This is thinking cluesive I'm Tim Vegas. I've been told I can ramble when I tell stories. So I'll attempt to be succinct with this one. I'm in the audience of the gymnasium with my class. This is probably around 2010 or so. And I'm waiting for my school's spring musical to start. There's an opening scene with the whole cast about to begin, and the music starts. The lights go on. And everything goes according to plan, except for the fact that there is an extra cast member dressed in plainclothes singing and dancing with his peers. For a moment, we think that this was on purpose. The boy, let's call him Mike, who spends most of his day in a segregated self contained classroom, I was standing in the front row with the performers, as he attempted to copy them in their every move. What was so interesting was that I heard no snickering no laughter, no angry parents saying he ruined the show. In fact, a number of people came up to me and said, how cool it was that no one was really doing anything except letting him be who he was for a moment. I happen to agree with that sentiment. The how he got up there in the first place, is not as important as the why he was there. He wanted to participate. He wanted some attention, he wanted to belong. Needless to say, he was not supposed to be there. And as quick as his moment came, it went during the scene change. I was talking with a colleague after the show, and she noted that a student had come up to her to describe what happened and they remarked in the paraphrasing, Mrs. So and so it was straight up inclusion, I believe the student was correct to a certain degree, we can experience what inclusion feels like and looks like in these moments. And it certainly was a start because he was there and present. But for this particular student inclusion was fleeting, he would have been better served had been included from the beginning, a valued part of the cast, even if it was only for as long as he was up on stage in that moment. Inclusion is not about the time spent with typical peers is about being missed when you were not there. In a moment. I want to introduce you to Diane strand, an accomplished entrepreneur, influential leader in the creative industry. And if you want to know more about promoting Inclusion in the Arts, stick around. We'll be right back after a short break.
Right Hi, welcome back to Think inclusive, our podcast that brings you conversations about inclusive education, and what inclusion looks like in the real world. Diane strand is a visionary in the Visual and Performing Arts with over 30 years of experience as a producer, educator and entrepreneur. She co founded JDS studio and as the executive producer of the innovative TV show, spirit of innovation. As President of the Southwest economic development coalition and a board member for Riverside County's workforce development in California. Diane is a leader in her community. She's also the founder of JDS creative Academy, where she empowers individuals, including those with developmental disabilities through video production and acting Diane's life is a testament to her philosophy of hope, H O P E, helping one person every day. In this episode, Diane and I discussed the importance of inclusion and how the arts can be a powerful tool for bringing people together. Diane shares her personal journey of overcoming exclusion, and how it led to her to create a creative academy that teaches video production and multimedia to adults with developmental disabilities. She also offers insights For educators on incorporating creativity into their teaching and emphasizes the value of gratitude, and manifestation in achieving success. Before we get into today's episode with Diane, I want to tell you about our sponsor for this week. the Described and Captioned Media Program. DCMP is the nation's leading source of accessible educational videos. Membership is free for families and school personnel with at least one early learner through grade 12 student with a disability. And it includes free access to 1000s of videos and educational TV series with captions audio description, and American Sign Language. DCMP also provides guidelines for captioning and describing educational media, as well as professional development and e learning resources. DCMP is fully funded by the US Department of Education. And did I mention it services are free? Check them out@dcmp.org. And now my conversation with Diane strand. Oh, and for free time this week, some polling data from the Century foundation about school segregation 70 years after Brown versus Board of Education.
Diane strand, welcome to the thick inclusive podcast.
Thank you so much for having me. I'm honored to be here.
I like to start off with a question about inclusion. So let's kick this conversation off with Diane, why is inclusion important to you?
Well, I think just the word in and of itself, inclusion. I mean, that is the way everybody wants to feel is that they're included, that they are valued, that they mean something and I believe everyone in the human nature believes has a reason to feel that way and is valid for feeling that way. So that's what inclusion really means to me is being kind and just bringing people into your space, that maybe you can give them some value, or maybe they can give you some value. And that's what inclusion to me really means collaboration coming together with an open mind.
And when was there a time that that you felt included?
