An introduction from our Executive Director, Julia Di Bussolo:
As we ring in the 2017-18 school year, Arts Every Day is also welcoming a brand new addition to our team. I am excited to work with Carla Blackwell who will take the position of Schools and Partnerships manager as Arts Every Day continues to advocate for the arts and arts integration, support teacher leadership, and connect Baltimore City students to the artists, organizations, and cultural institutions that call Baltimore home. Carla brings a wealth of experience in education and a passion for the arts. Welcome aboard, Carla!
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“I am elated and honored to join the Arts Every Day family! I consider myself a “product of the arts” having had experiences at The Single Carrot Theatre, Peabody Institute, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and at any one of the countless museums in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. area. Knowing the impact art has had on my life, I’m an unwavering believer that every child deserves his/her own experiences. I firmly believe as well that arts and education go hand-in-hand, enhance each other, and are equally beneficial to the development of our children.”
“Art allows for broadening of one’s creativity, the expansion and application of critical thinking skills; it builds the grounds for imagination, and fosters compassion and rich understanding of self and humanity. This is why I’m so excited to be a part of the necessary and relevant work being done here at AED because we are, in partnership, opening the doors and windows for scores of young Baltimoreans and their communities to experience and embrace all that art has to offer every day! I look forward to the immensely artistic and amazing things to come!”
About Carla Blackwell
Carla D. Blackwell, educational advocate and budding educational researcher, is a former middle school English Language Arts educator. She has also worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist with the Maryland State Department of Education, and has held numerous academic support positions at the Community College of Baltimore County in Catonsville, MD. Most recently, Carla fulfilled the role of Curriculum Support Associate with Connections Academy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Science and Disorders with a concentration in Deaf Studies from Towson University in Baltimore, MD and a Master’s of Education in Literacy from Loyola University Maryland.
Carla plans to obtain her doctorate in education with a focus on the influences of culture and community on the literacy development and practices of adolescents, as well as on educational policy using photography (photovoice) as her primary research methodology. Carla has participated and completed educational and professional development at the Johns Hopkins University, as well as Harvard University. Carla has committed years of volunteerism in the areas literacy and education, including work with the Girl Scouts of America, The Greater Baltimore Urban League, the Touchstones Discussion Project, and L.E.A.P. for Ghana (Literacy Empowerment Action Project). Her work will continue to be driven by her passion for educational equity and opportunity for all students.
Carla may be reached at 410-685-1172 or carla@artseveryday.org.