and collaborate with individuals and organizations from the field. However, with the restrictions that the coronavirus placed on us, we adapted our project for the Zoom platform we have. We have been conducting interviews via Zoom and recording them, asking our interviewees, first of course, if it was ok to record them, and second, about the thoughts, experiences, and feelings regarding how coronavirus has impacted them, their perceptions, and others' perceptions of the groups we chose to focus on. I myself have conducted 2 interviews so far and have 2 more scheduled tomorrow! I am excited to see how the final product will look like once we piece all the interviews together!

I feel like our team has made significant progress in honing in more specifically on certain aspects of healthcare in relation to the Coronavirus and the given circumstances in which we currently find ourselves. Members of the team have done an excellent job actually creating an online quiz, which includes different theoretical choices/outcomes for a patient diagnosed with the virus, depending on the severity of the illness and the insurance plan. We all researched more specific statistics and information about Nurse Hotlines, different California insurance plans, average medical costs for different situations, and healthcare in other countries. I know that before next week, I personally need to ensure that I know how I will be participating in the live presentation. We need to ensure that we have our powerpoint and our speaking turns (if we so choose) ready to go.

Our original plan for our project was to conduct interviews with different artists and compile them into one video. The quarantine hasn't affected much of our original plans besides a slight shift in topic focus and the way we'll conduct interviews. Although video or voice interviews would be ideal, we recognize that not all interviewees will be comfortable with publishing their opinions online, so we decided to give them the option to conduct interviews anonymously or to use written responses. As for our topic, we decided to focus on current day issues and see how covid-19 has impacted the lives of people and how they differ between races, economic standing, gender, and so on. We've decided to keep on with the idea of compiling the responses in a video format so that it may be more accessible able to a larger audience.

Our final project has been coming along very smoothly. Garrett and I have created a list of questions, and we have each coordinated with our volunteers to plan times to hold the zoom calls. I have completed my zoom calls already and they have all gone very well (I got recording consent from all of my volunteers and their conversations were very safe and flowed naturally). Garrett plans to hold his zoom calls this week and weekend. Currently, I am in the process of editing a highlight reel of my volunteers’ zoom calls to show to class. (I’d love to show each conversation in its entirety, but it would take up the entire class period). Garrett and I look forward to presenting our videos and explaining our findings and experiences to the class on April 29. 

Being able to meet with Fabian Debora was a great experience. Hearing him talk about his own stories and how it shaped the way he works and what he does in his community was truly inspiring. I loved the way in which he works with people, and how he has his own art space set up in the same space where he works with his community. He definitely practices what he preaches, and is a great example for the community he works with. I also liked the way in which Fabian considers everyone to be on the same level, and finding it important to realize that your background doesn't matter when it comes to being an artist. It is also very important to collaborate with people from all over, no matter what age you are, so that people can learn from one another. Fabian's approach to speaking with people is also very interesting. The way in which he stays on the same level, and not trying to be above anyone but being as authentic and open as possible. For example, not starting out with a bi...

Fabian Debora The meeting with Fabian was a really wonderful experience. Hearing him talk about his past and how it has shaped him into the person he is today, and how it brought him to community based art was really inspiring. One of the things that he said that really resonated with me was when he brought up the clear differences between himself, the people he works with and us. It was cool to see him directly target the privilege in the room and remind us all that our background doesn't matter when it comes to being a good community engaged artist. Fabian said that any of us could do work like the work he is doing and I felt that was a really beneficial thing to mention, especially to a class full of privileged kids attending an expensive private art school. Another thing that really struck me about Fabian was his frankness and authenticity. The way he talked about his life was so plainly put and he told it all so confidently with a smile and a laugh. I think this attitude ...

3 takeaways I had from the guest lecture with Fabian Debora were: It is crucial to build connections for the youth and adults that you are working with beyond the end date of the project. That way, they have a support system and someone to count on, and professional relationships help them foster their career pathways. One can bridge the gaps and further stories by creating collaborations between all ages so that the younger generations can learn from and carry on the stories and lived experiences of the elders. When everyone who is successful in an impacted community leaves, that results in a brain-drain of sorts in the community, halting the potential of growth within the community rather than the successful people staying and bringing up the whole community.

Fabian Debora was such a genuine storyteller. I really appreciated him letting us into his world and his perspective. The three biggest takeaways for me were: 1. Debora was so open with us and it was really inspiring. A huge takeaway for me was his willingness to share and his ability to be vulnerable about the past. I'm realizing that this type of connection is incredibly important when engaging with the community in the ways that he does.  2. Another huge takeaway for me was the way his mother stood by his side through everything. I really want to meet this woman. She sounds so strong in so many ways that I could never imagine. The bond that his family has is unbreakable and beautiful.  3. A third takeaway was his lack of judgement for anything or anyone. We as humans often make so many assumptions about our surroundings. It was a breath of fresh air to hear someone talk about opening a conversation with anyone, no matter the circumstances they were dealing wit...

