PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 4

Youth Spaces and the Power and Possibility of Performance

By Joe Cytrynbaum

While the previous two chapters tive projects (Weis & Fine, 2000). develop a framework that could focus analyzed the limits of Franklin High’s Nonetheless, the work that takes place and deepen my analysis of the forms approach to bringing students together in youth spaces is never simple, and of cultural production in these spaces. across lines of difference, this chapter always fraught with contradictions: Lyric and Asian American Stud- looks closely at two spaces where stu- [We] acknowledge that there are ies had certain things in common: dents engaged in practices and forms no neutral spaces, that all spaces students created both; both involved of cultural production with transfor- are ‘political’ insofar as they are performance; and both provided op- mative possibilities. Throughout the infused with questions of power portunities for meaningful engagement research process I looked for spaces and privilege. All spaces suffer the with forms of difference. On the other where youth were, in fact, making burdens of social contradictions. hand, three important differences dis- the most of the opportunity to attend None are insulated from racism, tinguished the spaces: one site was a a school with peers from across the sexism, homophobia, and clas- class, the other an extracurricular ac- city, and from across the myriad de- sism. As such, all spaces carry the tivity; one site was facilitated by a sup- mographics that constitute Franklin’s capacity and power to enable, re- portive adult, while the other was com- student body. Specifically, I sought strict, applaud, stigmatize, erase, pletely student run; finally, one focused out spaces where youth came together or complicate threads of youth on the experiences of a particular racial for one of two important purposes: identity and their ethical commit- group while the other centered on a to cross boundaries of difference or ments (Weis & Fine, 2000, p. xiii). popular form of youth culture. In this to affirm and re-imagine identities. I chapter, I describe each youth space glimpsed a variety of spaces within Indeed, Lyric provides an example separately, focusing my analysis on one Franklin High where students engaged of how a youth popular culture form key performance in each: the cipher, an in one or both of these two tasks, but can play a contradictory and at times improvisational rap performance, and the two spaces I discuss in this chapter reproductive role in structuring per- the performance project that I devel- capture best the limits and possibilities formative forms of cultural production oped with the Asian American Studies of such spaces. Specifically, these spac- in a youth space that brings students teacher and his students. I conclude es highlight how performative forms of together across lines of difference. the chapter with a brief discussion of cultural production both reproduced On the other hand, the Asian Ameri- the role of leadership in structuring and and challenged the dominant institu- can Studies class demonstrates how facilitating the work of youth spaces. tional dynamics with respect to differ- performative forms of cultural pro- ence. Students created and ran one of duction can enhance the transforma- LYRIC the spaces, Lyric, an after school hip- tive possibilities of spaces for youth. hop club. The other space, an Asian Building on the youth spaces litera- Rap, for the most part, was the com- American Studies class, came into ex- ture, I use Conquergood’s (1989; 1991; mon ground that was responsible istence through the collective efforts of 1992) synthesis of performance theory for bringing us all together into one a group of Asian American students. as a framework for discussing the role big posse. Earlier cliques separated As I discussed in chapter one, a na- of performance in Lyric and the Asian girls from boys, the youngest from scent body of theory and research on American Studies class. By focusing on the oldest. We’d come together for youth and schooling documents and the role of performance, I demonstrate the sake of rap. Whether young or analyzes the power and possibility of how performance theory can enrich the old, male or female, if you could re- spaces created for and by youth (Fine, important scholarship on youth spaces. cite the lyrics to ‘Rapper’s Delight’ Weiss, & Powell, 1997; Weis & Cen- Moreover, I call attention to how forms in its entirety, you were the shit. trie, 2002; Weis & Fine, 2000). This of performance can play a significant Period. (T-Love, 1993, P. 309). work calls attention to the important role in supporting the social and aca- identity work and educative practices demic work that takes place in such But I didn’t infiltrate black teen- that take place in such spaces, and it spaces. In addition, both the performa- age society instantly. Much of my highlights how they can provide mean- tive nature of Lyric activities, and the initiation came from the loose-knit ingful opportunities for youth to cross use of student generated performances bunch of kids at my school who borders, resist forms of oppression, as the culminating project for the Asian were into hip-hop. Partly popular, and imagine and initiate transforma- American Studies course pushed me to partly outcasts, our interracial band PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 5

of troublemakers grew up on hip- couraged me to attend that day’s after “I say ‘community’; you say ‘service.’ hop together (Wimsatt, 1994, p.25). school meeting; in the months that fol- Community’!” and we all shouted, “Ser- lowed, he provided me with a wealth of vice!” He then said, “When I say ‘not When I first saw flyers up around information on the club and its history. for’, you say ‘profit’. Not for!” and we school describing a hip-hop club and As school ended later that day, I had all shouted “Profit!” Everyone clapped inviting “poets, MC’s, writers, break- no trouble finding the Lyric meeting; as Jamal turned off the music. Next, a ers” and others to come to Lyric, I thumping beats pulled me down the tall, slender white male student with sensed that this might offer a space for hallway to the spot. The meeting was thick, wavy brown hair and a thick tuft me to learn something about race, cul- held in an unassuming classroom with of facial hair on his chin introduced ture, and a particular kind of diversity desks arrayed in a U shape, the open himself as Yoseph, “a senior, and presi- experience. I knew from my own past end of the U facing the front of the dent of Lyric.” He explained that the experiences that hip-hop has this way room. Passing through a group of Af- meeting would begin by going around of moving across racial, ethnic, and rican American male students congre- the room and having everyone say their class lines, bringing people together gated around the door, I made my way name, class, and what teacher would to share in the pleasure of the music into the room and took a seat in one of be the best emcee (rapper). I counted and linguistic play, while also raising the desks. Several students sat in desks twenty-four people present, with sev- contentious issues around race, class, or leaned against the windowsill, while eral more arriving during the meeting. and gender. Hip-hop always struck me two white male students and Jamal After the introductions, Yoseph said, as a cultural movement that seemed caught my attention as they free-style “We’re gonna start the meeting with to attract attention through its abil- rapped to beats emanating from a small the poets.” He then invited anyone who ity to synthesize provocative themes boom box. They stood in the front of had prepared a poem to take the floor. with urgency and pleasure. Indeed, the room and swayed to the beat, tak- An African American female stu- scholars have explored how hip-hop, ing turns rhyming. Discussing the dent with hair partially dyed dark red a cultural form grounded in Afro-Ca- role of freestyling in rap, hip-hop art- stood and moved to the front of the ribbean, Latino, and African American ist T-Love (1992) offers the following: room. She looked at Yoseph and asked urban cultural production (George, Freestyling is the ability to rhyme him if she was allowed to curse, and 1998; Perkins, 1996; Rose, 1994), has straight from the top of your head, he said yes. She prefaced her piece found resonance across lines of class, as opposed to rappin’ lyrics which by stating that the poem was, “From race, gender, and geography both in have been previously written and a ho’s perspective.” She rocked back America (Cross, 1994; Forman, 2000; memorized, or ‘from page’ as some and forth a bit and gesticulated as Wimsatt, 1994; Guevara, 1996) and in- MCs would word it. Done to a she shared her poem about sex, abor- ternationally (Bennett, 1999a, 1999b; funky instrumental beat, or to hu- tion, and conflicts over men. The Condry, 2000; Mitchell, 1995). For man beat box, even done a cap- poem struck me as powerful, incisive, all these reasons, Lyric caught my in- pella, it is rapping in its freest and intense as well as sophisticated terest because it sounded like a space form and where rap, as we know it and lyrical. Everyone clapped for her. that might provide a glimpse beneath today, has evolved from (p.306). Next, a white student named the surface of Franklin’s diversity nar- Bridgett, a South Steps regular, walked rative through which I might better Freestyling constituted the up front and opened a notebook I often understand how students managed the main activity of the cipher, the per- saw writing in, and proceeded to read opportunities and challenges of com- formative practice I detail below. several poems. One centered on love ing together across lines of difference. Taking in the scene, I waved to Ja- and intimacy and the other described In early April, 2000, three months mal, who nodded his head in acknowl- obnoxious kids on the bus. She didn’t after first seeing the Lyric sign, I met edgment. As I scanned the room, I look up as she read, but her recitation Jamal, a lanky dread locked young man recognized a number of students from was strong. The poems were power- with dark olive skin, baggy cargo pants, other places spaces I hung out around ful, funny and angry. In one, she pro- and a loose fitting t shirt. Jamal was school, including the Gay, Lesbian, claimed her strength as a woman: “Yes, one the founders of Lyric, and I ran into Straight, and Bisexual Alliance (GLS- it’s that time of the month and