The Roof Is On Fire

1. CONTEXT: What were the circumstances that framed the meaning and process of this project?

The circumstances that framed the meaning and process of this project were the ways in which teenagers were being depicted in the media, the inaccuracies of these representations, and the effect this had on their self-esteem and success given the fact that many already had limited opportunity because of socioeconomic status. The intention of the process was to put teenagers in a position where they could represent themselves and express the ways in which these representations were affecting them.

2. CONTENT: What was the issue, need, idea or opportunity addressed by this project?

The issue was that even though teenagers were and are an important part of a functioning society, the media was depicting the entire group in a soley negative light based on the actions of a few. The project aimed to give teenagers in Oakland the opportunity to share their personal stories and voice their opinions in an environment where they would not be interrupted by older members of society, but listened to.

3: FORM: What is the medium that was used to address or embody the content?

The medium was mainly the teenagers themselves as performers. They were placed in cars arranged on the roof of a building in downtown Oakland. This not only “elevated” the group, but put them in an environment many teenagers use as a private space to talk: cars. This in turn brought the audience into the teenager’s comfortable territory.

4. STAKEHOLDERS: Which are the groups or individuals that were invested in the project?

The group that initiated the projects were two arts and crafts teachers interested in elevating and highlighting teenagers’ voices. Other teachers and artists became involved and eventually teenagers from Oakland high schools were brought in, some playing key roles in the development of the project, deciding what topics the teenagers should be discussing in the performance and formulating questions and prompts to be used in performance.

5. AUDIENCE: For whom was this project conceived?

This project was conceived for older, media-consuming members of the public who may have stereotypical views of teenagers, and more specifically teenagers of color, and therefore perpetuate harmful ideas about this group and encourage discriminatory behavior.

6. ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES: How were the stakeholders, audiences, and others engaged/connected to the project?

Stakeholders were engaged in that the teachers of the project who communicated with teenagers on a daily basis wished to subvert the harmful depictions of them in public media, and the students themselves wished to present their perspectives and ideas and be listened to. The teachers acted as facilitators and organizers, while the teenagers were performers in the project. The audience was engaged in listening to the various conversations of the teens about a range of different topics that affected them such as sex, violence, racism, values, family-life, and education.

7. GOAL: What are this project's objectives?

This project’s objectives were to provide teens with a platform through which they could express and represent themselves where they would be listened to and not judged based on stereotypes, and to bring members of the public who would not normally interact or engage with these teens into a space where they were obligated to listen to and empathize with their thoughts and opinions. The overall objective was to show that the majority of teens did not identify with, nor did they fit into, the stereotype being perpetuated by the media.

8. VALUES: What were the project's guiding values or core beliefs? How were they expressed in the process?

The project’s core belief was that depictions of teens in the media were harmful to their successful growth, and that by allowing teenagers an opportunity to represent themselves, some of the public’s opinions could be changed. This was expressed through the teens discussion of topics that were usually used against them in the media.

9. RESOURCES: What tangible and intangible resources were used to pursue the project's goals?

Tangible resources included students, teachers, cars, and the roof venue. Intangible resources included media coverage.

10: OUTCOMES: What were the results of this project?

This project resulted in there being a positive coverage of teens in relation to the project, the ability of these teens to express their feelings around their treatment as well as several other topics to members of the community that they would usually not engage with, and the education of those members as well as a change in opinion for eye-opening moment for many of them.