Well, you know, it's always easier to say probably the times that I felt excluded than included, you know, because included is how we want to feel every day and how everybody wants to feel every day. But you know, I always say you can't connect those dots looking forward, you have to look back to actually see where some of those dots take your life and your journey. And being a young second grader my dot for shows up I was diagnosed dyslexic, I wanted to really be in the school play. And I was told by teachers don't even bother to try you can't read, you're not going to be any good at this. And my mentality is always watch me. So I set out to teach myself how to read and audition for the school play got the part of Betsy Ross in those first school play in second grade where most everybody was sixth graders who were being cast. And that was me going from feeling excluded to included. And that is what I really think the arts are all about is inclusivity. And that's what I found all through my schooling was anytime I was feeling excluded or something I couldn't do or wanted to do. The arts brought me back to that place. And I feel like that's why it's so powerful for bringing people together, showing people how to work together, bringing in kindness, creativity, having a place to belong, and when you're in the arts, all of those things are possible.
It's interesting that you felt excluded. And that it spurred you on to a really include yourself, right? You didn't take no for an answer. You didn't take those negative attitudes toward you. To Heart you pushed through that. And I'm wondering, I'm wondering if there's a lesson there, you know, because the thing is, is we want, we want inclusive schools, right, we want inclusive communities. But a lot of times, that's not it's not available to us right?
Through. I mean, that's so true. And, you know, that is one of the hardest things, it's easier said than done, to just keep moving yourself forward and putting yourself out there. It is a mindset game. And I think that's where anybody can benefit from that strong mindset. You know, we can't do things fearless, we have to do it with just a little bit more belief in ourselves than we don't, and then put ourselves out there, keep showing up. I work with adults with developmental disabilities. And that is one of the biggest keys that we teach is just keep trying look for the tools that can help you. So you feel like you are able to have a purpose and a passion because everybody does. And they just want to be seen for that. So that's my way of doing that now is having people learn how to be seen for what they can do for what they want to do for where they want to go and the value that they have, understanding who they are and what their value is. And then putting themselves out there is a consistent, it's a consistent battle for everyone every day. But if you can start with gratitude, and everybody has something to be grateful for and helps to keep putting one foot in front of the other and working with that momentum.
Now you have a creative academy that you've you've that you have, it's called JDS creative Academy. Was this born out of your love of the arts? Like Tell us how that came to be?
Well, it was really born out of the love of the arts. Exactly like you said, I mean, I am a video production producer. I have ALA's credits from the entertainment industry on shows like friends in general hospital in Veronica's closet, and my husband's a professional actor. And really, you know, I guess at that time, the inclusion that I was looking for, was as a singer, as a as a mom, for the first time working in the industry, having to be able to have a little flexibility to be able to be a mom be a woman in this industry, which is a very male dominant industry. And it was either you're winning or you're failing. And I wanted to be able to win as a mom and be home for bathtime man dinner time. And when that wasn't possible, I ran for entrepreneurship and started building my own business so I could work the way that I wanted to work. And, you know, did I know then that I would be where I am now? No, but I knew that I could make videos that had purpose and passion at that time, we were doing a lot of medical and biotech videos. So people who had diseases from cancer to Crohn's disease could have solutions. And then I had young actors who wanted to learn how to break into the industry. So then I needed to create classes so they could learn how to break into the industry. And then as more people wanted to learn from script writing, to filmmaking to musical theater, there's only one of me and my husband. And so I had to bring all my industry professional friends together, and we created the nonprofit so we could teach and do more. And then it was out of, you know, somebody at a chamber meeting, asking if they could just talk to me a little bit about workforce development, because I sat on the County Workforce Development Board, and I said, Sure, and then they asked if I would meet an individual who just wanted to learn audio, but had some special needs. I didn't know what I was going to do with this individual. But I said yes, again. And then he came in at that time moving sets from here to there, just trying to figure out and make things work in the nonprofit. I saw how he was learning with hands on and training and fulfilling his dream. So I started writing a curriculum to how to teach adults with developmental disabilities, video production, multimedia, audio production, and then it turned into a program. And now when I look back, I can't see that I would be doing anything else because it all connects one.to The next to lead right where it is, to who I am, to where I started and how this all happened. It all connects, but I never could have saw it looking forward. It was never like some big, altruistic, let's create a creative Academy and teach adults with developmental disabilities. It just came out of a passion and a purpose. And then realizing, well, I fall into that category too. And actually, so to my children, when they have, you know, ADHD, and all the things that go on that it's like, I am exactly where I need to be to be helping people feel more inclusive, find their passion, lead their purpose, and it all just lines up.
