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scholar.

current projects

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E Pluribus Unum
The American Identity Project

In the spirit of Anna Deavere Smith and Moises Kaufman's documentary theatre interviews, E Pluribus Unum represents Jordan's larger body of social justice-driven creative work. In this project, Jordan compiles, produces, and performs nonfiction theater pieces grounded in the visceral  stories of Americans.  With his first three pieces, Letters to Obama, Deplorables, and dis/Placed, Jordan challenges audiences across the political spectrum to explore the palpable, moving stories of individuals that directly correlate to relevant policy action in their communities, states, and nation.  Stay tuned for more information!

publications

Live To Digital Simulcast: Exploratory North American Market Research

Harvard Business School/American Repertory Theater

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Music! Words! Opera! Analysis of Boston Lyric Opera’s Arts Integration Curriculum Model   

Harvard Graduate School of Education/Boston Lyric Opera

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Emerging Arts Education Leaders: Expanding the Leadership Pipeline

Americans for the Arts

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Bridges and Borders: Creativity-Based Curriculum

Focus on Immigration Education and Stories Through the Arts (FIESTA)

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FORTHCOMING: 

Youth In Revolt! Theatrical Approaches to Civil Rights Issues in the American Musical: A Comparative Analysis of Bloomer Girl, Fly Blackbird, and Hairspray

Harvard Urban Scholar Fellowship

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Jordan was awarded the Urban Scholar Fellowship at Harvard University in 2018, a financial award that brings together 14 students with a demonstrated commitment to urban education. In addition to their coursework, fellows engage in co-curricular programming and receive project support. 

recent projects

Youth In Revolt! The Arts, Education, & Social Justice

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This body of research aims to explore various aspects of the arts at the nexus of youth movements, education access, and social justice. The project currently has two core study areas:

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1. American Theatrical Approaches to Youth Civil Disobedience

2. Arts Education Access in American Schools: Pre- and Post-Desegregation 

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This project is currently underway and will continue to expand in depth and breadth. 

PART ONE: American Theatrical Approaches to Youth Civil Disobedience

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How does the American musical theatre approach Civil Rights issues? More specifically, how does it represent youth involved in in these portrayals and how has that image changed over time? While many musicals have told their stories through the lens of youth characters, Jordan focuses on the shows Bloomer Girl, Fly Blackbird, and Hairspray to explore different approaches to address racial issues in American society. While this divergent trio of musicals represents a span of nearly sixty years, they are each surprisingly interconnected in their spirit regarding youth involvement in civil rights issues. 

PART TWO: Arts Education Access in American Schools: Pre- and Post-Desegregation

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Through an in-depth study of educational records, pedagogical documents, and rare sound clips and photographs, the second part of this study aims to look at the reciprocal relationship between arts education and civil rights movements. Starting with a focus on the desegregation of public education in America, the research will coalesce around the following topics: (1) Access to Arts Education for African American Youth pre-desegregation; (2) Access to Arts Education for African American Youth post-desegregation; and (3) The Use of Art, Music, Theater, Poetry, and Dance Presentation by Youth as a form of Resistance in the Civil Rights Movement.

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