In this class, we will work together to plan and execute mutual aid events and initiatives for our broader PSCS community. We will plan the logistics of ongoing community drives and regular food and supply distribution, learning skills in conducting a community based needs assessment to directly support the needs of those in our community. We will also explore various examples of mutual aid in Seattle to inform our own operations and expand our mutual aid engagement.
In this class, we will explore examples of mutual aid and the use of zines in activism, utilizing knowledge gained in the creation of a mutual aid zine. This term’s zine will center around sharing the stories of our unhoused neighbors.
We will begin by understanding our positionality as housed students and writers, and the power that comes with telling someone else’s story. We will also explore the history and context of zines and art and design through a decolonial lens. We will then learn interviewing skills such as how to ask thoughtful questions, how to navigate sensitive topics, and how language choice may shape meaning.
We will then translate these stories into a zine, learning the basics of communication design, such as layout and audience awareness. Working closely with Simon, who creates zines for Eggrolls, we will explore various design and zine-making tools such as Affinity Designer and Spectrolight, choosing materials and platforms based on student interest. Final pieces will be shared with the wider CID community!
In this class we will be discussing interesting ancient Greek myths and exploring the modern art forms of music made about them. This will include the likes of EPIC musical, Hadestown and possibly more, with the eventual goal of possibly making our own music. We will be delving into a few songs and discussions about them each day. Outside work will not be bad, likely just listening to a few songs and written responses to questions. This is gonna be fun Y,all!
This is a class focused on digital music production. Students will learn how to mix and master music using professionally recorded tracks. Students will learn the fundamentals of audio production, how to use EQ and compression effectively, how to produce music in several genres, and how to critically listen to and determine what a song mix needs. Students will develop a portfolio of songs that they’ve mixed to be shared with the community. Students from Computer Synth class of Fall Term are encouraged to participate in this class.
Note: This class is open to high school students only.
If you’ve ever sat through an American history class wondering where all the Black people were—besides slavery and Martin Luther King Jr.—Michael Harriot has written the antidote to your frustration. Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America is what you’re looking for. It’s equal parts history lesson, roast session, and revolutionary act.
Harriot sets the entire Eurocentric timeline on fire and rebuilds it from Black roots. From the African presence in America before 1619 to the myth of Lincoln’s “great emancipation,” this book challenges everything we thought we knew—and does so with receipts.
Let’s be clear: this is not your average history text. Harriot writes like your brilliant, sarcastic cousin who majored in African American Studies and never lets foolishness slide at Thanksgiving dinner. His voice is conversational, hilarious, and unrelenting. One moment, you’re cackling at his takedown of founding father folklore; the next, you’re stunned by how deep the lies in our textbooks really go.
Learning goals:
I never have enough time to read! I could always use more time to read all the cool comics, manga and graphic novels and the other reading for classes and research. On the weekends and during breaks, I have to actually plan time around feeding my mind with the written word.
While this is a class, I prefer to call this a gathering for people to come and just have time to read. Come prepared to get some enjoyment from reading but if you need to complete readings for classes, you can do that too!
Occasionally, we might share what were reading and a few special guests!
This is a class to listen to music the old school way, on vinyl records!
Some of my fondest memories of listening to music this way, was on the weekends with my grandma and having the day to hangout. She would tell me to grab some records to play and I would dj for her. I would sit on the floor as the tunes played and imagined what it was like to be there and watch music excellence LIVE!
We will listen to a wide range of music and then share about how we feel about each project!
The study of health and the global majority is a big topic that is starting to get some notice and it’s growing interest of study for many higher educational institutions. This class will deep dive into the complexity of political, economic and medical forces that impact and cause health inequity and expected lifespan of various human populations.
Students will explore health care disparities, infant mortality, epidemiology, infectious disease transmission and prevention, health care reform and global health initiatives.
*There will be some shared stories of what many people face when seeking medical attention, including stories from my personal life experiences, my extended family, and other personal research and presentations that I have done in the past.
Learn how to generate more visual ideas than you ever thought possible! In Graphic Design this term, we will practice making informed choices about color, composition, and typography as we explore the design language of the Harlem Renaissance. Bold colors, angular shapes, high contrast, and plenty of movement define the art of this exciting era, leaving lots of room for exploration and visual play! Students will build skills in visual communication, iteration, presentation, and critique… but most importantly, we will have lots of fun!
About the instructor: This class will be in collaboration with Sam's winter term history class, Black History, where students will be steeped in the literature and music of the Harlem Renaissance. There will be overlap in assignments and materials for these classes!
This class examines the major issues that have shaped the culture of the United States throughout history to the present. Students explore topics that include human rights, globalization, and environmental issues, and investigate the events and circumstances that have influenced the development of today’s complex policies and international relations, such as cultural changes, migration, economics, social policy, international trade, global policies, and greening the globe. The use of recurring themes allows students to draw connections between the past and the present, among cultures, and among multiple perspectives. Throughout the course, students use a variety of primary and secondary sources to evaluate the reliability of historical evidence and to draw conclusions about historical events. The course challenges students to foster and develop critical thinking skills so they can make informed decisions about the important global issues in the 21st century.
Learning goals:
Investigate the development of civilization in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas and explore how societies change over time.
Analyze technological, political, social, and economic revolutions in world history.
Explore the conflicts between nations to present day, and analyze the challenges facing the modern world.
Describe cultural characteristics of societies over time, including the role of women, religion, and art and literature, and investigate the effects of technological innovation on economic and social change
Engage in routine writing in response to texts, concepts, and scenarios.
Use research skills to access, interpret, and apply information from multiple sources
The jazz/improv band. Students will continue to develop their individual instrument skills and further integrate themselves into a music performance environment. Students will be challenged to create and improvise original music and stylistically-adjacent renditions of popular music.