Isn't that amazing? That that your story is is very relatable I, I feel a lot of gratitude to where I am today. And I've often said that when I've been telling people about, you know, by previous jobs and stuff that everything that I've done previously, has prepared me for the next thing, right. It's always whatever experience whether there was a positive or negative experience it always, it always prepared me for the next step. And whatever the career, whatever my career ended up being so. So that so that resonates with me. And it's also a lot, a lot of what you said about just saying yes, right to opportunities, because you couldn't have said, no, no, no, we can't No, we can't accommodate. Like, I don't know, if I don't think this is going to work, right? From the very beginning. If someone gave me the idea of like, hey, you know, I've got this person, and they would love to learn something. But you didn't do that. You said yes. And so and here you are?
Absolutely. I mean, and I do believe that with every bone in my body, that you have to say, yes, you have to step out of that comfort zone. That's where the magic happens. Because opportunities come to those who are knocking on doors, you know, you can't just wait for everybody to show up for you, you have to show up for yourself. And that's how you keep doing that is putting yourself out there. You know, it's fear that tells us that, oh, wait, we're not ready, you don't have that website ready to go. So you can't do that yet, or all these changes are going to happen. So I'm just going to sit back and wait, you have to keep moving forward, you have to keep growing and and doing things that are uncomfortable, you know, get comfortable with being uncomfortable. You know, discomfort is temporary growth is permanent. And those are the things that come out of, you know, believing in yourself, trusting in yourself, putting fear in the backseat, you don't have to do it fearless, just take control of it, you work the radio, you drive the car, you figure out what it is that you want to get done, and then make it happen, move that needle, one win small win at a time, one step at a time, there is no, everybody's success and journey is different. So don't compare where you're at to somebody else, you know, we're all on this path of life. And life looks different for everyone. Start with gratitude. Be kind, include others, and then live a life of passion and purpose and your value will speak volumes.
I really like what you're saying with taking wins, you're taking winds where you can get them. I think educators and a lot of educators listen, they feel sometimes hopeless, because they're in maybe they work in a school district that isn't as inclusive as they want, right? Or maybe they feel burnt out because they're not getting the support that they need, or they have too much paperwork, or maybe they have some really challenging situations in the classroom. And so what I'm hearing you say and what I hope whoever is listening, will hear is that sometimes we just have to take things like one step at a time, right and really enjoy the wins that we we get even if it's day by day. And so I love that positive attitude. And I hope that I hope that that resonates with people. The other thing is, as an educator you know, we we heard you say the word curriculum. And so as educators I'm sure their little you know, their brains just went being like, Wait, there's a curriculum like what? So what does that look like? You said you created a curriculum or maybe like a, like a how to include people with developmental disabilities? In the arts? Could you explain a little bit what that looks like? And so that's the first question. And then the second question is, is it available for anyone to use? Or like, how does that work?
Well, as far as what I think about people who are learners, people learn in several different ways, whether that's hands on, and I find those with special needs, they learn best when they can put their hands on something. So they can start committing things to memory. And they can do the repeat factor to really be able to learn it. But some people are auditory learners, some people need to read it and look at pictures. So you have to figure out what kind of learner you first have. And then you adapt a curriculum to them. And my curriculum that I that I wrote for the video production is a hands on program, it has some other things that are built into it, whether we're doing some tutorials, or some of those auditory ways to learn. So we hit all of those needs. And so I really think that you have to start with your learner to figure out how they learn. And what is the best way. And that's the advice I would give to any educator is everybody learns differently. So figure out the best way to work with that individual. And then as far as the curriculums that that I've created, I've actually written to one is, for adults with developmental disabilities. It's a title 17 curriculum for video production, multimedia, we produce to TV shows or radio show and a podcast professionally. And they all work on those to learn how to be able to it's a vehicle to help them learn all the things that go into producing a TV show or a radio show or podcast and all all the from editing the concept from start them with concept development through the post production side. So the short answer is, yes, the curriculums are available, we do licensed them out, we do. It's part of our arts across America Program, which is we're really trying to spread arts across America. So creative academies can pop up anywhere. So this can happen in anyone's backyard, because I truly believe that creatives need a little bit more business to launch. And businesses need a little bit more creativity. And so when we are pulling those things together in a creative Academy to be able to work with like minded individuals from mainstream to Special Needs cross collaborate, that's how we're going to build an inclusive environment, at the same time in an enriched environment. And so I would love to work with anybody who's looking to create that because again, the arts leveled the playing field, it's a great place to start the arts teach reading, math, science, technology, all of the things exist within the art world, it touches every business, every industry, every way you can develop workforce, any way you can grow a business, you need it for marketing, for communications, arts, touch everyone. And then when you can have a program that is able to reach people, you start spreading that message of inclusivity, as well.