no, that’s him near the end of the school day, out- BA) and the South Steps. I also noted not why I express myself and my power side the Franklin Broadcast Network that the students in the room where a as a woman.” As with the first poet, cage; he told me that he was attending racially and gender diverse group. I she received applause and encourag- some of the Lyric meetings while tak- saw several Asian and Latino students, ing comments from other students. ing a year off from attending an Ivy although white and African Ameri- Kai, a light-skinned African Ameri- League university to participate in the can students were in the majority. can student with glasses and dread- local City Year program. I mentioned The gender balance was near equal. locks in the early stages of develop- that I had seen some of the signs adver- Jamal encouraged the students near ment, followed Bridgett. He also read tising Lyric meetings, though I had yet the door to come in and join the group. from a journal, and his poem struck to attend. Jamal enthusiastically en- As they took their seats, he rapped, me as a kind of mini-epic about “ex- PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 6 otic” tangerines—a long flowing poem teract with grass roots movements. riffing, while the others kept the beats about identity and spirituality and As the conversation shifted to going. I also watched a small group of life. His delivery was full of dramatic hip-hop culture, Alex suggested that all students do a little break dancing. As pauses and changes in tempo. Stu- musical movements have a culture, and I left the meeting an hour and a half dents actually clapped and whooped hip-hop is just newer. Another student after it began, ten students remained, supportively during some of the pointed out that hip-hop is often not free-styling and break dancing. pauses as well as when he finished. accepted in public. The students then The subsequent meetings I at- Several more poets followed discussed distinctions between “main- tended that spring lasted from 1 1/2 to Kai, and then Yoseph moved stream rappers,” for example, how 2 hours, following a similar format to the meeting into group discus- some of them often have negative mes- what I describe above: some freestyle sion on the topic of the week: race sages about sex and making money. rapping; then around the room with and hip-hop. He began by saying, They agreed that this was the negative everyone introducing themselves and side of hip-hop. An Asian American stu- maybe saying something about their What is really good about this dent mentioned the song “They School” favorite hip-hop artists; a free style ci- school is that you can talk with your by the rap group Dead Prez. He de- pher; opening up for students to read peers about important issues and scribed it as a good song that involved their poetry; discussion of a current learn from them and their perspec- an interesting critique of urban educa- issue; and ending with another cipher tives, which might be different from tion. He said it never gets played on and perhaps some break dancing. Dur- yours. And this is kinda like class, the radio, and several students agreed ing the meetings, Jamal and Yoseph but we all the teachers. Instead to call the “so-called hip-hop radio sta- would announce when it was time of just listening to the teacher all tions” in the city and request the song. to shift activities, though they didn’t day, we’re being creative together. The last part of the conversa- have a formal or consistent routine; tion involved sub-genres of hip-hop, they would subtly confer and then an- Yoseph explained that the issue of like turntablism, as well as regional nounce the shift. Discussions focused race and hip-hop could be sensitive variation in the United States with re- on significant, provocative issues, such because hip-hop is in many respects spect to variation in popular styles of as the WTO protests in Seattle and “black music”, with a history similar to hip-hop music. In addition, they dis- Washington, D.C., as well as issues that American jazz. A student asked about cussed the merits of lyrics as opposed directly impacted the students’ every- these similarities, and Yoseph sug- to good beats, with some students day lives, such as police brutality and gested that both are African-American admitting that there are times when, how schools were becoming more like in origin. Jamal added that, “Jazz uses “You just want to hear some good prisons. These meetings—led by se- African beats and rhythms mixed with beats, even like the Backstreet Boys.” niors Yoseph and Jamal through the appropriated European music.” Yo- This comment generated some laugh- spring, and then by Kai and Bridgett seph clarified that, “I’m not trying to say ter, but several students conceded that and an African American student that one thing is necessarily true, but it was a valid point. Yoseph ended named Lila during the 2000-2001 this is my understanding and opinion.” the conversation by acknowledging a school year—explicitly focused on Lyr- As the conversation progressed, stu- central challenge for hip-hop: how to ic as a positive space where students dents differentiated between hip-hop, keep it going without excluding people. could come together and share their which they agreed is a culture, and rap, After the discussion, Jamal turned creativity and learn from each other. which signified the music industry and on the boom box and several students As Terry, an African American senior business. The students talked about the formed a kind of circle of rappers, and member of Lyric explained to me, potential for hip-hop to really bridge taking turns free-styling to the beats. Lyric is getting people together and cultures and become a multicultural Though I didn’t know it at the time, being open to other ideas. People at movement. Highlighting the potential this was the cipher. Students occa- lyric are open to things, and try to be of hip-hop culture as a unifying force, sionally joined the circle, while a num- open. Freshman year, black, white Jamal said, “Look around this room!” ber of students and I sat and grooved and Asian students tended to hang Some students questioned whether to the music. I noted a range of free- out together. . . . But people in Lyric the popularity of hip-hop would de- styling skills, but the students nonethe- come together from different groups stroy it. As they debated this ques- less supported one another, smiling, and they’re more open-minded. tion, an African American senior grooving and occasionally offering an named Alex, another South Stepper, encouraging remark. Several female Terry’s statement also subtly ref- theorized that hip-hop, like other students free-styled in the circle, as did erences part of Franklin’s diversity popular musical forms, started small students from various racial and eth- narrative—the notion of learning and then developed through “bohe- nic groups. Yoseph eventually turned about and across difference as an im- mians”. It then went “mainstream off the boom box, and several students portant and unique opportunity of- to the masses”. He also suggested proceeded with an improvised beat fered by the school. In this way, Lyric that music will always spawn and in- box ensemble. They each took turns seemed to provide a microcosm of PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 7 the promise of difference at Franklin: 2000-2001 school year only involved it also included two additional African a space where “open-minded” stu- ciphering. Moreover, my analysis of American students and one Asian stu- dents had the opportunity to learn the cipher captures both the possibili- dent. These other students attended about and across forms of difference. ties and limits of performance with re- meetings on occasion as spectators, but When Lyric started again in the spect to bringing students together nonetheless spent time during lunch, fall, the new leadership expressed across lines of difference, as well as in free periods, and after school with similar sentiments about the purpose terms of expressing forms of identity. the core Lyric heads. A third white and promise of the space. At a meet- male student didn’t hang out with the ing early in the fall of 2000, Kai be- THE CIPHER heads very often outside of Lyric meet- gan by explaining Lyric to the group: “Yo, Yo, Yo” uttered rhythmically, ings, but he was a regular in the cipher Lyric is like a forum for people to keeping time or a beat; students would during the 2000-2001 school year. express themselves, to maybe get speak—more of a groove—these words During Lyric meetings, those in the feedback on poetry and flowing. to mark their entrance into the impro- cipher bobbed their heads and shoul- It kind of came back last year, the visational freestyle space of the cipher. ders to the beat or beat box, always third year, after a slow second year. Standing in a circle and freestyling as looking away or looking down, unless It’s a place where you can come and hip-hop beats emanated from a small the emcee spit something outrageous. chill and get lost in the atmosphere, boom-box; this was ciphering. The They seemed to feel the flow, waiting or get flowing or recite poetry. music was always cleansed of its lyr- for their chance to tap into its energy. ics; beats only. The beats provided An emcee would claim the flow and be- Lila added, “It’s a cool club for peo- the driving background, the aural can- gin to spit, marking the entrance with ple to express themselves. It’s a place of vas on which emcees painted Jackson a, “Yo, Yo, Yo” Sometimes two emcees love, not like the Apollo; there’s no cane Pollack style improvised rhymes. In would start the “Yo” simultaneously, and no sandman to pull you off stage.” the Lyric vernacular, they “spit” or but usually the individual with the As I continued to spend time with “flow” lyrics. “Yo, Yo, Yo” the cipher more confident flow would take the Lyric, I learned that the students came literally and figuratively centered Lyric cipher. As I discuss below, students from a variety of racial, cultural, and meetings as a circle in the middle of often wove bits of their identities into economic backgrounds, as well as from the room. Students entered and ex- these rhymes, referencing their race, across the city. They also came from ited the cipher, but a core of students ethnicity, gender and/or religion. The a range of academic tracks. Through always seemed to keep it moving, to more skilled emcees never seemed involvement with this space, students rock it—the emcees, the Lyric “heads”. to lose their flow, and they would at produced and performed a particular I first heard the term Lyric heads times rely on repetition (repeating a kind of “diversity”, a “diversity” in- during the 2000-2001 school year. phrase or word) and/or bridging words flected with hip-hop cultural forms. Lyric heads used it to describe them- (“word”, “yo”, “yeah”, and so on) as lin- Through hip-hop culture, they (re) selves, and other students—some guistic devices to keep their flow pro- produced and performed a range of involved with Lyric and others who gressing. Newer, less skilled emcees orientations to socially significant simply knew of the group—used it as often hit verbal brick walls, stopping forms of difference, particularly race, well. In fact, in the winter of 2001, in mid flow with a “Damn!” or “Shit!” ethnicity, gender, and sexual orienta- several students I spent time with in When this happened, the arrested em- tion. While the club provided students the Franklin Broadcast Network cage cee would usually embody the break with a performance venue—both in began to refer to me as a Lyric head. in flow by tripping forward, backward, terms of the explicit performances of The Lyric heads were all male, al- or standing up, thereby physically free-style rapping and poetry as well though two or three female students breaking from the head and shoulder as the more subtle expressive stylis- who were very involved with Lyric may bopping of the cipher. During such tic performances of fashion, argot and have accepted the moniker. Some stu- breaks, the emcee would sometimes hip-hop and popular cultural literacy— dents suggested, explicitly and implic- laugh and / or make eye contact with it also provided a space for social rela- itly, that it marked the group’s some- others in the cipher. These breaks tions that formed and subsequently what exclusive nature. Sam, an Asian usually didn’t stop the flow, as - an developed outside the temporal and American student who was involved but other emcee would verbally enter the spatial confines of club meetings. not a head, put it this way: “There was break and get things moving again. In order to understand the virtues never a Lyric clique, but now the clique In one of the first meetings I - at and limits of Lyric as a space where runs things. It’s more intimidating to tended, Yoseph expressed his sense of students came together across lines dif- people outside the circle. Lyric was the cipher to the group: “Freestylin’ ference, I turn now to a discussion of immune from the clique thing; now, can be empowering. It can let you vent Lyric’s key performative practice: the even Lyric.” The Lyric heads included your energy. And it’s not a battle; it’s cipher. I focus on the cipher because three African American students, two all peace.” Yoseph would often encour- it constituted the focal practice of Lyric white students, and one Pakistani stu- age students to enter the cipher and meetings; some meetings during the dent; but as an extended peer group, freestyle, emphasizing that individuals PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 8 would not be judged on their rhymes or working class student, often flowed couldn’t seem to get enough of his flow. style. When I asked him to explain the about sex and violence with profanity As the fall progressed, it got to the cipher to me, he said that it’s, “A circle; and bravado. He loved rap star Emi- point that, during some of the more a circle of creative energy.” He told me nem, sporting shirts with his image. crowded meetings, when 50 or more about ciphers in the city that you could He also wore oversized pro sports team students would pack the room, the ma- participate in to develop your skills. Ac- jerseys, football in particular—Tennes- jority of whom were African-American, cording to Yoseph, some of them were see Titan Jevon Kerse, “the Freak”, be- the shift in focus to the cipher was pal- quite competitive and combative. Sev- cause his body is so chiseled that he is pable when Jim began his minimal- eral of the Lyric founders also described a “freak” of nature, seemed his favorite. bass, maximum volume, “Yo! Yo! Yo!” early Lyric ciphers involving spectacu- While Jim didn’t participate in I remember one meeting in particular lar verbal battles. The verbal combat of Lyric during the spring of 2000, he where a group of female African Amer- such ciphers apparently involved em- regularly attended meetings and hung ican students could not seem to get cees freestyling lyrics that were simul- out with the Lyric heads during the enough of his flow. They would perk taneously self aggrandizing and disre- 2000-2001 school year. At some point up, smile, and laugh at his outrageous- spectful to other emcees in the cipher. during the year, he clearly was a head. ness. Indeed, his outrageousness in the Despite Yoseph’s encouragement Jim was serious about emceeing. I cipher consistently elicited positive re- and claims, certain elements clearly remember a conversation with him sponses—clapping, laughter, and even elevated an emcee’s status within the and several other heads during lunch hoots—from the crowd. Jim’s style cipher. While I didn’t focus on this when he discussed recording equip- and the content of his flow were clearly aspect of the performance during the ment, and how he had rigged up his influenced by his favorite emcee, Emi- research, comments made by various boom box to record himself and some nem. Eminem was also well liked by a students, as well as countless hours friends flowing. Unlike the other Lyric number of Lyric students, and I noticed spent watching ciphers—and audience heads, I never heard him read poetry. several African American students responses—clarified two elements as Jim captured my attention the don t-shirts with his name and image. critical when it came to emcee status: first time I saw him take the cipher. Eminem, while controversial, has verbal and physical style and lyrics. Dressed in baggy jeans cuffed at the established himself in the hip-hop In terms of the former, some students ankle and a blue long sleeved button world as a talented emcee. Though earned status through a smooth and down, buttoned up but not tucked in, his Lyrics are at times misogynist and extended style, avoiding verbal brick Jim rhymed in a kind of forceful, ex- violent, the controversy that surrounds walls. But a loud, energized, and fre- clamatory style, talking about violence him centers on the fact that he’s white. netic style could also provide a student and sex, as well as touting his prowess Jim’s whiteness also played an impor- with status. In terms of lyrics, status as lover, fighter, and emcee—I jotted tant role in his cipher work. While Jim seemed to follow from clever and unex- down the word “scatological” in my was not at the two meetings I audio pected rhymes as well as the incorpo- field notebook. As Jim flowed, Ino- taped, I always wrote down snatches ration of lyrics from a previous emcee ticed that students smiled and seemed of his flows. He often flowed about or even poet. I also noted some stu- to enjoy his enthusiasm, energy, and whiteness, for example spitting, “All dents gain status through outrageous outrageous lyrics. When he flowed white people, are not nice people!” violent and /or sexual subject matter. that, “The Puerto Rican girls be calling which elicited laughs and claps from But as I discuss below, the contro- me poppy,” the crowd responded with the crowd. On another occasion, he versial nature of such lyrics seemed laughs and hoots. His flow contrasted flowed, “Let me tell you how a white to generate a limited form of status. sharply with the more playful, pop cul- boy can act: white boy can say nigger, I turn next to a discussion of the ture referencing flows I heard in the don’t give a fuck you can call me wig- cipher work of two specific youth that cipher the previous spring. Even dur- ger!” This was not the only time Jim exemplifies how the cipher is a perfor- ing 2000-2001, when students flowed used the word nigger in his flow, -al mative form that both creates possibili- more regularly about sex and violence, though he was the only white student ties for certain types of expression and Jim set the outrageousness bar quite I ever heard use the word in the cipher. identity work and limits others. In ad- high. Common themes that filled his While I did occasionally hear students dition, this discussion calls attention to flow in the cipher as the year progressed quietly express disdain for Jim’s cipher how the cipher (re)produced the dispar- included sexual acts, guns, and his work, though never to his face, about agement of certain forms of difference. prowess as a fighter. He also occasion- the violence, misogyny, and homopho- ally reproduced the homophobic dis- bic content of his flows, I never heard JIM course I heard at Franklin through de- students comment on the racial con- Within the cipher, students seemed risively mentioning “fags” and “dykes” tent. In fact, in two separate ciphers, I to weave a whole host of references in his flows. Although Jim expressed heard African American male students into their flows as a way to mark and his style through self-aggrandizing, positively reference Jim. The first time, test personally significant aspects of violent, and at times homophobic and a student approvingly wove some of their evolving identities. Jim, a white misogynist lyrics, many Lyric attendees Jim’s content in his subsequent flow, PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 9 and the second time a student flowed breach norms, violate taboos, turn ductive discourse. Here, then, is the about having a gun and then said, “I can everything upside down. By play- contradictory nature of youth spaces spit forever Jimmy style.” Jim smiled ing with social order, unsettling highlighted by Weis and Fine, and the in response to the second reference. certainties, the trickster intensi- contradictory nature of performance: Jim’s cipher work highlighted and fies awareness of the vulnerability Ethnographers are now asking, perhaps pushed against boundaries of our institutions. The trickster’s How does performance reproduce, of the acceptable with respect to gen- playful impulse promotes a radi- legitimate, uphold, or challenge, der, sexuality, and race. His flows cal self-questioning critique that critique, and subvert ideology? expressed a hyperbolic Hollywood ac- yields a deeper self-knowledge, And with the influence of proces- tion movie sensibility, over the top and the first step towards transforma- sualism, they are more