The UBU Project Envisions a World Where Every Voice is Heard and Honored

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contact us: info@ubuproject.org

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  • More
    • Home
    • UBU Residencies
      • UBU Overview
      • Social-Emotional
      • Social Justice
      • STEM to STEAM
      • Residency Outline
      • Schools and Conferences
      • Curriculum-Pedagogy
    • DONATE NOW
    • Testimonials
    • UBU Media
    • About Us
      • Staff Bios
      • HOPE from David
      • UBU Board
      • Professional Advisors
    • Videos
    • Fees | Funding Options
    • DONATE HERE
    • UBU Gratitude
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contact us: info@ubuproject.org

  • Home
  • UBU Residencies
  • DONATE NOW
  • Testimonials
  • UBU Media
  • About Us
  • Videos
  • Fees | Funding Options
  • DONATE HERE
  • UBU Gratitude

Social Justice: Celebrating Diversity, Equity & INclusion

True Social Justice and DEI are About Honoring and Celebrating Our Intersectionality

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The foundations of Social Justice/DEI rest in The UBU Treasure Chest of


HOPE / ESPERANZA

RESILIENCE / RESISTENCIA

SELF-COMPASSION / AUTO-COMPASSION

EMPATHY / EMPATIA


Learning to explore, embrace and celebrate our differences and similarities:


Diversity Must be Diverse!


The performing arts have been an integral part of social activism for centuries. That is because social injustice, racism, homophobia, religious intolerance, gender-bias and cultural genocide have been part of our societies for centuries as well. 


During the course of this engaging, interactive, student-led, UBU Arts Integration Residency your students will explore both historical and recent events in local, national, and global culture as regards to Social Injustice, DEI, and Human Rights for BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and all marginalized populations. 


As part of their process the students will create original music, poetry and monologues/speeches to help them give voice to the struggles of their hearts in a hopeful, compassionate, and empathetic way. All skills will be taught as part of the process so no musical, writing or performing experience is necessary. 

Find Your Voice | Tell Your Story | Share Your Hope

Our Social Justice Residencies are built upon the solid foundation of our Social/Emotional & PBIS curriculum (aka The UBU Treasure Chest):


HOPE | RESILIENCE | SELF-COMPASSION | EMPATHY

ESPERANZA | RESISTENCIA | AUTO-COMPASION | EMPATIA


Much like the Saturday morning cartoon Schoolhouse Rock™, UBU Project Arts Integration Social Justice Residencies utilize performing arts skills and curricula to support and enhance the work already being done within your DEI curriculum. You can even use your UBU Project Social Justice Residencies as a foundational building block in creating your won DEI programming. The exciting difference with UBU Project Arts Integration Residencies as compared with so many other residency programs: 


All lyrics, poetry and scripts are created by your students 100%!


The perfect addition to any organization's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Programming, UBU Social Justice Residencies follow the model of all UBU Project Arts Integration Curriculum (as based upon the principles of Socratic Seminar) increasing student meta-cognition of the subject matter at hand through a guided, interactive process which is,


Student-led

Project-based

Goal-oriented

Arts-infused


Likewise, with our UBU Social Justice Residencies, we explore the neuro-plasticity of the human brain by creating the foundational steps of encouraging healthy, new neuro-pathways in all participants.  This process is achieved through UBU's hope-filled, creative, interactive classroom techniques, methods and materials. Every UBU prevention residency is a celebration of life based upon positive self-discovery, making healthy choices and advancing the life-narrative of all involved towards an affirming sense of wholeness and self-compassion. 

UBU DEI Curriculum (Adapted to your Needs)

In addition to the engaging, encouraging and interactive principles of all UBU curricula, our Social Justice/DEI curriculum also includes the following as developed in partnership with your administrators, faculty, staff and/or curriculum developers,


Historical Overview of System Racism In America (1619 to The Present)

Open dialogue surrounding the Black Lives Matter Movement

Exploring concepts of white privilege

Global, Regional and Local Events as they impact Social Justice in Your Community


This same model/template is followed and adapted when working together on a greater understanding of,


LGBTQ+ Human Rights and Creating/Supporting your GSA

Gender Identity and Gender Rights

Inclusion, Accessibility and Adaptive Practices for Persons Living with Disabilities 

