Helping Underserved Students Thrive Through Arts Classes That Reflect Their Reality

“You can’t be what you can’t see.” This quote from civil rights activist Marian Wright Edelman is the guiding force behind Yeah, Art!, a Black-founded Oakland-based education nonprofit. 

As the social justice uprising of 2020 gained attention, teaching artists Ja Ronn Thompson and Mike Blankenship channeled their emotions and experience towards strengthening their community. Yeah, Art! was born, a nonprofit that makes arts education more accessible and equitable. 

The key to their vision is making sure students have learning materials they can relate to. 

“Arts education is not diverse enough,” said Co-founder Mike Blankenship. “Throughout history, textbooks have erased contributions of people of color. Yeah, Art! exposes our students to new creative heroes who look, sound, and move more like them.” 

Yeah, Art!’s workshops aren’t taught only with the classic works of Beethoven, Van Gogh, or Whitman – they’re taught using new-school greats like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ava DuVernay, and Kendrick Lamar. These modern references inspire students to engage with art in more meaningful ways.

Yeah, Art!’s pilot program is running at Oakland’s Roosevelt Middle School, a largely Black and Latinx community just a few miles from where Co-founder Ja Ronn Thompson grew up.

“Our teaching staff mirrors the diversity of our classrooms. Most of us were born and raised right here in the same community,” said Thompson. “Our ability to relate to our students is central to our mission. Our team has first-hand understanding of our students’ challenges, and, more importantly, their potential.” 

At Roosevelt, students are learning vocal performance, songwriting, and music production – all using the latest creative technologies to empower students with digital skills. Yeah, Art! is committed to Roosevelt for three academic years, with plans to simultaneously expand classes throughout the Bay Area.