Fabian’s story telling. Something I thoroughly enjoyed about Fabian was the way he told his story. Something about the way he told his story, maybe the tone or his dialect or maybe the way he spoke conversations between him and the people he encountered throughout his journey, kept me engaged at all times. There was not a single moment during our class where my attention strayed and I genuinely enjoyed his time spent with the class Fabian’s openness. He was very real with the class and his past. I did not expect him to tell us about some of the dark times in his life. I can only imagine that admitting faults he has done in his past is never light hearted and easy especially to a group of strangers so I am very grateful he shared some of his vulnerable moments and experiences with us.  His impact. I admire Fabian’s utilization of art and helping those who need a form of expression or temporary escape through art. I knew that art could be a powerful entity for a plethora of ...

3 takeaways: 1. First, I realized how vital unconditional love is in community work. Through out Fabian's presentation, his mother remained a constant support system until Fabian was ready for devoted recovery. I believe Fabian is offering this same unconditional support network that saves lives in the same way his mothers unconditional love saved him. 2. I also saw from Fabian's work the importance of the community serving itself. Fabian shares experiences, perspectives, and obstacles with the people he hopes to help, which means Fabian is the most equipped to guide them towards their goals based on his own path of healing. He has a deep understanding, whereas someone looking into the community from the outside may want to help but is unable to understand and risks ineffectively serves the community. 3. Fabian's work also brought to light to me how self-development doesn't only serve the self, it serves the community, and by helping others in our community heal them...

Given my Mexican heritage, I understood quite clearly the background and crowd in which Fabian associated himself with and how hard it is to turn things around in this particular lifestyle. There are numerous people I know, family friends or even branches of my family itself, who follow suit and have a very hard time seeing things in a broader perspective and light that Fabian has done for himself. I admire Fabian's story for this very reason, as it is extremely difficult, sometimes impossible, to have the mental capacity and capabilities to put aside this doomed lifestyle for a better way of life that he can share with his true loved ones. It takes a large amount of maturity, love, and compassion to forego all he has known, whether it is sustainable or not, and to come to that realization that you need to pursue a greater sense of morality and purpose to live. Especially with how much he provides for his family, community, and world in a broader sense. In his current venture...

His story was very interesting to say the least. I loved hearing about how terrible of an environment he grew up in and all the harm he was put through and was still able to conqueror it all and make himself a happy life. He was very inspiring!

1. Fabian talked about his hardships and how he overcame them. I think every artist at some point in their career faces some kind of hardship in their life. It felt refreshing to hear him be honest about how he faced those hardships in his life and how he used the lessons he learned from them to his advantage. I think its especially important for us as artists to hear in times like these where everyone as a whole is facing a similar issue and for us to discuss ways to adapt and overcome those obstacles. 2. Fabian mentioned the importance of patience when it comes to vulnerability. Although some may be willing to share their vulnerability to strangers almost immediately, there are those who may wish not to share them and it is important to respect and understand their decision. I sometimes have trouble with opening up my own vulnerabilities to people whether that be in the form of a discussion or in my own art. 3. Fabian stressed the importance of community and acting as a whole to so...

- His ability and willingness to share with us his story, life and art. - His ability to overcome hardships thrown at him. - His involvement in his community, especially concerning gentrification and helping others overcome the system.

Fabian kept saying that we can't ask the people we are working with to be vulnerable immediately. I really appreciated that, actors are often asked to be vulnerable with people they don't know and we perform in front of strangers and that's really difficult and I really liked that Fabian acknowledged how difficult that is and said that we have to be gentle with people who aren't used to that. I mostly grew up in LA and I've witnessed the gentrification of it and I've had friends in similar situations to Fabian and there's been gentrification in my hometown. So I really liked that Fabian acknowledged that doing art in his community and engaging his community in that art is an important tool to help combat gentrification and displacement in communities.  I loved hearing Fabian talk about his family, specifically his mother. I loved that he really stressed how important family is to him and how important family is to young people and their development as th...

Willingness to bring change to his community. Being open to new ideas and willing to take chances.  Diligence and perseverance is the one of the keys to his success. Even despite his hard upbringings, he continues to work hard and be a good example to those around him.   You can do anything if you put your mind to it. Fabian Debora is an example of this. Having passion for the thing you are doing and the mentality of serving your community.

