DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND JUSTICE
As both an educator and a creator, I am deeply committed to cultivating learning and creative environments that are safe, inclusive, and restorative—spaces where diversity is actively celebrated, and equity is advanced through intentional, student-centered practices. My goal is to ensure that every student and collaborator feels seen, heard, and empowered to thrive both academically and personally.
To support this, I structure my courses around a cumulative credit grading model, which reduces the impact of punitive grading and allows students to progress through flexible, self-defined learning pathways. At the start of each course, students identify personal learning goals, which we use as individualized benchmarks throughout the semester. I offer multiple forms of assessment—visual presentations, reflective essays, collaborative projects, or skill demonstrations—so students can engage with the material in ways that align with their interests, identities, and learning preferences.
Accessibility and adaptability are embedded into my course design. All instructional content is delivered in multiple formats (written, visual, audio), and students are encouraged to choose the tools and methods that best support their learning without requiring them to seek formal accommodations. However, when unique accommodation needs arise, adapting course content and expectations to work with, and for, individuals has been and will always be a priority for me. As an example, in a technical theatre course, I have worked closely with a student and their accessibility aides to adapt the content and the assessments for introducing Scenic, Lighting, and Media technologies and design concepts for a student with both visual and auditory impairment. Together, we found alternatives and virtual simulations to allow the student to fully participate in class and to demonstrate comprehension and skill development, ensuring full participation in an experiential learning environment.
I also prioritize decolonized content and inclusive research practices. Rather than defaulting to Western, Eurocentric texts or relying on generalized “period style” research that can reinforce stereotypes, I encourage students to seek out primary sources and culturally specific materials. In a recent production adapted from a Korean folk tale, I supported the student design team in locating references for traditional bookbinding and rural life practices using Korean historical texts, rather than relying on Western interpretations of East Asian culture. This not only enhanced the accuracy and richness of the production but also gave students an experience in culturally respectful research and design.
A cornerstone of my pedagogy is the use of a “living syllabus”—a collaborative document that evolves with student input. Students are invited to contribute new readings, suggest adaptations to course materials, and help co-create assignments that reflect current social and cultural conversations. This practice fosters shared ownership over the learning environment and keeps course content responsive to real-world issues and the lived experiences of the current cohort.
In my design and directing courses, I guide students in identifying and challenging implicit bias and representational stereotypes in performance, design, and storytelling. We conduct reflective analysis of how culture, identity, and power dynamics appear in visual and narrative forms, such as costume choices, set elements, or dramaturgical framing, and students are required to cite inclusive research to justify their creative decisions. These conversations are a regular, structured part of class, not occasional topics.
My own creative research is rooted in inclusive methodologies. I am developing a collaborative platform that connects community members with designers and researchers to promote partnerships grounded in mutual respect and lived experience. This approach informs my teaching: students are asked to distinguish between authentic, firsthand resources and generalized or secondhand narratives, and to revise work when harmful tropes or unconscious bias surface in their processes.
Ultimately, my aim is not just to teach students the technical skills of theatre and design, but to help them understand the ethical responsibility of storytelling. Through open dialogue, collaborative inquiry, and inclusive design practices, I strive to prepare students to become conscientious, socially-engaged artists and scholars committed to advancing justice and equity in their creative work and beyond.