The Shakespeare and Social Justice (SSJ) initiative offers an urgent and innovative curriculum that illuminates Shakespeare’s texts through social justice principles, and the project provides educator training that encourages and supports students in artistic action against bias. Aligned with English Language arts standards, the SSJ curriculum draws upon three decades of nationally recognized arts-based youth programming informed by social justice values and actions. SSJ curriculum is designed to raise student social emotional awareness and advance youth development, especially in under-resourced neighborhoods and schools. The SSJ project demonstrates how investing in arts education (through literary and theater arts, especially) makes an investment in identity, diversity, justice and action for all.

 

IDENTITY | COMMUNITY | JUSTICE | ACTION

 

 THE LEADERSHIP DESIGN TEAM

Laura Turchi
Program Co-Director 

Kimiko
Warner-Turner
Program Co-Director 

Peter Howard
Senior Teaching Artist 

Jon Royal
Senior Teaching Artist

Ben Donenberg
SSJ Project Director

Marina Oliva
SSJ Program Director

 

Shakespeare Center LA respectfully acknowledges that its board of directors, staff members, artists, teaching artists, program participants, and patrons live, work, create art, present, and attend performances on the unceded territories of the indigenous Gabrieleño culture and Kizh, Chumash, and Tongva nations. We honor and respect the many indigenous peoples connected to this land and express our admiration for their resilience and for the many important cultural leaders in the region—past, present, and future.