Purpose
Bay Area Creative strives to enhance various sectors of education, business and mental health through providing innovative, joyous and emotionally potent programs utilizing the art form of spoken word poetry. They exist to bring creative perspectives to people doing meaningful work for the betterment of society. Their commitment to culturally relevant practices permeates every facet of their programs as they uphold the value of responding to the specific needs and strengths of each person and group they serve.
Approach
In the classroom, office, therapy site and teacher training location they use the creative works produced by participants in their workshops to identify how they can best meet the needs of who they are working with. Their facilitators are industry professionals skilled in adapting services to create customized workshops where cultural sensitivity is supported, social emotional skills are bolstered and creative works reflect the background of participants. They use spoken word poetry as an entry point into evocative conversations that unveil new pathways, illuminate connections and create a nuanced picture of identity.
Philosophy
They believe that creativity is the ultimate expression of free will and through the works of students, teachers and employees we are brought into a collective understanding of each other and the co-created experiences we share. They see culture as arising from the locations that we inhabit and identity as a reflection of that culture. That when are all on the same page of awareness about each other’s identity and culture dynamic, smooth and innovative relationships arise and thrive.
Vision
They foresee a world where education is able to directly respond to students ‘identity and culture, where therapy is a journey of discovering that the stories of our lives are malleable expressions that can be ReVisioned as testaments of growth, and where companies are able to create an environment that acknowledges diverse cultural backgrounds as strength points in this pluralistic society