And also, what I'm hearing you say is that it's not just it's not just a program for people with disabilities, right? It is, it is for anyone who wants to participate. And then if you do have some learners that are hands on, you know, hands on type of learners, then you have some guidance on what you're doing. But I would assume that it's like, you're really teaching everyone everything, right.
Right. That's exactly what we're doing. And we teach people where they're at, you know, whether and we put them all in the same room together, you know, because like I said, going back to that every buddy learns different some people are going to understand and learn better when they're watching somebody else do something. And then they may hear a critique or a fix to that individual and go, Oh, now I get it. I see what they were trying to say to me because they see what that other person is doing. And then when we said Oh, no, do it this way. They understand that because sometimes you're in the moment of creating or doing something and you can't step out beside yourself that way, but you can see it in other ways as well. So you have to have all of those pieces in place from the tactile to the touching and feeling hands on to being able to do observation and seeing how somebody is doing it. So you can emulate that and make that work for you. And then you have to be able to see how far you can get with those steps on your own. And then where you have to put tools in place. So you can remember the next steps that have to come in place. And so all of those things play really well together in a learning environment. And, you know, and then I apply it to the arts, because the creativity, and the inclusivity that comes to that and the cross collaboration. And when you're working with that person, one to one, whether they're an experienced learner or an emerging learner, you can direct them in the same topic at the same time, at their different levels.
What stories do you have to illustrate? Like what this looks like in practice? Do you have any like that come to the top of mind for you?
Well, I can continue the story about that one individual who came to, you know, who came into my life purely by accident, you know, just by saying yes, never knowing what was going to happen. So moving that forward, we wrote a curriculum, we got it approved by not only the state, but Inland Regional Center. So then we opened up our program, we now have 30 individuals in our program, we've placed over eight participants into actual real learning job paid environments, that individual been one of them, who loved audio, and then went out and secured a job working as an audio engineer for a radio station, you know, and so between all of those steps, all he could do before that was he did a little DJing. But we took that to the next level. So he could really learn how to engineer audio beyond just playing a record or playing a tune or something like that, to be able to do that we helped him find his voice. So he could even his DJ in business before he would just play the music but now he's out there Happy Birthday, let's get everyone out there rockin we found his voice and while he could step outside of himself, and not be so shy, or insecure and feel vulnerable in those situations, I have seen individuals, you know, get jobs, we they're doing jobs for Pixar now, because we're teaching them animation. And they're learning, you know, starting where everybody else learned, you know, the little bouncing ball, but now they're, you know, making T poses and animating characters for major motion pictures, they're on TV, they're learning they start with not even knowing how to send an email, and then you know, that little Reply All feature. It's like no, just reply to the right or not reply all. All the little skills and watching that happen. That's just success after success after success. Yeah.
Oh, that. So that brings to my you talked about the Inland Regional Center, you're in Southern California. Is that right? Correct. Yes. And to Temecula, okay. Yes. And so, for whoever is listening, California has these scenes called regional centers, and they provide a lot of, you know, funding to different programs and support to families. And, and so is that how you are funded in in part is because it's a nonprofit, right?
Correct. Yes. So we are funded, I don't call it funded. We are paid for the service that we provide for the clients that come through Inland Regional Center is 25 hour week program that we have for video production and multimedia. And they're here I have consumers who have been with us for over six years. Some of them are working while they're still here. Some of them are brand new. And you know, like I said, we placed nine individuals into working paid internships. We're about to place our temp in six years that's that's those are huge success wins where they're not cleaning toilets. They're working for storm stadium and production companies editing, making, like I said, doing animation for Pixar working they have clients that they have to respond to to make marketing videos for. So, you know they are working and getting paid for their services. And yes, we are paid through Inland Regional, we build through that. And then we have a lot of grants. We also have Visual Performing, and digital arts extracurricular classes through the nonprofit as well.
