EDUCATION

Rizzhel is currently a Lecturer at San Diego State University in their School of Art + Design Department.

My name is Rizzhel Javier, please feel free to call me RIZZ, I am an Artist, Educator and Arts Administrator from San Diego, CA. As a student in lead in predominantly white spaces, the few teachers of color I had a profound impact on my education and my understanding of leadership in educational spaces. I am  interested in exploring the role of power and privilege in education, and how I could use my positionality to create the equity and justice I did not experience as a student. As a Woman of Color, I often find myself struggling to use and hear my voice, because I did not have the mentorship and safe space to explore it. In my academic career, I had the experience of learning from three teachers of color, and I knew that when I became a teacher that representation would be integral in my own experience.

I use photography and new media as tool for learning, archiving and storytelling.  My artist practice has helped me build a model for education that revolves around the production of art; with a focus on process. My personal experience pushes me to constantly observe the changing need of my students in relationship to the evolution of photography, art and media. Through my own practice, I experiment with contemporary tools and materials to explore their capacities and possible uses for the classroom and new learning opportunities. I advocate for my students by listening to their needs, using my positions to access to resources and spaces for learning.

My Teaching Philosophy is largely shaped by the gaps of my own education. Although I teach my students literacy in a largely white male art canon, my goal is to create a place within it for my students. In 10 years teaching in over 20 different programs, I developed community-specific art curriculum for youth in juvenile detention, homeless teens, Syrian refugees , college-bound students in Barrio Logan, ESL students, and LGBTQ adults. I have mentored over 100 students of diverse backgrounds who went on to four year colleges in Art, won film festival awards, became teachers and exhibiting artists, and started their own art zines and small businesses.

BRIDGE

EDUCATION OUTSIDE THE BOX. Addressing the social and emotional needs of the community through a series of public engagement workshops, events and lectures. The mission is to bridge the gap between education and community through unique partnerships and grant funding to provide free or low-cost workshops. Events activate community dialogue on topics on identity, culture, representation through the exploration of art-making materials.

REEL VOICES

EMPOWERING YOUTH ONE FILM AT A TIME. Teaching media, culture and community to San Diego youth since 2005. A Pacific Arts Movement production whose mission is to empower local high school students to learn the art of documentary filmmaking. Students learn how to operate video cameras, editing programs and produce their own documentary film.

www.reelvoicesSD.org

THE AJA PROJECT

PHOTO EDUCATION CAN CHANGE LIVES. The AjA Project is a compassionate space for young people, activists, visual artists and educators to engage critically with issues that affect our community and realize our collective liberation through participatory storytelling and the documentary arts.

www.theajaproject.org