(including  Students receiving special education services, persons with  learning and/or physical disabilities)

Normalizing The Conversation Surrounding Mental Health and Awareness


 To learn more, please contact us directly at: info@ubuproject.org 

LINK: UBU GENERAL RESIDENCY OUTLINE
LINK: UBU Curriculum and pedagogy
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Social Justice | DEI | The UBU Mission

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According to Current Statistical Research

Among BIPOC Youth and Young Adults

  • Teen suicide rates among black youth are increasing. 
  • Recently national data revealed that among children age 5-11, black children had the highest rate of death by suicide. 
  • Among African-American populations
    • 1 million suffer with drug use
    • 1.5 million suffer with alcohol abuse
    • 320,000 suffer with a combination of alcohol and drug use
  • Black and Hispanic youth who are bullied are more likely to suffer academically than their white peers.
  • When bullying based on race or ethnicity is severe, pervasive, or persistent it may be considered harassment, which is covered under federal civil rights laws.
    • Systemic Racism Is Systemic Bullying
    • Bullying Is An Act of Violence


Among LGBTQ+ Youth and Young Adults (According to The Trevor Project)

  • Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24
  • LGB youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth
  • LGB youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth
  • 1 out of 6 students nationwide (grades 9–12) seriously considered suicide in the past year. [5]
  • Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average


According to the US Department of Health and Human Services:

Bullying can affect physical and emotional health, both in the short term and later in life. It can lead to physical injury, social problems, emotional problems, and even death.

  • Those who are bullied are at increased risk for mental health problems, headaches, and problems adjusting to school. 

UBU Data Driven Information, Becoming Part of the Solution:

According to fact-based research; UBU Residency Students Experience a 31.17% increase in 

  • Hope / Esperanza
  • Resilience / Resistencia
  • Self-Compassion / Auto-Compasion
  • Empathy /Empatia

LINK: UBU Testimonials
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Our experience with the Arts as Activism

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David Simmons: Founder, Executive Director, Teaching Artist

An honors graduate of the University of Montana School of Music; David's diverse career as an educator, actor, writer, composer, performer, mental health advocate, and social justice activist has taken him to all 50 states, 19 countries and 4 continents. In addition to his professional training and experience David is a thriving survivor of his own suicide attempts, a recovering alcoholic with over 28 years sober and he was the fat kid who got bullied in school. He also lives with the managed mental health diagnoses of major depressive disorder recurrent, free-floating anxiety and PTSD. And, he is living his best life yet.


David grew up in a family of arts educators and pacifist/activists. His own work in engaging the arts and education as tools of activism includes;

  • Mixed Blood Theater: Actor, Musician, Director,  Playwright, Composer
    • Cultural Diversity, Equity, Pluralism, LGBTQ/Gender Rights, Mental Health Equity
  • Penumbra Theater/Minnesota Opera: Actor/Singer
    • Racism/Violence Awareness in a predominantly Caucasian culture of white privilege
  • SteppingStone Theater  for Youth Development: Playwright, Composer, teaching Artist
    • Cultural Diversity, Equity, Pluralism
  • Peaceful Love Warriors: Community Event Planner/Organizer, Performer, Public Speaker
    • Building Peaceful Communities, Cultural Diversity, Equity, Pluralism
  • Fort Peck  Council On The Arts:  Education Director, Teaching Artist
    • Indigenous Cultural Awareness, Civil Rights, Anti-Racism
  • Arizona Broadway Theater:  Education Director, Teaching Artist, Director, Music Director
    • Actively casting and hiring BIPOC & LGBTQ+ artists in a predominantly Caucasian culture of white privilege
  • The UBU Project: Executive Director, Curriculum Developer, Teaching Artist
    • Social/Emotional Learning
    • Mental Health Equity/Awareness
    • BIPOC/LGBTQ+ Diversity, Equity, Inclusion


To learn more, please contact us directly at: info@ubuproject.org

More About David

UBU ARTS AS ACTIVISM CLASS PROJECT Music Video

UBU ARTS AS ACTIVISM Full CLASS PROJECT VIDEO

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