Youth Programs

The podcast program gives young people the opportunity to perform all the roles involved in making a podcast from start to finish. These include preparing the topics and questions for each episode, presenting these to peer students for their feedback, and rehearsing the back and forth of the discussion. Students will also learn how to record and edit the podcast, as well as how to distribute the podcast on streaming platforms. These roles will change each week so that by the end of the program all the participants will have done each of the roles and gain knowledge to produce their own podcast. Students will both host the podcast, as well as be guests, which helps improve their communication skills, lets them learn to express themselves, and gain experience speaking out on issues that are important to them.

The program gives voice to the participants, most of whom come from at-risk or otherwise marginalized communities, who too often have not had a say in their own lives and circumstances. The Podcast Program gives each participant the opportunity to have a platform to discuss their own thoughts and ideas about prejudices and biases they face, due to racism, sexism, socioeconomic status, disability, or other factors that can limit their potential.

The History of Hip Hop will show how composers and performers of different ethnic backgrounds created the music styles - including jazz, gospel, rock and roll, soul, and funk - that led to the development of hip hop.

The purpose of this program is to enable the participants to use artistic expression to tell their stories of how they have overcome racism and prejudice and replace it with acceptance and understanding. To accomplish this goal, the participants will work in groups with a mentor of their choice in either dance, music, visual art, photography, film, or writing/poetry. They are using artistic tools to have an impact against bias among peers and within communities.

The Heroes Program is a seven-week program in which scientists, artists, cultural leaders, political leaders, sport figures, and business people of all ethnic groups will be presented and discussed. Additionally, women, LGBTQ, and those with handicaps will be included. The Heroes discussed will encompass those figures who are often not covered in the traditional curriculum taught in school.

This program will expose the participants to an in-depth look at different cultures' history and art that they would otherwise not be able to experience. The museum docent's presentation regarding each culture will be specifically designed to address racism, prejudice, acceptance, or understanding.