Affiliated with the national Young Audiences Arts for Learning network
Celebrating Jan Robertson
This week our staff and board celebrated Jan Robertson at Portland Business Journal’s 2026 Women of Influence Awards. Jan was recognized with the prestigious Joan Austin Award for her years of professional and philanthropic work influencing the Portland region.
We are so proud of Jan. Jan is an arts education champion and a gift to our broader community, and very specifically to ALNW. As a former ALNW board member, and current YA National Board member, Jan’s commitment to engaging and enriching experiences for youth has never been stronger. What a treat to celebrate this amazing woman during Women’s History Month.
From the Executive Director’s Desk: Women's History Month
As I wrap up my first few weeks as Executive Director, I’ve been reflecting on the timing of my arrival. Stepping into this role just before Women’s History Month feels especially poignant. I find myself looking to the lineage of women who have shaped how we understand the intersection of art, education, and freedom.
Among those giants stands Dr. Maxine Greene. A philosopher and provocateur, Greene famously challenged us to stop "sleepwalking" through our lives and our schools. She believed that aesthetic education—engaging deeply with a piece of music, a mural, or a movement—is what wakes us up. It shifts the goal from "learning to paint" to "learning to see."
Greene termed Social Imagination: the capacity to invent visions of what should be in our society, on our streets, and in our classrooms. For her, art was never a luxury; it was a tool for social justice and a fundamental requirement for a free humanity.
I see this philosophy come to life every day through the incredible teaching artists on our roster. In this issue, we highlight the work of Jill Geidt, Andee Joyce, Nikki Flinn (Acts of Wonder), and Shoka Stonelake. These women enter our community spaces to:
Center Student Voice: They move beyond rote technical skills to help students discover their own "aesthetic literacy."
Expand the Possible: They use their craft to help young people grapple with new, sometimes uncomfortable ideas, translating them into creative expression.
Fuel Change: By fostering imagination, they provide the keys to unlock what Greene called "what is not yet"—the essential spark for empathy and social justice.
In these first weeks, I have seen firsthand that our work is about more than providing programming; it is about sparking the very imagination Greene championed. When we support arts education, we aren't just funding a lesson plan—we are supporting the creative thinkers who show our students how to stay "wide-awake" to the world's possibilities.
I am honored to be on this journey with you, building a future where every student has the tools to imagine—and then create—a better world.
With gratitude and imagination,
Briana
After your restful spring break, don’t forget to book those year-end arts activities and end the year on a high note.
Artist Spotlights: Women Leading the Way
✻ Jill Giedt: Movement as History ✻
A dancer, choreographer, and theater director, Jill investigates classical ballet through the lens of African American figures and Black cultural resilience.
Jill helps students use movement to tell universal stories. By blending tradition with theatricality, she encourages young people to see dance not just as a technique, but as a powerful tool for cultural expression and self-advocacy.
✻ Andee Joyce: The Rhythm of Neurodiversity ✻
A musician and spoken word artist, Andee uses her original performance, "Rhythm and Autism," to build bridges of understanding.
By sharing her lived experience through song and story, she invites students to celebrate neurodiversity and "wide-awake" empathy, showing them that there is no one "right" way to be in the world.
✻ Nikki Flinn (Acts of Wonder): Embodying the Story ✻
Through her organization Acts of Wonder, Nikki integrates theater and dance with literacy and other subject matter.
Nikki helps students physically embody characters from literature. When a student steps into the shoes of a character, they aren't just reading; they are practicing the capacity to imagine "what is not yet." Teachers often report that Nikki’s residency is a turning point where play becomes the most profound form of learning.
✻ Shoka Stonelake: The Art of the Line ✻
Raised in a Buddhist temple family in Japan, Shoka brings the meditative traditions of Japanese Calligraphy (Shodo), Sumi-e, and Ikebana to NW schools.
Shoka teaches students that every stroke of the brush is a moment of presence. By guiding students through the discipline and beauty of traditional Japanese arts, she fosters a sense of "aesthetic literacy" that grounds them in the moment.