and more cartoonish. Students laughed at his tion (Conquergood, 1989, p.83). phrasing their questions so that outrageousness in the same way, per- they embrace a both/and complex- haps, that youth audiences laugh at the While many students seemed to ity, instead of an either/or polariza- outrageous carnage and mayhem of find his flows entertaining, some, as I tion. (Conquergood, 1989, p.90) an action or horror film. And while I stated above, found them objection- hesitate to push this analysis into the able. As a trickster, Jim revealed an Jim’s cipher work captures the realm of Jim’s intentions, his cipher important fault line, a fissure that, with both/and complexity of ciphering work seemed less ironic than playfully the right kind of engagement, might as a performative form: his cultural pop. The violent, homophobic, and have opened up to productive conver- production in the cipher both repro- misogynist content he wove into his sations about issues of difference and duced and legitimated homopho- flows struck me as an attempt to enter- power. Within the physically bound- bic discourse and created an open- tain—and based on student responses, ed space of Lyric this type of dialogue ing for Kai and other students to he did seem to entertain—through ref- never developed, but some students have a critical conversation about it. erencing popular Hollywood and video nonetheless reflected on the meetings game images that pervade the popular in ways that highlight the possibilities. NAF cultural ether. For example, I spent For example, two weeks before gradu- Naf ciphered with an earnestness I time on several occasions with Jim and ation, I sat with Kai and three other didn’t see among other students. He the other Lyric heads at Mario’s Pizza Lyric heads on the school’s front lawn. participated in the first Lyric meeting I Shop, and I remember how they often As they talked of prom, college, and the attended, and continued to participate played a violent military video game sweetly sad last days of high school, until he graduated. Naf’s early flow called Crisis Zone. Jim, in particular, Kai said, “You know, I’ve been think- wasn’t particularly smooth, but dur- enjoyed the game, which involved us- ing that I shouldn’t use the word ‘gay’ ing my time with Lyric I noted a ma- ing a real looking plastic machine gun derisively. Some people were talking jor improvement in his skills. This was mounted on the front to shoot at people about the language in the cipher, and I evident when he came back from sum- and military vehicles on the screen. My realized some of it no doubt offended.” mer break to begin his senior year, and point here is that the landscape of pop- As a form of cultural production, again after winter break in January of ular (youth?) culture is full of the kind the cipher expressed tensions around 2001. He wasn’t as choppy when he of violence, misogyny, and homopho- forms of difference in a way that at spat, and his sense of rhythm seemed bia Jim often referenced in his cipher least opened up the possibility for pro- to have improved. I asked him about work. In addition, the use of the word ductive dialogue. Indeed, as the above this at both junctures, commenting nigger has become increasingly com- example suggests, some students man- that he seemed to have noticeably im- mon among hip-hop youth across racial aged to reflect on and discuss language proved his skills. He downplayed my and ethnic groups in particular stylisti- use in the cipher, and how it might compliment, but admitted that he prac- cally defined contexts (Akom, 2000). reproduce homophobic expressions ticed a great deal. As 2001 progressed, It’s one thing to encounter this and possibly make Lyric an exclusion- I learned that he had a rap group with sort of imagery through mediated ary space. Moreover, I don’t wish to two other students from his neighbor- judge Jim or his flows, to celebrate expressive forms like film or video hood. Naf also spent time on the in- or condemn his cipher work. A more ternet engaged in various chat groups games; Jim, however, brought this useful approach emphasizes how, as centering on hip-hop culture. He stuff to life in the cipher. In this a trickster, Jim’s cipher work poten- even mentioned exchanging lyrics on way, Jim’s cipher work evokes the tially “opens up a privileged space for line and getting feedback via e-mail. role of the trickster: sheer deconstruction and reconstruc- Naf always interacted with me in a tion” (Conquergood, p.83). But the ci- friendly and self-effacing manner. The As soon as a world has been made, pher, as a performative form of cultural other Lyric heads seemed to like him, lines drawn, categories defined, hi- production, seemed to limit such dis- though some considered him naive. erarchies erected, then the trickster, cussion within Lyric. To a certain ex- Kai once said the following about Naf: the archetypal performer, moves to tent, it seemed to actually favor repro- Naf thinks he knows a lot, like PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 10

he’s deep or something. But he’s year Naf came to Lyric hungry and tired see I’m blasting away atomic. Lyri- kind of having an identity cri- from fasting in observance of Ramadan. cal bubonic, plagues in your rays. sis. Naf has a lot of potential, but It was a particularly cold day, and he he’s confused and kind of in de- participated in the meeting without his Such flows, as well as his experi- nial about stuff. And he’s not usual verve. When the sun finally went mentation with free-styling in Urdu, too socially adept. He’s annoy- down, he and Bill, a white student who received little comment from the other ing at times, but he can still hang. seemed to be his closest friend among heads. Unlike spaces where speaking the heads, took off to Mario’s so Naf a language other than English might And during a conversation on the could break the fast with a slice of pizza. elicit derisive laughter, criticism or epi- subway with Jim and Greg, an African Naf exemplified how some students thets, the cipher seemed to provide a American student who hung with the found within the performative vernac- certain level of freedom to play with and heads but didn’t participate in Lyric, ular of the cipher a relatively malleable blur linguistic boundaries. Here was Jim said that, “Naf sucks.” When I space to explore and express elements the promise of the cipher, how it pro- expressed surprise at this and pointed of their identities through a multi-lay- vided a performative space for emcees out Naf’s improvement, Jim conceded ered performance. First, the perfor- to publicly explore, blend, and express that, “Naf is getting better, but he still mative space of the cipher amplified certain elements of their identities. says ‘yo’ too much.” When I asked if he the power of sartorial style to express Ciphering, as a form perfor- had given feedback to Naf about this, identity. Students stood in the cipher, mance, throws into relief the poet- Jim responded, “Naf doesn’t want to in the middle of the room, bopping and ics of identity work. Discussing the hear criticism.” Nonetheless, Naf was grooving, occasionally taking the ci- poetics of performance, Conquer- clearly a Lyric head. When he couldn’t pher with physical and verbal gestures, good (1989) offers the following: attend the meeting on the day the year- sartorial style on full display. I saw Naf Performance-centered research fea- book photographer came to take the transform his sartorial style over the tures the fabricated, invented, imag- Lyric picture for the yearbook, two stu- year and few months I knew him. Dur- ined, constructed nature of human dents held up a sign with Naf written on ing his senior year, he started to wear realities. Cultures and selves are it as a way to symbolically include him. the baggy cuffed jeans, timberland not given, they are made; even, like Naf was from Pakistan, and he and boots, and superhero shirts—Spider- fictions, they are ‘made up.’ (p. 83) his family immigrated to America at man was his favorite—characteristic of some point during his childhood, al- the Lyric heads. He also let his straight This notion of fabricating and con- though I never got all the details. He black hair grow out, following the coif structing identity via performance found in Lyric a space to blend his Pak- style of choice for Lyric heads. In ad- captures the power of the cipher with istani identity with an evolving Mus- dition, he occasionally wore a black respect to identity work. While ci- lim/hip-hop/American identity. While polyester doo-rag, an African Ameri- phering tended to limit or constrain some Pakistani students found support can head wrap associated with the early the expression of some aspects of in Franklin High’s Indian and Paki- days of hip-hop. Yet, Naf maintained identity—for example, certain forms stani Culture Organization, Naf found a sartorial connection to his country of of sexuality—Naf’s cipher work dem- a supportive space in Lyric, and more origin: during the winter of his senior onstrates how it nonetheless allowed broadly in hip-hop culture. In late May year, he often ciphered with a red and for the expression of other elements. of 2000, I recall a conversation at the white patterned cotton scarf his mother For analytic purposes, I focused on tree—Lyric had taken to holding ci- brought back from a trip to Pakistan. the (re)production of divisive forms of phers at this enormous thick old tree Beyond the identity work expressed difference in my discussion of Jim’s ci- on the north side of the school building. through his evolving sartorial style, pher work, and identity construction The tree was ideally located as a perfor- the cipher created a spaces for Naf to in my discussion of Naf’s cipher work. mance venue; it stood tall right next to express his identification with reli- Both discussions clearly overlap, as Jim the main path up which students walked gious imagery, morality, good versus was crafting his identity and Naf was ex- to and from school. And as it was on evil, God, and spirituality. He wove ploring forms of difference. And these a hill, it provided a significant amount these themes and images into his discussions also suggest how Lyric, as of visibility, both to see and be seen. flow, blending them, like most em- a youth space, and the cipher, as a per- Near the end of the cipher—a cipher in cees, with self-aggrandizing images: formative form of cultural production, which he had woven in Urdu phrases— Yo, yo, the Pakistani Prodigy, yo, created possibilities for identity work Naf