1) Highlight 3 insights that your reading has helped bring to the surface. Use specific text evidence to link your insights. 2) If you could ask the author 3 questions,  what questions might those be? 3) What applications might this work have to your understanding of an ethical approach to community-engaged arts? 4) Consider the work we have been exploring this semester thus far.  Choose one artist or project that resonated with you. What ethical considerations were in place on this project? 1. One insight that the reading showed me was in regards to Sierra's comments on the tattoo artist. In the text it says, "It is not the tattoo that is of interest here, but the very fact that the social, economic, and political conditions exist whereby such events can take place." I never thought of his work as a critique on the conditions that lead to the event itself having importance, rather than fixating on the idea of the tattoo or the physical. While ther...

- Three key ideas discussed in the text that resonated with you and your interests or wonderings about community engaged arts - Three questions sparked by the content and/or vocabulary of the text ​ One key idea that resonated with me is when the question came up of how do you form communities and communal identity without creating a scapegoat. When talking about the concepts of Utopia's, this is one of the core concepts thats arises: how do you create a paradise without creating a gulag? This leads to worldviews like how the community is the utopia and the Outside is the scapegoat. But to create a community that can thrive in its structure without the need to create fear to maintain the structure is the end goal for certain community engaged arts. Another key idea that resonated with me was that of discussion and its role in the community engaged arts. It seems as if every piece mentioned in the reading had a discussion phase in it, whether it be the discussion as a perform...

Reflect on 3 key takeaways in connection to arts and community engagement based on the work of our guest Fabian Debora. Post your reflections on our blog.  1. Being a member of the community you are trying to engage with is very important. It seems like today there are millions of different perspectives and worldview that lead to very different understandings of the human experience. When trying to talk with a member of one community and share your ideas, it is essential that you yourself align your perspectives and worldview with that of their own so that you can have a shared understanding. Without that, it seems as though ideas are more difficult to explain. 2. I was moved by hearing how important family is to Debora. It seems to be a central point in the bulk of his work, and a means of grounding himself. Which I can see as being an important aspect in community engagement as having a strong sense of family is having a stron...

What community engagement strategies did the artists and their collaborators utilize in this project? What are your thoughts on the effectiveness of these strategies? Some of the strategies they use for community engagement: Before the project started itself, Suzanne Lacy worked with the community for two years before hand to teach classes at a local high school, which were aimed at helping students be more prepared to fulfill all the production roles. She also spent this time teaching the faculty for high schools around Oakland as well. For the students themselves, they are engaging with the community by having their conversations in cars that can be easily heard and observed from the outside. The audience can simply stand by them and listen. Effectiveness of these strategies: I think the extensive preparation was incredibly effective for this project. Although two years is a long time to dedicate only on pre-production, it allows Lacy to be a member of the co...

After listening to Fabian Debora’s presentation on Wednesday, I was fascinated by his ideas and beliefs regarding art and community engagement. My first takeaway was when Debora said that leaving Boyle Heights to create art in some downtown, hip location would weaken the foundation of the neighborhood where his life was located. This is an important concept in the matter of community engaged art because the kind of individuals that Debora seeks to reach are ones that hail from poorer areas, rife with gang and drug activity. Debora has created a place of artistic stimulation and healing, and it is located in the home turf of his own community.  My second takeaway was Debora’s mission for “Somos LA Arte.” Debora identifies “community” as one of the fundamental aspects of his school and emphasizes that “community” is all inclusive. Debora said that if we judge anyone , fear will develop. In other words, we should not further ostracize those involved in gang or drug activity, becau...

I was incredibly moved by Fabian Debora's stories. Among the many things that stood out to me, here are three of my personal key takeaways: 1) I wrote down the following quote from Fabian: "I paint, create, and walk with those I serve at the same time." This is so poignant to me, because it is one thing to claim to help others, but if we are not actively engaging in creation and artistic processes with them, then the work is weakened and real community is not built. 2) From more of a leadership/teacher/mentor position, I found it very important that Fabian addressed the concept that we cannot ask those we work with to be vulnerable right away, to expect anybody to feel comfortable enough and willingly ready to immediately engage in vulnerable exercises and activities. Instead, we, ourselves, must prove that we are trustworthy, and we must actively work to establish ourselves and our relationships with those we are working with, before everybody can be immersed in the ...

In Kester’s seminal text, Conversation Pieces: Community and Communication in Modern Art , countless revelatory concepts were discussed in regards to collaborative encounters and conversations. Kester asserts that performative conversations reframe our understanding of what art can be and what form it assumes. In other words, in a 21st-century context, art is not merely limited to a physical medium such as paint or marble; instead, it can also exist as an organized conversation or interaction. Even though such examples of art assume a markedly different form than that of modernist art, they share similar objectives: to challenge one’s assumptions, subvert expectations, and to offer an alternative point of view. Kester’s text also underscores the power of performative conversations by suggesting that placing people of different backgrounds and viewpoints in these insular contexts, one can facilitate more organic and subsequently less hostile dialogues, which in turn effects positive ch...