Testimonials

“Studio Pathways has supported Turnaround Arts in a moment of deep and adaptive growth for our organization, as we committed to elevating our work with anti-racist, culturally-responsive teaching and learning through the arts,  we've been really fortunate to receive support from Mariah and Jessa.  Their approach to professional development mirrors our own values for inquiry-based learning, and challenges teachers to do the important work of studying their own identities, interrogating their own biases, and asking the critically important question, “Does our curriculum love our students?” -Winston Cox, Director of Implementation, Turnaround Arts/The Kennedy Center

"I want to bring these practices and ideas into my teaching immediately. I want to use the arts as a meaningful way to chew and review work. And I want to expand how I can use it as ways to assess content understanding as opposed to more traditional ways (writing/speaking). I got a lot to think through." -Alejandro Herrera, 6th Gr ELA Teacher, San Jose

“A professional learning experience like none other...I have had teachers reach out to me and say that they have completely shifted their focus for the current year and the upcoming school year to focus on a more Equity centered approach.” -Amy Robinson, Program Manager, Solano County Office of Education

“Studio Pathways has been a partner of turnaround Arts California over the last few years. Mariah and Jessa have poured their decades of teaching expertise into establishing a truly transformative culturally responsive teaching and learning framework for educators, resulting in greater and pack for students of color. The Studio Pathways model fosters deep exploration of self and empathy for others.  It has certainly expanded my professional equity and inclusion lens and helped me to collaborate better with my colleagues to ground the work we do at Turnaround Arts CA in cultural responsiveness.” -Heather Heslup, Program & Implementation Manager, Turnaround Arts CA

“Mariah and Jessa of Studio Pathways truly embody in their every action in the way they approach their work, what it means to use love as a transformative vehicle to address social justice and healing in our communities. It’s been an honor to work with them and learn from them through my work as director of leadership and social change program at Stanford University.” -Diane Friedlaender, Stanford University

“Studio Pathways is an essential partner for educators and artists to reach their full potential. They are the wings which provide flight to any org willing to do the work to heal and soar. Mariah and Jessa deepen any practice with real learning. Chapter 510 has been transformed by their approach to racial justice through an arts education lens.” -Janet Heller, Executive Director, Chapter 510

The Studio Pathways team, over the course of 4 and a half years, not only became an extension of our community, but the beating heart and consciousness of it….Working with Studio Pathways at the peak of our programming was a dance of trust - used to challenge one another and ultimately ourselves to be smarter, more humanistic, loving, artists. Teacher artists, coaching artists, even principal artists - to illustrate and imagine a world that we ourselves would want to live in. That was the unexpected gift of the Studio Pathways team and organization. - Geoff Vu, Principal

"I feel like this is a critical step for me in my efforts to be a more effective equity leader. I think the iterative nature of these are critical if we're really going to achieve the level of learning and systems change needed to really impact outcomes." -Nick Girimonte; Assistant Superintendent of Ed. Services in Dixon Unified

"It has made me think of who is sitting at the "leadership table" at my site and reflect on how inclusive I am (or how exclusive I am) - as well as wondering if we have the best focus, especially during remote learning, for our students." - HS Principal

"I appreciate the opportunity to explore how the frameworks can be for meetings (large and/or small). It provides a structure for those difficult/uncomfortable conversations and makes a person see themselves in the work as well." -Elementary Principal

"This is truly work that needs to be done  on my site. It starts with the adults." -Felicia Bridges, Principal

"This has been really emotional for me. You calmly brought so many things to light concerning the culture, climate and status of this country both past and present while leading us to think about our role in disrupting the narratives." -Angela, Principal, Pittsburg Unified

"I love to write, and this approach allowed me to express myself openly and freely. The drawing part took me out of my comfort zone, but was fun and allowed for time to be silly when our daily work can be so stressful."-Angelina Arias, School Counselor

“This experience is not at all what I expected. I feel I am in the presence of masters and learned more about myself...I thought I knew myself fairly well. I am so grateful for this opportunity.” Rosalinda Sanchez, School of Art and Culture

"I am trying to approach everything I do with the lens of creative inquiry and love."  -Mina Mangewala - Hayward Unified