expressed doubts and insecurities flowing and then so and so. Differ- and dialogue about and across forms about his free-styling skills. I listened ent type of cats going from here to of difference, and simultaneously (re) with interest as Kai and Lila offered Soho. Medina, Mecca, yo it’s all in produced misogynist and homophobic supportive words, encouraging Naf there. Might as well go to, China discourse. I will have more to say be- by highlighting the significance of his and just visit, yo, yo, you know what low about the limitations and possibili- commitment to ciphering, and pointing I might well, use my knowledge and ties of Lyric. I turn now to a discussion out how so many folks simply watch. the text of Islamic. I might as well of the Asian American Studies class, a I also remember how the following PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 11 space that provides a useful contrast realize how much power they have. Asian American Studies, and AP gov- to Lyric with respect to the possibili- I mean, students are really respon- ernment—to teach and present proj- ties of performance in youth spaces. sible for the Asian American Stud- ects at various local elementary and ies class, and even for the hiring secondary schools. I was lucky enough ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES of the Latino counselor. I’m not to serve as a chaperone for many of I met Paul Lee in the spring of saying Levy doesn’t play a role, these excursions, and this offered me 1999, near the end of his second year but the students really generate it. a first hand understanding of how Paul of teaching at Franklin. I met him worked with his students and encour- through my involvement with a stu- This emphasis on student power aged their collaboration on the refine- dent group that produced an annual captures a philosophical precept of ment of the projects. He always talked multicultural literary magazine; Paul Paul’s approach to teaching and work- with them after to debrief and reflect, served as the group’s faculty sponsor. ing with youth. He often told his stu- and he always solicited my feedback A slender man in his late twenties, his dents that they had power to change as well. In addition to these field trips, standard uniform was slacks, a but- things, that they could come together Paul took his classes to share their work ton down, a tie, and—on chilly days—a to address issues that concerned them. with other classes within Franklin. solid color sweater. The backpack he On several occasions, he took interest- Students liked Paul, and many I carried his papers and books in added ed students to protests and rallies after spoke with named him among their to his youthful air. Paul came to Frank- school in the city’s Chinatown section. favorites at Franklin high. Like sev- lin directly from an Ivy League teach- And the curriculum he developed—and eral other teachers, Paul seemed to er education program, and he stood he always seemed to be developing cur- have a group of students each year out among the faculty in two obvious riculum, experimenting with projects, who connected with him, felt com- ways: he was one of two Asian Ameri- and trying to shake things up—further fortable, and often hung out in his cans out of a faculty of close to ninety, supported this emphasis. Examples classroom after school. While most and he was, at the time, the youngest of this include everything from tak- of these students were Asian Ameri- faculty member at Franklin. Both de- ing his students on a field trip to a folk can, a number of white, African mographics factor directly into the art museum exhibit on social protest, American, and South Asian students circumstances of his hiring. The year to creating a social change project for also found a connection with Paul. before Paul came to Franklin, several his AP Government course. The lat- In addition to sponsoring student Asian American students organized ter project was particularly anoma- groups, Paul encouraged students to a campaign to increase the number lous at Franklin, but Paul felt like organize events to share their work. of Asian faculty and secure an Asian he could take advantage of the fact For example, several of his students studies course. Here’s how the Frank- that even though the course material were involved in a local Asian American lin High Handbook sums up the story: was designed for a half-year, Frank- youth theater company, and he set up “During winter controversy emerg- lin rostered it as a year-long course. an event for them to come and perform es from complaint lodged by two Paul also enacted his student-power at Franklin. He also helped students students regarding the absence philosophy through how he configured put on several after school open mi- of Asian American staff, history, his classroom, encouraging students to crophone and poetry events that were and teaching of Mandarin. All ad- take ownership of the space through very well attended. And near the end of dressed and designated to be in decorating the room. In addition to my research at Franklin, I noted a sig- place for September ‘97” (p.259). the standard hanging of student work nificant shift in the work of the Asian on the walls, each class had their own Students Association; with Paul’s en- Paul’s hiring allowed the school section of wall they decorated with pic- couragement and support, they began to address the first two issues, as he tures and art work that they occasion- to develop presentations and skits that was brought in specifically to develop ally updated. Paul also had a couch in explored stereotypes and the challeng- and teach the Asian American stud- his room that offered respite to weary es faced by Asian American students. ies course. The unique circumstanc- students before and after school, and The students presented this work to es allowed Dr. Levy to get around sometimes during class breaks. In classes at Franklin during Asian Amer- the district’s seniority rules and hire addition, he encouraged the student ican Heritage month. Some of these Paul right out of graduate school. groups he sponsored—in addition to students had taken the Asian American When Paul talked about how the literary magazine, he served as Studies course, and their involvement he came to Franklin, he put a great sponsor to the Asian Students Associa- with the performance project clearly in- deal of emphasis on how the situa- tion—to adorn the walls with posters fluenced their work on this new project. tion exemplified the way students about upcoming events and projects. Paul’s Asian American Studies class can come together to create change: The other precept that guided Paul’s was always a work in progress. As he I get frustrated because things hap- teaching was the notion that people told a group of students at another pen, changes happen, because of learn through teaching. He took all magnet high school assembled to watch students, and the students don’t his classes—Freshman World History, his class perform, some of whom were PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 12 part of that school’s Japanese culture boost, and this seemed to turn away ter school and found ourselves chatting elective, “Out of over 200,000 students top track students. In addition, the about our college days. As we talked, in this district, all classes related to roster office consistently scheduled the I mentioned my background in the- Asian studies are sitting in this room.” course late in the day. This precluded ater. Paul had done some performing In other words, there weren’t any mod- athletes from taking the course, as they as well, and he took a keen interest els in the district, and Paul created the generally took their lunch at the end of in my description of several perfor- Asian American Studies course from the day so they wouldn’t have to miss mance studies course I had taken as scratch. In terms of content, the course class due to away games. Of course, an undergraduate. When I mentioned wove together and highlighted the in- many non-Asian American students that we always had the option in those tersections of Asian history, immigrant probably didn’t see the class as rel- courses of doing a written final or a history, and American history, with evant to their interests or experiences. performance, his interest was clearly an emphasis on social, political, and I turn now to a discussion and anal- piqued. “I’ve been thinking about how cultural issues. In addition, students ysis of the performance project Mr. Lee to use performance in my Asian Ameri- learned about American immigration and I developed over the course of four can Studies class,” he said. I told him law, contemporary Asian American consecutive springs. Drawing on the about the work I had done adapting culture, and some of the more preva- performance metaphor, I divide the some non-fiction writing for perfor- lent dynamics between Asian Ameri- discussion into three scenes that reveal mance, and we proceeded to brain- cans and other groups, for example, Af- the evolution of the project and the op- storm ideas for how his students might rican Americans and whites. Paul also portunity it provided for the students. perform their final. Paul then asked if peppered the course with activist sto- I like the notion of scenes because, as I would be willing to come to class and ries, youth activism in particular. He with a play, we can’t see everything describe the project to his students. I worked hard to provide students with a that happens over days or weeks or agreed, and we decided to discuss the core of knowledge on the Asian Ameri- months; the scenes filter the story, cap- project more over the coming weeks. can experience, while also pushing turing for the audience the important Paul devised an outline of the proj- them to explore relevant issues of their moments and turning points. Here, ect, devoting the entire month of May own interest. This created an opening then, are three important moments— to work-shopping the student perfor- for non-Asian American students to re- three scenes—that highlight the power mances. He found some short pieces flect on and explore how their experi- and promise of the performance proj- to serve as examples—a poem, a mono- ences linked with and cut across those ect with respect to its role in creating logue and a very short scene—and he of Asian Americans; Paul pushed the a space where Asian youth could chal- convinced a teacher at Brimley High, a students to recognize common ground, lenge stereotypes and articulate com- magnet school across the city that