Oregon Children's Theatre Launches "I am... Me!" Educational Program

Oregon Children’s Theatre will launch its newest education program, I am… Me! this month. Developed by OCT’s Education team, the program was initially funded by a grant provided by the Oregon Department of Education as part of its LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Plan, with the goal of delivering a six-week curriculum program to high school educators in support of exploring their own unique identity and gaining a deeper understanding of peers through a series of storytelling exercises.

The program, piloted in June 2023, will have public performances this weekend: first, a free showcase of works at Curious Comedy Theater on Friday, July 14 at 2:30 pm, and a second performance as part of Stomping Grounds Arthouse’s Saturday Thing Series on Saturday, July 15 at 6:30 pm at Urbanite PDX. These showcases are made possible by support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

“As a queer artist who grew up in Oregon myself, this program makes me incredibly proud of the innovative, inclusive work we are doing at OCT and we applaud the NEA and the ODE for being allies in this space. It is crucial for youth-serving organizations to stand up against hate and discrimination, while uplifting youth with marginalized identities, and I am... Me! does just that,” says Michael Hammerstrom, OCT’s Director of Marketing and Development. “OCT is at the forefront of showing how the arts can help improve mental health, acceptance and confidence in teens.”

In developing the curriculum, OCT gathered educators and teaching artists from a variety of fields who all identify as part of the LGBTQ2SIA+ community. The power and artistic excellence that has emerged from the collaborative nature of these individuals working together to plan the curriculum is palpable, focusing on the LGBTQ2SIA+ experience, history, the intergenerationally expressed resilience of the queer community, discussions of the intersectional challenges faced by queer youth of color and disabled queer youth, and much more. The six-week curriculum guides students through different exercises—including artistic expression, writing, self-reflection, games, and more—to support students in defining and refining a deeper sense of themselves and their individual identity.

“I am incredibly proud that OCT is making a commitment to supporting some of our most vulnerable young people through this programming, and with this extraordinary funding from the NEA and the Oregon Department of Education,” said Jenn Hartmann Luck, Producing Artistic Director at OCT. “When we support the most vulnerable young people in our communities, we create programming and services that support ALL young people.”

This ambitious initiative builds on OCT’s commitment to being a welcoming, safe space for youth of all identities and centers the unique challenges and trauma queer youth are facing today. The curriculum program will be available beginning in Fall 2023; high school educators who are interested in learning more about the program can contact Nick Condon, Education Programs Coordinator at OCT.

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