ASU, Arizona PBS partner to bring social transformation to global community

New podcast will feature unique perspectives on some of Arizona’s most pressing topics

September 20, 2023

The Social Transformation Lab at Arizona State University has a new offering for those looking to practice more thoughtful stewardship of the communities around them.

On Sept. 20, in partnership with Arizona PBS, the lab will launch the “Okay! School Me” podcast, a show rooted in sharing unique perspectives on some of Arizona’s most pressing topics — from LGBTQ+ activism to K–12 education in a post-COVID-19 community. Two people sit in chairs opposite each other in front of a tripod video camera. Jamal Brooks-Hawkins (left) and Mako Fitts-Ward (right) sit down during the filming of the "Okay! School Me" podcast at Ed Plus Studios in Tempe, Arizona. Photo by Kyra Trent Download Full Image

“’Okay! School Me’ asks some of the leading experts, educators and leaders in our community to put social transformation into action, whether it’s in how we educate young people, how we hold lawmakers accountable, or how we envision more equitable and just worlds,” says Mako Ward, director of the Social Transformation Lab and assistant professor of African American and women and gender studies in the School of Social Transformation.

“At its core, social transformation is about acknowledging the existence of structural inequalities and identifying solutions to improve the lives of those most negatively impacted. We wanted to feature the perspectives of individuals most closely impacted by social problems.”

Throughout the inaugural season, hosts and guests demonstrate how classrooms are liberatory spaces of knowledge production and inclusive equity. The season's kickoff features unique voices, each offering a robust take on what social transformation means to them, reflective of their lived and intersectional experiences.

Listeners will hear from guests like queer screenwriter and Faculty Associate Rebecca Semik and Writing Programs Instructor David Boyles, co-founder of Drag Story Hour Arizona, who dives into recent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and offers thoughtful tools for advocates and queer communities.

Associate Professor Carrie Sampson and Ashley Farrell, who recently obtained her master's degree in social and cultural pedagogy from ASU, share staggering realities from the front lines of K–12 education in a post-COVID-19 Arizona.

Listeners will also hear from Associate Teaching Professor Mathew Sandoval and scholar and author Celina Osuna, who break down the balance between deeply rooted, soul-affirming art practices with being educators inside a classroom.

To close out the season, Assistant Professor Joyce McCall is joined by Adrienne Dixson, executive director of the Education and Civil Rights Initiative at the University of Kentucky, to delineate the concept of the New American University, who it’s made for, who it includes and how it can most equitably serve learners across the country.

“Voices on ‘OKSM’ are doing the work of social transformation. … No one is doing the work alone, and the guests featured demonstrate this all too well,” says Jamal Brooks-Hawkins, graduate research assistant at the Social Transformation Lab and a third-year gender studies PhD student at ASU.

Episodes drop weekly beginning Sept. 20. For more information, visit Arizona PBS.

Kyra Trent

Communications Specialist, Social Transformation Lab

Kyra.Trent@asu.edu

A classic story from a new perspective: ASU Theatre kicks off season with unique portrayal of Greek myth

ASU Theatre will kick off its 2023–24 season with an adaptation of the classical Greek tragedy “Iphigenia, King’s Child," by Dutch playwright Pauline Mol, on Friday, Sept. 22. The adaptation is intended for middle school- and high school-aged audiences, and is designed to give youth a chance to think about moral ambiguity and serious stakes.“The child is being used as a symbol to unite the...

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A classic story from a new perspective: ASU Theatre kicks off season with unique portrayal of Greek myth

September 21, 2023

“The child is being used as a symbol to unite the country. She will be sacrificed to bring the wind back,” said Kristin Hunt, assistant director of theater, associate professor and director of the play. “Most versions focus on the parents and their turmoil. This version is told from the point of view of the child as she thinks about why things are weird and what’s really happening, and as she comes to understand and think about her responsibility to society and family.” People acting in a play on a stage. Ashley Anne Njoki Harris (front, seated) plays the role of "Child" in ASU Theatre's production of "Iphigenia, King’s Child,” premiering Friday, Sept. 22. Photo by Abigail Wilt Download Full Image

Ashley Anne Njoki Harris, who plays the role of “Child,” was tasked with embodying childhood for the audience. Harris is a communications major and theater minor. She said she uses giggling, smiling and joking to portray childlike naivete during scenes of heightened emotion. Harris’ performance is an important part of the show’s message concerning a child’s place in society.

“I hope that this specific role allows people not to see being childish as an inherently negative thing,” Harris said. “A lot of the time, especially in the show, there’s a lot of negativity placed on being childlike when there doesn’t need to be. I think being a child is one of the best things you could ever be.”

The production’s musicians use found objects to create soundscapes throughout the show — items like a handsaw, coins and sandpaper. The sounds emphasize moments of tension, excitement and sadness.

“I think the way we’ve been allowed to play and make discoveries with what the show means to us and how we can truly express the material is going to make it a powerful piece,” said Axel Adams, one of the show’s musicians.

In this version, some of the actors speak Spanish in different scenes. The language puts a focus on the ways the actors express their characters and emotion through tone. Fredy Gonzalez, a junior at ASU, plays the role of Clytemnestra. Gonzalez is a native Spanish speaker and expressed excitement about speaking Spanish in the show.

“I love that I get to speak Spanish in the show, because it’s my native language,” Gonzalez said. “I say the lines differently and I speak differently when I’m speaking Spanish. It adds different emotions and different stakes to it.”

Actors on stage during dress rehearsal of "Iphigenia, King's Child" by Pauline Mol.

Photo by Abigail Wilt

Austin Adelman (left) and Fredy Gonzalez speaking Spanish in a scene during a rehearsal.

Photo by Abigail Wilt

Jose Martinez Rendon (left) and Fredy Gonzalez share a scene while musicians create sounds in the background during a rehearsal.

Photo by Abigail Wilt

Musicians use found objects to create soundscapes for the play.

Photo by Abigail Wilt

The cast and crew of “Iphigenia, King’s Child” have been working hard to bring this work to the stage.

“We’ve put a heavy focus on building ourselves as an ensemble and creating visual moments that really stand out and represent some of the emotions and themes that are going on in the world and in the characters,” said Ty Klassen, an ASU senior who plays Menelaus.

“We have a really good group of people who are involved in this production, and I’m excited for people to see it.”

“Iphigenia, King’s Child” will be playing in the ASU Lyceum Theater from Sept. 22 to Oct. 1. Tickets are available online through the Herberger Institute Box Office.

“Come see the show! Come see the show — in all caps!” said Austin Adelman, a senior playing the role of King Agamemnon.

“I think it’s going to be something very special that hasn’t been at ASU in a while.”

Written by Abigail Wilt

ASU, Arizona PBS partner to bring social transformation to global community

New podcast will feature unique perspectives on some of Arizona’s most pressing topics

Kyra Trent

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A classic story from a new perspective: ASU Theatre kicks off season with unique portrayal of Greek myth

ASU, Arizona PBS partner to bring social transformation to global community

New podcast will feature unique perspectives on some of Arizona’s most pressing topics

Kyra Trent

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