had a particularly in terms of their shared sta- plex identities, as well as explore and Japanese culture class, to have her stu- tus as youth and public school students. bridge differences. In addition, the dents host his class and serve as audi- The four classes I spent time with— performance project created a space ence for the performances at the end of one each year over four years—were for non-Asian youth to strengthen their May. With all of this in place, he asked populated predominantly by Asian voices and explore and express the me to come in and serve as a sort of a American students, although they were shared challenges they face as youth. consultant to his class. I knew some of quite a diverse bunch. There were first the students, both from my field work and second generation Asian Ameri- SCENE 1: THE BIRTH OF A PROJECT and specifically from chaperoning for cans who came from all over Asia: Paul, and I did my best to provide ver- After our first meeting, Paul and I Vietnam, Laos, Korea, Cambodia, the bal and written constructive criticism. continued to chat periodically, often Philippines, and China, among oth- My field notes on this experience following meetings of the multicultural ers. Each year several white and Afri- are spotty, as I didn’t think at the time literary magazine. Several months into can American students took the class, that the performance project would fit our relationship he asked me to accom- in addition to several multi-racial and into my dissertation. Nonetheless, I pany the Asian American Studies class South Asian students. Every class had do remember that the performance at on a field trip, and the two of us went about twenty students and, for rea- the magnet school across town was a out for coffee afterwards. We talked sons that had to do with Franklin’s success. Paul’s class seemed to bond about his experiences at Franklin, curriculum, they were all sophomores through the process, and the perfor- my project, and recognized common and seniors. Paul did his best to bring mances were well received at Brimley. ground in our politics and in our inter- in non-Asian American students, en- I played a similar role the follow- est in supporting youth. As he shared couraging his freshman World His- ing spring, and again the performance some of his criticisms of Franklin and tory students to sign up. But numer- project felt like a success. At that point, the challenges of being a young teach- ous factors stood in the way of making I realized that the project offered an er, it was clear to both of us that this the course more ethnically, racially interesting case of the role of perfor- was a turning point in our relationship. and academically diverse. As an elec- mance in youth spaces. Moreover, Several weeks after the turning tive, the course carried no grade point the themes Paul’s students chose to point, we rode the subway together af- PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 13 explore in their performances repre- perform, act, design, direct. Theater and I provided feedback as well. Par- sented an unusual sort of meditation helps to widen the possibilities of how ticipating in the class in this manner on difference. For example, a self iden- one can imagine oneself as a racial- helped me connect with the students tified multi-racial student explored the ized subject at this moment in history. through developing a collaborative re- complexity of her identity, the pain of Kondo highlights the power of lationship with respect to their work. hearing a variety of epithets and the performance both for audience and Early on, Paul and I had also decid- power of blending the different parts of performer: Performance both “opens ed that I would introduce the students herself. Her performance was intense, up entire realms of cultural possibil- to a variety of basic theater games. a spoken word poem of sorts, and re- ity, enlarging our senses of ourselves” We agreed that starting the games ceived loud applause. A Vietnamese and “shows us that Asian Americans in March, when they where working student deftly crafted a montage of can be other than” binary stereotypes. on their presentations, would both scenes that expressed the challenges As Paul often pointed out to his stu- strengthen their public speaking skills of immigrating, leaving family behind, dents, this was true for non-Asian and lay a solid foundation for the per- as well as the gender stereotypes he ex- American’s as well, as American youth formance project in May. Of the twen- perienced as a result of his interest in similarly faced the challenge of en- ty-one students, two white, two African figure skating. Equally powerful were larging self and breaking stereotypes. American, one bi-racial (half Asian, a series of monologues and scenes by After this second year of perfor- half white), and the rest Asian Ameri- Asian American students that simply mances, I recognized the relevance of can, most had virtually no theater showed the struggles and joys of life: the work for my inquiry. The follow- background. Despite their lack of ex- missing grandparents, struggling in ing February, I asked Paul if I could perience, the majority took the games the shadow of an older brother, and the research the project as part of my dis- seriously. The games centered on get- silly adventures of a student trying to sertation. His response: “If you want ting the students comfortable with acquire a Gameboy. Performing these to write about this in your dissertation, standing up in front of an audience, fo- pieces provided the students with an that’s fine. But you’re not gonna sit in cusing on other performers while shar- opportunity to share their lives and de- the back of the class and take notes; ing the stage, centering and focusing velop their voices. Just as important, you’re gonna teach with me.” I agreed, their own energy as performers, and a performing their stories challenged and we proceeded to meet several small amount of improvisational story stereotypes by humanizing these stu- times to work out the arrangements. telling. In addition, we worked with dents’ experiences for their audience. the students on projecting their voices. Kondo (1995), discussing the power of SCENE 2: REHEARSAL Near the end of April, Paul invited performance, offers a similar appraisal: Unlike my involvement with the students from his past classes to share Like so many people on the mar- class during the first two springs—when their performances with the current gins, Asian Americans are generally I came to class half a dozen times each group. A dozen of his old students erased from realms of cultural rep- spring to help out—I spent twenty four showed up, including several that at- resentation. Perhaps worse, when class periods helping Paul’s students tended college in the city and one who we are depicted it is only to be ste- develop their pieces in the spring of made a special trip from college in New reotyped yet again, a kind of sym- 2002. In addition, Paul and I met reg- York City. The alumni performances bolic violence that influences not ularly during his lunch period and after energized the group and helped them only how we are treated by others school to both discuss the progress of envision possibilities for their work. but also how we think of ourselves. the students’ work and plan activities. On May first, Paul and I formally In that light, plays, films, poetry, I spent the first few class periods kicked off the performance project and novels written by Asian Ameri- getting to know the students and al- with the first handout. Setting the cans can constitute a stunningly lowing them to get to know me. Paul tone early, he began class with one of powerful affirmation that we exist. had them developing interactive group his intense motivational speeches: presentations on several Asian coun- All year you’ve been going out and Here the live aspect of theater is tries—their history and relations to challenging stereotypes, in other critical. Live performance not only America—that they would take to an classes and in other schools. Our constitutes a site where our identi- elementary school and then, in revised goal has been for the audiences to ties can be enacted, it also opens up form, a high school. This practice of break the stereotypes they have of entire realms of cultural possibility, having students develop presenta- you when your mouths are closed. enlarging our senses of ourselves in tions and lessons that they would then The goal of these performances ways that have been, for me, especially take to other schools captures Paul’s is for you to have a voice and use powerful. Theater shows us that Asian approach to teaching learning: we that voice to challenge stereo- Americans can be other than model learn best when we are teaching. As types through telling your stories. minorities or gangsters, lotus blos- part of the development process, Paul And to make this work, you have soms or dragon ladies, scientists or asked the students to provide written to support each other as a group. gardeners. We can write plays; we can and verbal feedback to each group, With these words hanging in the air, PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 14 we passed out the overview of the proj- with. Not all the students consistently half white student. Sherry, Chinese- ect, highlights from which I offer here: complied, but we kept emphasizing American, Nang, Cambodian-Ameri- We are going to be devoting the how this was part of their preparation. can, and Van, Vietnamese-American, month of May toward produc- Over the first two weeks, the- stu practiced their rap about inter-ethnic ing a theater piece that we will dents’ work was uneven. Some stu- violence and tensions, which seemed perform at Brimley High School. dents came prepared with props and well memorized and particularly ambitious scripts, and staged compli- tight. Sav and Ngoc, both Cambodi- Each week, you will be respon- cated ensemble pieces that included an-American, practiced the song they sible for developing a performance a narrator and scene changes. Other had written about friendship and love. piece. We will devote time in class students opted to read poetry or mono- After checking in with the hosting for you to prepare. At the end of logues. And still others came unpre- teacher, Paul entered the room and we the week, you should have the per- pared and either refused to get up or pulled the students together for a final formance piece ready to act out found something they had written pep talk. Paul had learned that Brim- in