Erika L. Ewing: Fashioning Change

When we’re talking about the power of The Arts — the healing, the transformative powers — we’re really talking about the fact that we’re human. We’re humanizing the experience of others. So, we lead with empathy, and we lead in such a way that we put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. It’s more than meeting people for where they are –it’s BEING where they are. It’s getting inside of where they are . . . I can see new possibilities. NOW what can I do to change things?

Erika Lucille Ewing is a social impact entrepreneur and a
multimedia creative, actor, activist, and fashion designer,
“ARTIVIST.”

As former Chief of Staff of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York (BLMNY) Erika along with the powerful women of BLMNY organized the “Find Our Girls’ March to bring attention to the missing Black and Brown girls and youth across the globe. 

Got To Stop LLC is a social impact consulting company and lifestyle fashion brand that raises awareness about social injustice and empowers communities to take action. Got To Stop LLC designs clothing to invite courageous conversations around racism, poverty, health disparities, human trafficking, gun violence, voter suppression, domestic violence, and criminal justice reform.

Erika is very active in her Harlem community. In 2020, she co-produced the Black Lives Matter Mural in
Harlem. Erika has gained a stellar reputation and credibility as a community connector.
Most recently, Erika’s contributions to UNITAS (United Together Against Human Trafficking) curriculum
development team helped earn UNITAS the 2022 Anthem Award for its Transformative Anti-Human
Trafficking Curriculum. The curriculum is currently being implemented in NYC and D.C. public schools.

In addition to creating fashion for change, one of Erika’s goals is to create conversation collections for luxury fashion brands and cars. You can reach out to her at any of the social media channels.
Erika believes in the power of the arts to heal, unite, and be a catalyst for social justice, change, and
transformation.
Got To Stop LLC… It’s Not A Movement. It’s A Lifestyle

Erika holds a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, and a Master of
Fine Arts in Theater Arts from Mason Gross School of The Arts at Rutgers University. She is a member of the Actors Equity Association and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

IG/FB Twitter:
@gottosopllc

Young Women in the Theatre and Media

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In our continuing effort to develop and promote women in the professional theatre The League of Professional Theatre Women invite you to another…

NETWORKING EVENT
Connect, Collaborate, and Consolidate
Join your colleagues, expand your networks, bring a potential new member!

Tuesday, October 25, 2016, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Castillo Theatre 543 West 42nd Street

RSVP: Networking@TheatreWomen.Org

Young Women in the Theatre and Media
Learn from the young professional dynamos who make it happen.
Projects and strategies to create work for, by, and about women of all ages.

Panelists include:
LAURA ARCHER (Executive Director, March Forth Productions),
VALERIE BROOKS (Filmmaker/Director/DP),
CHRISTINE DIXON (Director/Producer/Actress/Singer, Harriet Tubman Herself),
RACHEL GRIFFIN (Composer/Lyricist, We Have Apples),
MITRA JOUHARI (Writer/Comedian, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee),
MEGAN MINUTILLO (Director/Producer/Writer/Arts Educator, Founder, TheWriteTeachers.com),
ELISABETH NESS (Producer/Actor/Creator, Redheads Anonymous),
DANA VERDE (Filmmaker/Producer, The Perfect Match)

Moderators:
KIMBERLY EATON, Broadway Producer/Director, Theatrum Mundi Productions
KATIE ROSIN, Publicist/Marketer, President Kampfire PR

LPTW Members: FREE Non-Members $15
Non-Members with Theatrical Union Affiliation $10

Brought to you by your LPTW Networking Committee:
Frances McGarry, Chair; Katherine Elliot, Salon Series Chair;
Ivy Austin, Mary Candler, Lorna Lable, Romy Nordlinger, June Rachelson-Ospa,
Amie Sponza, Amy Stoller, Elizabeth Strauss; Amanda Cardwell Aiken, Apprentice, Amanda Salazar, Apprentice

 

Time, Maturity and the ARTS Can Work with ADHD

In an October 25th Newsday letter to the editor, DonnaRicci,a mother from West Islip  was urgedto medicate her son for displaying attention deficit hyperactivity disorderbehavior by his elementary teachers, school psychologist and schoolofficials.  She resisted: “I would sitthere in tears, never believing it.” She  believed that her son would grow out of itwith time and maturity. He did. With diet, nutrition, and flexible learningstrategies, her son, now 15 thrives. 

She concedes how teacherscan become frustrated with having to discipline students while trying to teachthe required curriculum and how too much is expected of young children.  She asked, “Why must so much be crammed intoa young brain, not developed enough to absorb information on a permanent,sustainable level?” She suggested re-examining the educational system,instead. 


Seven or eight-year-old boysare immature and wild with energy; yet, this is perceived as abnormal behavior?  As a middle school teacher and a mom of an active “speeddemon” son (an observation from his then first grade teacher) I understood, as didshe, how boys need to fidget and move.  WhenI taught 8th grade English, I made sure that some time during aclass session students were given the opportunity to get up and movearound.  Drama strategies facilitated allof my class lessons to insure that students had an opportunity to takeownership of their learning utilizing an  integrated arts praxis pedagogy. A correlation couldbe drawn to improved testing  results on NewYork State ELA scores.

Ross Rosenfeld’s opinionthat some children need more structure is noteworthy; however, Ricci added howsports, music lessons and the like are fundamental in helping train the brainto focus.  Case in point:  “Our son has been taking guitar lessons fortwo years, and his grades have improved significantly.” 

Let’s hear it from you:  Doyou think ADHD behavior  is exaggeratedand overly diagnosed? How does integration of the arts help to encouragelearning?