Roberta Lucas

Michigan Nightlight: What does being a leader mean to you?
Living Arts’ El Arte Early Learning Director and Training Specialist Roberta Lucas: Being willing to listen and learn every day. Also recognize the small successes when the big picture is overwhelming. My touchstone is always the arts: creating dance in the environment and making stories come to life with students reminds me that everyone has the capacity to create.

What is your dream for kids?
My dream for kids is to have sustainable path or pathways of educational and social success so they may have many

My touchstone is always the arts: creating dance in the environment and making stories come to life with students reminds me that everyone has the capacity to create.

choices as adults.

What is one concrete thing that could be done to improve the environment for social sector work in Michigan?
Wow! One? Today I would say acknowledging and supporting professional educators (aka teachers) and related professionals who are working daily with Michigan's future adults. Two is a tandem ongoing challenge but working toward quality education opportunities for all children pre-K through 12th grade is important for the future of Michigan.

How do you know you’re making progress?
In the world of arts in the classroom it is hearing back from teachers how a teaching artist inspires students and creates connections to curriculum through arts based experiences. From families, you hear the enthusiasm reflected from their children and many comments about the social and emotional growth children experience when invited to engage in expressive, artful learning.

What are you most proud of?
Seeing other teaching artists make a commitment to community through sharing their art form with students of all ages. It takes an inspired and intelligent teaching artist to communicate and collaborate with educators and children. Teaching artists need to be open and willing learn from collaborating teachers. Furthermore, most eight year olds are not interested in your resume. They are curious and excited about the experience being offered to them. So yes, when I am in the company of a

...most eight year olds are not interested in your resume. They are curious and excited about the experience being offered to them.

wonderful teaching artist, I am proud, often in awe, and respect their work immensely. 

What perceptions, messages, or historical influences create the most significant barriers to engaging Michigan citizens in helping vulnerable children?
The perception that poverty is a choice is still a barrier to creating ongoing service to our youngest citizens. The challenge of working families to afford quality childcare is unseen by many as a threat to a child's healthy development and future opportunities.

What originally drew you to your current profession?  
I began my career as a performing artist and arts educator in my parents’ backyard. I thought everyone had a costume shop in the attic, a puppet theatre in the basement, and produced all-inclusive outdoor productions each summer. The reality was this creative play was inexpensive and engaged a neighborhood of children in dreaming of the possibilities beyond the block.