front of the class. Each per- earlier the semester and simply stood ley has a no swearing policy, and he formance will count as 10 points. in front of the class and read it. Paul told the students that they would have tried to use both the stick of students to use their judgment about whether What is a performance piece? not getting credit and the carrot of en- or not to edit their pieces. Paul then couragement to prod tentative students asked if I had anything to say, and I Basically, each week, you should up in front of the class. Some major offered the following: “You all have be ready to present something breakthroughs occurred when the stu- worked really hard on these pieces, that you wrote in front the class in dents performed their pieces for Paul’s and it’s a powerful show that covers an artistic way. That could mean: freshman world history courses. The pain and laughter and politics. I’m -reading it freshman provided feedback, and the just really impressed with what you’ve -singing/rapping it experience also helped the Asian Amer- put together.” Paul followed this up -acting it out ican Studies students work through the with his own impassioned words: -dancing it logistics of props and scene changes You all are so brave, and this is im- -or doing something else cre- and transitions, as well as the jitters of portant work. What you are doing is ative... live performance. The following day, showing them, the audience, that you Paul’s students headed to Brimley for are human beings. I didn’t tell you You can do the piece by your- the show. Inspired by the prior year’s what to say; you really chose what self or with others in the class. class’ title, “Asians on Ice,” the stu- you wanted to share. And this show dents decided to call their show, “When is about breaking down stereotypes. The rest of the hand out included Asians Attack.” I can’t say what the ti- encouragement for the students to con- tle meant, but all the students seemed Paul’s words excited the stu- nect issues from the class with their per- to find some sort of pleasure in it. dents, and after a brief theater game sonal experiences, draw from writings warm up, we headed to the classroom they produced earlier in the semester, SCENE 3: “WHEN ASIANS ATTACK” where the students would perform. and directions that they be as descrip- When we arrived at Brimley, two The performance classroom had tive as possible in their written scripts. students, an African American male shiny wood floors and wood trim, and In the weeks that followed, we and an Asian male, met us at the metal several rows of chairs were set up in continued to use the games as a sort detectors near the entryway and es- such a way that the front half of the of warm up, and we spent the rest of corted us up to a classroom where the room, by the door, served as the stage. each class supporting the students as Asian American Studies students could The room was rectangular, and this they shared their work in front of the organize and prepare. Brimley was a configuration maximized the width group. Paul required the students to clean, bright four story high building of the stage. A table stretched along submit their evolving script each week, built in 1924, situated in a neighbor- one wall, stage right, piled with plates and both of us provided written feed- hood just north of the city’s downtown of strawberries, fruit salad, bananas, back. In addition, Paul, the students core. According to our student escorts, sliced melon, platters of hoagies, and and I generated a brief written critique the student body was just under 600, soda. Thirty students, mostly Asian directly following each performance. and, “Everyone knows each other here.” American with a few African Ameri- In other words, after a student shared After the guides dropped us off, the cans and whites, filled the seats; in their piece, s/he would receive twenty students set about the task of looking addition, several teachers and a coun- odd scraps of paper, each with some over lines, adjusting props, clarifying selor stood behind the back row. reactions and suggestions. We also en- transitions, and generally trying to re- After some welcoming com- couraged the students to ask for specif- lax. They practiced alone and in little ments from Ms. Hirsh, a white teach- ic kinds of feedback based on what as- groups. Karen, a white female stu- er in her forties dressed in a flower pects of their piece they were struggling dent, ran lines with Pat, a half Korean, print dress, Paul introduced the class and the performance project: PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 15

One of the major projects that we do Alone, I laugh at my reflection tions. throughout the year is we go around Ironic how things turn out No one. to different schools to educate peo- I once longed to be thin ple about Asian American issues. Now I’m crying for my own sins A white student alternated be- And we do this to try to challenge tween narrating the story of her the stereotypes that people have of Alone, it’s impossible for me to gain relationship with her father, his Asian Americans. For the project weight substance abuse, and his eventual dis- that we do at the end of the year, we Years of trying appearance from her life, and scenes developed a theater performance as But no results of dialogue with him over the phone: a way of challenging not just stereo- Forever having to stay in my fragile Jen: “Dad?” types of Asian Americans, but ste- state Dad: “Hey!” reotypes that people have of each Jen: “Is Jules pregnant?” other as high school students. In A Korean American student re- Dad: “How did you find out?” other words, the pieces that you’re flected on the pain of epithets and her Jen: “Why didn’t you tell me?” gonna see here today—poems, the struggle to craft her identity between Dad: “I wanted it to be a surprise.” short stories, the monologues, the white friends and Korean parents: Jen: “How far along is she?” plays—are all meant to address the When I was growing up I wanted to Dad: “6 months.” issue of how each of these students be white. Jen: “I’ll talk to you later dad.” can challenge what people think of Why was it so important? them before they open their mouth. No one knew, not even myself. Jules had a baby girl. Over the years we’ve become close. Jules After a few additional comments I lived in a white neighborhood and I have become close too. How- about how long the show would run, with my white friends. ever, my father and I have become the intermission, and so on, Paul I was different from them. more and more distant. I don’t opened the performances: “With- Amongst ourselves I felt like one of know him anymore. out further ado, I want to pres- them. ent to you, ‘When Asians Attack!’” I really didn’t feel left out. Closing the show with a power- The audience respectfully listened I guess. ful letter to an eight year old who was and clapped as the students made their Well, at least most of the time. stabbed to death at his parents’ Chinese way through the pieces. Some students The only time I would feel alone restaurant, a Chinese American student still did not project their voices, and (“different”) would be whenever we whose own parents owned a restau- others fumbled with scripts and lines went out, rant expressed sorrow and frustration: and cues and props. At times, the pac- I would be the only “different” per- Your parents like so many other ing and blocking were off. Nonetheless, son and people passing by would Asian parents out there probably there were powerful moments in each yell out came to this country for a better life piece, and the performers supported CHINK!...ching chong ching and worked hard so that they could and encouraged one another with winks, chong...go back to your own coun- see you and your sister achieve great claps, smiles, and pats on the back. try!!!! things one day. Now they will never A Vietnamese American stu- Just assuming I was Chinese. get to see those things that all par- dent expressed her struggles with Of course I would respond every ents hope for their children, such weight loss and an eating disor- time saying that I wasn’t Chinese as seeing you graduate from college der through a poetic monologue: But they didn’t care, because I was or seeing you get married one day. Alone, I started to loss weight again Asian. You were only a carefree little boy This time on purpose And in their eyes all Asians were like I was once, who played around I dropped 37 pounds and sprung 5 Chinese. at the restaurant and who enjoyed inches I felt anger inside and didn’t know riding his scooter up and down the The compliments came in sound how to express that anger. sidewalk. You did not deserve to die ` I was angry cause no one under- like this; you did not deserve to have Alone, I kept going stood what I was going through, your life taken over 1700 dollars. Losing more and more Being an Asian in an American Standing at 5’5” world. And with that, the audience enthusias- Weighing in at 90 No one, tically clapped and smiled. Paul turned Not my parents, to the audience for questions, and a Alone, I ponder who grew up in a different country teacher asked the students how they About how I lived my life with a different culture. found the strength to open up and share Hating the choices I made Not my friends, so much. The students immediately And kicking my own ass Who were white and lived in a gave credit to Paul, clapping for him. household with American tradi- Paul quickly responded that it was all PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 16 their work and they deserved the cred- Despite its virtues, the performance role in nurturing and fostering per- it. One student then added, “I think project had limitations. First, some formance work that explores forms of that everyone in the class was blown students didn’t participate fully, gener- difference, supports the development away by what other people where say- ating only a brief poem or short mono- of youth voices, and challenge ste- ing. You know, we just didn’t know that logue. Second, Paul and I struggled reotypes. As Paul’s leadership seems such great things were gonna come out. to find the class time to consistently crucial in terms of structuring the I think everyone was kind of shocked.” provide quality feedback to all the stu- types of cultural production that took Ms. Hirsh thanked the students dents; things sometimes felt rushed. place in Asian American Studies, I again, and the audience gave an- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, want to briefly compare the two