So for your clients, do they live within a certain kind of mile radius of your program? Or do you do virtual programs? Or how does that work?
Well, our day program for Inland Regional clients, that is an in person program here in Temecula. So to conveniently get to us, you need to live in southwest Riverside County, or at least as far out as Riverside, and maybe Moreno Valley, if you're here in the area. We do offer our extracurricular classes right now, the majority of those are all in person. So again, you'd want to be probably within a 50 to 60 mile radius of us to come get those but we are rolling out some virtual programs for arts across America, and really wanting to work with individuals who want to create the same kind of inclusive enrichment, creative environment, whether that's here in Riverside County, or in one of the other counties, we can definitely show you how to work with Inland Regional Centers are regional centers, if you're outside of Riverside County, they're regional centers. So you can get vendored and work through that. And we can help you build that curriculum. Whether you want to teach video production and multimedia, maybe you want to teach culinary arts, maybe you want to teach singing or acting or you want to teach fine art or you want to teach business strategies, and you want to do it in an environment like we have, we can show you how to do that.
So I'm imagining, maybe some educators listening and being like, Well, that's nice, but I don't live in Southern California. That sounds like this can be replicated anywhere in the country. And they can, you know, reach out to you to figure out how that could happen. Is that right? Absolutely.
That's arts across America. We are working with some people in Texas, actually, some schools there who want some of the curriculum, even whether you're involved. We work with the Unified School Districts here in southwest whether that be Temecula, Marietta, Riverside, we work with the school districts, and that's what we're working with in Texas is one of the school districts so they can implement some of the programs that we have, and roll them out there. So yes, awesome,
awesome. What about any other resources that that you've created for, you know, creative types, entrepreneurial types? What kind of stuff do you have, whether that's on the website or whether that is something that you've created?
Well, we have our arts across America is really a bigger program, which is also part of our coaching and mastermind program. So you're welcome to always get on a mastermind. Call with us, we do a free one the last Tuesday of every month. If you want to get on a q&a call, feel free to ask us anything, whether you are creative yourself or you're in business or you're an educator, and you want to learn more how to work with individuals in with developmental disabilities or you want to launch yourself you you know, we work with everyone and give you those strategies. Whether you need more mindset, you need more practical, you need step by step, go here, do this step one, step two, step three, whether you want to just learn a craft, so you can pursue gig work or you want to be an actor or you're a business and you know, you can be a jewelry maker that's art in and of itself, and you want to know how to sell your jewelry, whether that's at craft fairs, or you want to get into Tiffany, you know, those are all the things that we can help you with, to show you how to, you know, put your plan together and implement it and walk it through. I deal with everything on this creative basis because that is I'm the creative printer. And you know, so to you know, move your business and move your needle. You need to add the creative to it.
Awesome. And you have some you have Some books for sale now and you're working on a book, is that right?
I am, my, well, my first book is called show business. It's breaking in the industry as an actor. I wrote that with my partner in life and business, who is Scott strand, he's the show. I'm the business. And we help creators launch. And now I'm in the process of writing. It's really my third book. Second full book, but I'm writing that on my own. It's called the creative printer. And it's expected to hit bookstores later this year, probably late fall. We're in the final editing phases right now with my publisher.
Fantastic, and they can anyone who's interested in those can find them where anywhere
books are sold, you know, Amazon is the go to place of course, they are on Amazon, Barnes and Noble show businesses and a lot of bookstores, especially if you hit some of the theatrical bookstores, we're from LA to New York. We did a really great book tour back in 22. And it went best seller within a month. And so I'm super excited and proud of that. And, you know, we're here to help creatives, you know, live their dream live, live their passion, live their purpose, you know, make your passion into profits.