Step into The Twilight Zone, where stories of mystery, morality, and imagination become tools for understanding our world today. In this course, students will watch a different episode each week and explore how Rod Serling’s iconic series uses science fiction and fantasy to examine human nature, justice, fear, technology, prejudice, and hope. We may include episodes from more recent iterations of the show, each of which carry on Serling’s powerful storytelling methods.
Together, we will analyze the central theme of each episode, whether it concerns conformity, greed, paranoia, identity, or compassion, and connect those ideas to contemporary issues facing society. Students will discuss how Serling’s storytelling continues to resonate in a world shaped by social media, rapid technological change, political tension, and global interconnectedness.
Weekly short essays will give students the opportunity to reflect on each episode’s message, evaluate its relevance to modern concerns, and develop their skills in critical thinking, interpretation, and concise writing.
Note: This class is open to high school students only.
Language is not just how we talk to each other, but rather how we can communicate with each other effectively using our own language. As we grow and experience daily life, our words and gestures continuously build, navigate, and challenge our identities, social and cultural worlds. Through study and practice, we will explore early and modern linguistic forms of languages from ancient and modern times. Along with the main study of the roots of language, students will engage with their own individual language learning throughout the course of the term.
Learning goals:
This class will explore the achievements and advancements of Black people in the United States. We will analyze the common know historical events that have taken place and add some stories that are lesser known. During each session, students will get to experience learning in the traditional style of cultural studies which includes dramatic storytelling, music, mini lectures short/long form film.
Our class text for the term is, The Silence of our Friends.
The Silence of Our Friends follows events through the point of view of young Mark Long, whose father is a reporter covering the story. Semi-fictionalized, this story has its roots solidly in very real events. With art from the brilliant Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole) bringing the tale to heart-wrenching life, The Silence of Our Friends is a new and important entry in the body of civil rights literature.
NOTE *This class will have some collaborative teaching and learning in Graphic Design with Christy Drackett.
Leanring goals
Note: This class is open to middle school students only.
Language is not just how we talk to each other, but rather how we can communicate with each other effectively using our own language. As we grow and experience daily life, our words and gestures continuously build, navigate, and challenge our identities, social and cultural worlds. Through study and practice, we will explore early and modern linguistic forms of languages from ancient and modern times. Along with the main study of the roots of language, students will engage with their own individual language learning throughout the course of the term.
Learning goals:
Note: This class is open to middle school students only.
In Limbo follow Deb through her childhood and high school years as she struggles with being othered and bullied by her peers, while experiencing a difficult home life and a fraught relationship with her mother. While most people think and read of the experience of the immigrant as one sided toward going from one country to another, this novel expands on the complications of interpersonal relationships between parents and their kids.
Through the lens of the Asian American experience, we will draw many ideas and other not well known narratives in connection to our pursuit of being more accurate, inclusive history!
From the silent era of the early 1900s to the blockbusters and global streaming stories of today, film has always reflected the communities that create it, and the communities it hopes to inspire. In this course, students will explore major moments in film history while examining how movies portray connection, solidarity, conflict, and collective action.
Each week, we will watch a film and clips from influential films, analyze key innovations in cinematography and storytelling, and discuss how filmmakers across different eras have represented the bonds between people, from smalltown friendships to movements that reshape society. Students will develop critical viewing skills and learn how film both reflects and shapes cultural values.
Weekly writing assignments will have students respond to films through short reflections and essays, focusing on scene analyses, thematic presentation as well as creative comparisons across decades. By the end of the course, students will understand how cinema has evolved, how technology and culture have influenced that evolution, and how stories on screen continue to remind us of the importance of community.
Some films we may cover include:
It’s a Wonderful Life – 1948 (Will still be slightly “Tis’ the Season” in January)
12 Angry Men – 1957
To Kill a Mockingbird – 1962
Spirited Away – 2001
Whale Rider – 2002
Black Panther – 2018
In this course, students will explore the groundbreaking series Reservation Dogs, a coming of age comedy/drama about four Indigenous teens navigating loss, identity, and the ties that hold their community together. Through weekly episode viewings, we will examine how the show blends humor and heart to highlight themes of self-awareness, friendship, cultural heritage, and collective responsibility.
Students will discuss how each character grows by understanding their place within a larger community, such as family, friends, ancestors, and the land itself, and how those connections shape their choices. Along the way, the class will analyze storytelling techniques, representation, and the importance of indigenous voices in media.
Weekly writing assignments, both short form responses and long form essays will have students respond to characters’ journeys, explore moments of personal insight, and reflect on how community supports healing and growth.
Note: This class is open to high school students only.
An inclusive and landmark history, emphasizing how essential Asian American experiences are to any understanding of US history
Original and expansive, Asian American Histories of the United States is a nearly 200-year history of Asian migration, labor, and community formation in the US. Reckoning with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge in anti-Asian hate and violence, award-winning historian Catherine Ceniza Choy presents an urgent social history of the fastest growing group of Americans. The book features the lived experiences and diverse voices of immigrants, refugees, US-born Asian Americans, multiracial Americans, and workers from industries spanning agriculture to healthcare.
Despite significant Asian American breakthroughs in American politics, arts, and popular culture in the twenty-first century, a profound lack of understanding of Asian American history permeates American culture. Choy traces how anti-Asian violence and its intersection with misogyny and other forms of hatred, the erasure of Asian American experiences and contributions, and Asian American resistance to what has been omitted are prominent themes in Asian American history. This ambitious book is fundamental to understanding the American experience and its existential crises of the early twenty-first century.