spac- other round of applause. A student we never had the time for adequate es in terms of the role of leadership. from Brimley’s school newspaper dialogue between performers and au- In many respects, the key structural snapped several group photos, and dience; I imagine such dialogue would distinction between Lyric and Asian after sharing the feast provided by enrich the experience for both groups. American studies class was that the Brimley and milling around and chat- For the audience, dialogue would latter was a class led by Paul, a skilled ting with Brimley students, we re- have allowed questions and ideas to educator. But my research also offers turned to the prep classroom to gath- emerge, and for students to make con- insight into what strong youth leader- er our things and reflect on the day. nections across pieces and between ship might have provided for Lyric. As Both Paul’s class—as a youth space themselves and specific pieces. The I described above, Jamal and Yoseph of possibility—and the performance performers might have deepened their ran the first Lyric meetings I attend- project—as a form of cultural produc- experience of performance by hear- ed. Jamal was twenty years old, and tion through which youth explored ing such feedback from strangers, and Yoseph had actually been involved in and bridged differences, challenged it would have provided them with an founding Lyric. Jamal received a great stereotypes, developed voices, and ar- additional opportunity to reflect on deal of respect from students, both ticulated complex identities—capture their work. Nonetheless, the perfor- for his skills as a poet and emcee, and the promise of youth spaces and per- mance project created an important because, frankly he demanded it. He formance. The student’s exploration space for students, and offers impor- ran the meetings with authority, and of difference came both among class tant lessons about the power of per- he and Yoseph prepared the structure members and between performers and formance to support and enhance the of each meeting beforehand. In ad- audience. As the students shared their work that takes place in youth spaces. dition, his status as a college student experiences through the first stages of elevated him from the micro-politics the project—their joys, pains, unre- THINKING ACROSS YOUTH SPACES: THE that often infuse large American high solved questions, and discoveries—they school social scenes (Eckert, 1989; came to know each other in important ROLE OF LEADERSHIP Foley, 1990). Jamal, then, served a ways. They generated bridges of em- The Asian American Studies vital role in facilitating the shape and pathy and insight through humanizing course—and the performance project quality of Lyric meetings, and the shift stories of self that revealed unique ex- in particular—clearly provided a space after he left was clear and significant. periences of immigration and stinging for students to challenge stereotypes In an interview that took place epithets, as well as shared struggles and articulate complex identities, as in the spring of 2002, after Lyric with parents and with body image. well as explore and bridge differences. disappeared, Pam, a white senior With Paul’s support and encourage- In addition, the performance project who had been involved with Lyric ment, the students found the strength created a space for non-Asian youth for several years, provided an as- and safety to share these stories and to strengthen their voices and explore sessment of how the space evolved: support one another in the process of and express some of the challenges P: So, I liked Lyric my sophomore sharpening their performances. All they face as youth. In the cipher, Lyric year [1999/2000]. this helped the students develop confi- students expressed complex identities JC: What did you like about it? dence, develop their voices, and share and glimpsed possibilities for critical P: It was just cool. It was fun. It their work with unknown students conversations about divisive forms of was like, it’s like going to a free across town. In addition to exploring difference. While these students didn’t concert every week, kind of. And (and at times bridging) differences, the quite realize this potential, my analy- it’s just kind of cool, and like, performance project—both the process sis of their performance work points inspiring to do your own stuff or of development and the final perfor- out openings for educators interested whatever. And then junior year mance—complicated and challenged in attending to youth popular culture [2000/2001], it was okay. It wasn’t stereotypes of race, ethnicity, gender, and performance as a means to spur as cool last year [2000/2001]. and youth. Similarly, the performance conversations on race, gender, sexual JC: Last year. Yeah, what was your project created a space for some stu- orientation, and violence. Moreover, sense of what happened last year? dents to articulate complex identities; my discussion of Paul’s Asian Ameri- P: It kind of got weird. I don’t it was such articulation that served to can Studies class clearly demonstrates know. It kind of got corny. I don’t challenge and complicate stereotypes. how a supportive adult can play a key know. Not to put blame on any- PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 17

body, but just 260[2000/2001 and bad rap. pains of oppressed identities, to ex- senior class], the people who were plore the pleasures of not-yet iden- running it. Like all these weird Pam’s analysis of the problems with tities, and to organize movements people showed up that just weren’t Lyric—it’s shift from a cool and support- we can’t even imagine (pp. xiv-xii). down, I don’t know. ive space where students could come to JC: Well like, what was weird about engage in a range of hip-hop activities Supporting such spaces will go a them? to a space of violence, weird poetry and long way toward making sure students P: I don’t know. It was like a whole bad rap—captures some of the tensions do more than simply get along. Indeed, different environment. Like, I that developed in the absence of Jamal, they will help schools like Franklin be- don’t know. It just wasn’t as chill, a strong leader. In fact, I recall a mo- come spaces of possibility and hope, I guess. And then this year it just ment during the spring of 2000 when as opposed to spaces of reproduction. disappeared. a student came to Lyric stoned, and JC: Yeah, I don’t know what hap- proceeded to laugh and talk as one of Joseph Cytrynbaum died from a pened. the poets attempted to recite. Jamal cerebral aneurysm at age 37 in July of P: If I still liked it from last year, I wasted no time in telling the student he 2009. Raised in Evanston, Illinois, Joe would have tried to keep it up. But either needed to quiet down or leave. returned to the Chicago area after re- there’s just nobody I didn’t think, The student pulled himself togeth- ceiving a Ph.D. from the University of that would like, want to go. You er, and the meeting moved forward. Pennsylvania, where for his disserta- know what I mean? Last year was Part of the challenge of Lyric might tion he immersed himself in the life of just weird. It wasn’t cool. have involved some of the misogy- a Philadelphia public high school. Im- JC: Maybe is there, like, a meta- nist and homophobic content that mediately following his doctoral work, phor or something for like, what constitutes certain forms of hip-hop Joe moved back to his beloved Chicago was up with last year? culture. This lead to tensions which where he worked with Umoja, a youth P: Huh. Just people started show- Pam alludes to and which I witnessed advocacy organization, to design and ing up that didn’t really. . . as well. But as I suggest above, struc- execute programs not just to help stu- JC: Or yeah, what was it? What did tured engagement with such tension dents graduate from high school and it become last year? and conflict holds the possibility for move on to college, but also to help P: I don’t know. People started productive conversation. In effect, them understand their responsibil- showing up and weren’t really, strong leadership in youth spaces can ity to their local and global communi- either where just sitting there and harness the pull of hip-hop and other ties. As coach to the “Louder Than a not doing anything, or just like youth cultural forms, while working Bomb” poetry team through the Young talking, and being like disrespect- to make productive use of the more Chicago Authors program, Joe coaxed ful. And then people who started controversial elements of such forms. students to write freely about their showing up and doing, like, gang- lives. After four years with Umoja, ster rap in the middle of the cipher. CONCLUSION: PERFORMANCE AND THE Joe accepted a teaching position in JC: Yeah. 2008 at the Northeastern Illinois Uni- P: And being, like, all, like, weird, POSSIBILITY OF YOUTH SPACES versity’s School of Social Work. He is and like violent about stuff, and it As the literature on youth spaces greatly missed by all those who were used to be such a peaceful thing. makes clear, public schools need to fortunate enough to cross his path. It was just corny. It wasn’t what it do more than simply allow spaces was supposed to be. like Lyric and Asian American Stud- JC: So yeah, what do you think it ies to exist; as democratic institutions was supposed to be? When it was dedicated to encouraging and releas- really good? ing imaginations (Greene, 1995), they P: It was supposed to be a place need to play an active role in creat- where people who were interested ing and supporting such spaces. Fine in the same stuff, like hip-hop, and and Weis (2000) capture well the that whole lifestyle or whatever, power and possibility of spaces like could come and chill and, like, Lyric and Asian American Studies: maybe draw, you know. Maybe It is in these spaces that youth en- write poetry, even though that gage with a kind of deliberate agen- wasn’t that really that big of a thing cy, sometimes an urgency, in which when it first started. And like, you reciprocity is assumed, mastery—of know, freestyle, and just show each spirit, arts, the body, activism—is other what they can do, and help sought, voices can be heard, and dif- each other freestyle, and like break ferences can be articulated; deficit dance, and like, all that stuff, and models are left at the door. . . . Youth then it just got into weird poetry need spaces to work through the PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 18

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