Asari Beale of Teachers & Writers

LitNYS: Can you tell me about your position at Teachers & Writers Collaborative and how you ended up there?

AB: I started in May of 2019, so I am really proud and excited to have passed my 4-year anniversary here pretty recently.

I came to Teachers & Writers through a friend of mine, Bruce Morrow, who is known in the LitNYS community. 

Bruce recommended the position to me, and it really married a lot of my interests. On the one hand, my literary background – I'm a writer and I’ve taught writing and literature. It also brought in my experience as a nonprofit professional. I've spent the last 16 years of my professional life prior to coming to Teachers & Writers in the nonprofit world where I got a lot of experience and a real taste for serving communities, especially children and families. So this opportunity with Teachers & Writers combined my passion for the literary arts with my passion for service and also for promoting a love of reading and literature among young people.

LitNYS: Can you tell me about new programming at Teachers & Writers that you are excited about for this upcoming school year?  

AB: It's all exciting! The work that we do is always so interesting because, each year, the students are different, a teaching artist may bring new and different ideas to the program, and the energy is different every time. Every program is exciting.

I'm particularly excited this year about a couple of initiatives that we’re working on in partnership with the former New York State Poet Laureate, Willy Perdomo, through the Academy of American Poets’ Poet Laureate Fellowship. One of them is the East Harlem Poets Collective. We’ll be offering youth programs in collaboration with a community-based organization in East Harlem, New York City, where Willy Perdomo grew up.

The other initiative we’re planning with him is called the New York State of Poetry. It’s still in the works, but the idea is to have writing programs happening in all regions of New York State, at the same time. That will take place in the spring during National Poetry Month.

And then we’ll continue to do exciting work in New York City schools, conduct our Creative Aging programs for older adults, do Teachers & Writers Magazine, and also the Poetry Out Loud program, which we're building back an audience for after a decline during the pandemic.

During the lockdown programming faced a lot of challenges, and what I'm excited about this year is that it feels like we're finally back on track. Teachers in the schools are excited to partner with us. There's a lot of revitalization that we're experiencing right now.

LitNYS: What are some of the biggest challenges your organization faces bringing literature and writing into the schools?

AB: For the last few years the challenge has just been working out the logistics with our school partners. The schools have faced so many administrative challenges in the last three years. In spring of 2020 they had to shut down. They were remote for much of the 2020-21 school year. School administrators experienced uncertainty in terms of their budgets. And there was a lot of staff turnover, schools lost a lot of teachers. 
 
That said, there's a desire for our writer residencies, and there's also a tremendous need for them. Right now, I think that the principals and teachers are really recognizing that the students need a creative outlet. They need safe spaces for expression.
 
There's been an increase in anxiety, fear, and depression experienced by young people over the last few years, and I think the principals recognize that. What we bring into the classrooms is this safe space where students can process their thoughts and feelings, where they can play, and have a moment of freedom and joy in their school day.
 
LitNYS: What advice would you give to people who are interested in doing the work that Teachers & Writers does – the work of bringing writing into the schools? 
  
AB: I would say it's rewarding work – go for it!  
  
I think connecting with a writer-in-the school program is a great way to approach it. Connecting with an organization that's already going into the schools can help a teaching artist navigate the more technical logistical aspects of the work. We do what's called “push-in” programs, where we go into a classroom during the school day. There are also many organizations that do after school programs, and that's another great way to work with kids in school. There are so many after school programs that may not have access to a writer or somebody who can teach writing that would really welcome bringing a teaching writer into their programming. I recommend looking in your own community first.
  
I want to add, also, that I think it's really important for teaching artists to be paid for their work. Part of our vision at Teachers & Writers is the belief that artists are recognized and compensated for their skills, expertise, and time.
  
LitNYS: As the Executive Director at Teachers & Writers, what are some of the lessons you've learned throughout the years of leading the organization?
  
AB: I'm still learning, and the years feel like they've gone by in a second! 
  
Teachers & Writers is really an extended community and network. There are so many people who have been involved with Teachers & Writers over its last 50-plus years. I think in my role, the thing that I've learned, and that I keep reminding myself, is that I'm not alone. All of this is really a collaborative team effort. I'm so grateful for a fantastic staff and a supportive board.
  
We are a relatively small organization and we're made up of creatives. We're all creative people with tons of ideas, so one key thing is just being open to all the new ideas, to just listen and be open to possibilities, while at the same time recognizing that we're small and that we have to adjust our goals to our capacity without limiting ourselves.
  
Something that I really try to practice is respecting my own personal time and making sure that I am rested and don't get burned out, which is very easy for nonprofit professionals to do. In my experience, we're all so dedicated to the work that we do, and there's always more work, so we can easily take on too much. I try to respect my own time and make sure that I am taking the time that I need to be able to come to the job fresh and with energy. I try to encourage that among our staff, as well.

LitNYS: What's your dream for bringing writing into the schools? What's your ultimate vision?

AB: I would love to see a working writer in every school in New York City. There are a lot of schools, so it is a big dream. I’d love for every student to gain mentorship and to learn from a working writer. How amazing would it be for every student to work with a teaching artist in a space where they’re not being graded, where we're not looking for the right answer. Our approach is all about, “Let's try this and see what happens.” We're trying to encourage students to find their voices and, hopefully, find freedom and joy in the process.