Fantastic. Since we do have a lot of educators that listen, is there anything that you would love for educators to take away from this conversation? Um,
breathe. That would be my first thing I you know, fellow educators out there, I get it, I hear you. It doesn't matter whether you're working with mainstream or special needs breathe. And, and I would also say, go back to creativeness when you are trying to teach, find a way to get your lesson through in a creative manner. It's going to be absorbed so much better. You're going to get buy in from your students as well. Whether you're teaching math, whether you're teaching science, whether you're teaching language, whether you're teaching dexterity, bringing in the creative to it, and find that buy in through that, and then you're going to take that next step.
Stay tuned for the mystery question after a short break.
Alright, let's, let's do the mystery question. Here we go. The question is what this is good. This is I'm sorry, I'm laughing. But what are you superstitious about? That, like, is that like a show? That's a show business thing, right?
superstition is, you know, it's funny, I don't know that I have a whole lot of super superstitions as far as that goes. Although I am probably one of those people. I knock on wood. And, you know, I won't go under the ladder, I'll go around the ladder. I try not to break mirrors. So you know, I don't know that there's one out there that I think is gonna, like, get you. As far as that goes. You know, when I kind of combat that my two things, you talked about superstition. I'm all about gratitude and manifestation. So I start every day with gratitude I try and when things go a little haywire. That may be the Cosmo's out there doing something. I try and bring myself back to gratitude. Even if it's just okay, I got a pen, I can write something let's start writing and make it come out somewhere somehow. You know, so that gets me back into my right frame of mind. And then I am a manifester. I do believe that if I see something at the end of it and how I want it to be then I can find that next step. I don't have to know all the steps because they reveal themselves and then I find when I get to the end of it, it might not look exactly the way that I manifested it to it could be better, but or different. So that's kind of my superstition is I see it to believe it and then I start walking it and then I let it reveal.
Yeah, yeah. I so that the manifestation what you're talking about, I think for me It's more like visualization, you know, which is what you said, but I was, I was talking with some teachers a few weeks ago. And, like, encouraging them to visualize what their, what they want their classroom to look like, right? Who they want to be as a teacher, like, visualize who that person is, you know, you need to grow. So think about what that looks like. And think about, you know, how you want your kid, the kids in your classroom to interact, the relationships that you're building, so all those things kind of seated into into the final, like, where you want them to go, even though you're not there yet. So I think, I think it's kind of the same thing, right? You really just, you're just kind of like reflecting on how things could be and figuring out how to get there, right? Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, Black
Cat that'll help you with all your superstitions.
I have one shot. Yeah, I don't. So I I'm trying really hard to think I don't think I'm I'm too superstitious. But I am a big sports. Well, when I say sports, it's really just baseball. So like I love baseball, I watched I watch the Dodgers on my favorite team, although I live in the Atlanta area. So I'm like, obligated to root for the Braves, just not when they're playing the Dodgers. And so a lot of times, I get real superstitious about like, if the team is doing badly, then I have to like do something different. I have to sit somewhere else I have to hold something else. I have to like turn my head backwards. Even unless like I really know that there's really nothing I can do to make anything different. But I just seem compelled to do something differently. So that's probably as close as I get to being superstitious about something. Else. Diane strand, thank you so much for being on the thinking business podcast and sharing about JDS creative Academy. We appreciate it.
Thank you.
That chime means it's free time. This week, I wanted to share some polling data with you from the Century foundation. Here are some fast facts. This is from a post on x. Two in five kids still attend mostly segregated schools. Yet two in three Americans agree are leaders should reduce racial and economic segregation in K 12 schools. And might I add not only by race, but by disability category as well. I'll put a link in the show notes to the polling data. There are some very interesting articles that accompany the data to let me know what you think. You can always email me at TV vegas@mcie.org That's TV I ll. E. G A s@mcie.org. That's it for this episode of Think inclusive, think inclusive is written, edited, designed and mixed and mastered by me Tim Vegas, and is a production of the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education. Original Music by miles credit. Additional music from melody. A big thank you to our sponsor this week. dcmp.org Make sure you check them out. Shout out to all of my podcasting pals out there grinding out episode after episode I see you and I appreciate you. Oh, and if you want a fun summer movie recommendation, our family just saw the fall guy with Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling. It's rated PG 13 So make sure you check out Common Sense Media to make sure it's appropriate for your family. But we loved it. Thanks for your time and attention and remember, inclusion always works
there's like literally no blooper this week but please enjoy vacuuming in the background. That my kids
