About me 2

School was exciting to me and I attended very often. Sadly I did not perform very well academically I was always loosing home work assignments and skipping answers by accident on tests. There was really only one thing that I did very well and that was oral presentations. I didn’t always get as in them. If the teacher ever graded on having a visual aid or writing out our presentation then I was destined for a C. The plain truth is when I was given a verbal task like talking in front of a crowd or telling a story I would do extremely well but if given a written assignment I would blow it for sure. Why even this very blog sucks right now. Yet the bottom line is I like helping people I also like entertaining people and I wish there was a way to do both.

About me part 1

I was born in Ventura California where I was raised by my grandmother who is a lot like Judge Judy and my uncle Kevin who is a lot like buster from Arrested Development. I was always a Shy kid and I didn't really say much until the 3rd grade when I started getting into a lot of trouble. It was just the typical speaking when others are speaking and being the class clown. The next year was fourth grade it was just like any other year with one giant exception there was a school play about Columbus. I didn’t want to be in it so I rehearsed the part of soldier number three as much as I could. I must have done a really good job because I was asked to play the lead the part of Christopher Columbus. It was the beginning of my love for making people laugh all though Columbus was suppose to be a serious play.

A History on Improv for Social Justice

"Improvisational Theater is a uniquely American art form rooted in a rich and varied global tradition — ancient ritual, festivals, celebration, children’s games, commedia del arte, vaudeville, burlesque, cabaret, to name a few. Beyond having an immeasurable impact on contemporary pop culture, improvisational theater games have been a force for social change, impacting peoples’ lives in extraordinary ways."


-Laugh for Change WEBSITE


To be brief Improv comedy has been used in the last to create social change. At this point I am in the process of gathering together research and having a fun time doing it. Some of the things that have saddened me over the years is how cynical, pessimistic, and helpless social workers can be at times. The profession of pushing towards social justice and aiding the oppressed is so important it is critical to keep social workers happy and optimistic despite the sadness they see in the world.

The Idea

                Although I am not the one who thought of the idea I do think I may be one of the few professionals who have a love for improvisational comedy in with the same passion of working for Social Justice. I am a Social Worker, I am a Christian, I am an Actor, I am an athlete, I am a Husband, and I am a Father. Though I have been interested in the relationship of these roles for many years it has only been since this year 2011 that I have wanted to write about them. My idea is the relationship of Improv Theater and its effects on the non theatric world. For example how does the concept of “Yes and” or “accepting the offer” apply to advocacy of homeless veterans.

                Though the idea may seem a bit abstract the posts to this blog will address the social implications behind the theater. The question is “Why humor”? Why should we use humor to discuss such things? The answer is easy. When I was in graduate school the lecture often became boring and dull very much like Keith Jonstone described his early childhood. When we dull our creativity and ignore the offer that life gives to us we become boring and dull. Of all the causes in the world the cause of social justice cannot afford to become boring and dull it must be kept exciting and with passion. We can never expect passion and excitement when we strive for social change if we do it through the traditional of Government Bureaucracy, political correctness, and group think. Let’s think out of the box and change the world.