Emily Tan is the driving female force behind Cleveland Metro News, a new online effort utilizing local artists, writers, thinkers and educators. This Sat 6/19 they're hosting an art/party benefit at the ARTcade, 530 Euclid, featuring a silent auction, manja, dance, photography, film and drums. Learn how you can support them at http://www.ClevelandMetroNews.com or email emilyltan@hotmail.com.
When you boast to people outside Cleveland about Cleveland, what’s on your list?
The woods and the lake. Cleveland nature scenes render souls serene. As a jaded urban dweller, I feel revived, rejuvenated, enthused after hanging with gulls, naiads, dryads, Erie fish, tadpoles, and butterflies. Cleveland has charm.
What’s your vision of how Cleveland should look and feel?
Cleveland as an open gallery and Cleveland as an open classroom. Art and learning as part of everyday life. People experience illuminating moments inside and outside classrooms. People experience art and artists inside and outside museums and galleries. Naturally, collaboration is key. Competition is not. I believe in the "You look good, I look good; I look good, you look good. We (Clevelanders) all look good together" theory. Complementary collaborative relationships make beautiful gestalt. If Clevelanders integrate art, learning, culture, and community in the spirit of mutual enhancement and straight talk, we may be a wee bit more neighborly, less suspicious, less envious, less fearful, more trusting.
What are your passions and how does it manifest itself in your life?
Acceptance of individual differences, acceptance not tolerance.
Acceptance means understanding. I consciously introduce different perspectives (an easy thing since I am a Pacific Islander and a woman predominantly raised and nurtured by women in a patriarchal world) so that those I connect with understand the earth is indeed inhabited by diverse individuals from diverse cultures and diversity is central to growth of a pulsating, synergistic community – local and global... above goes into newsletter A favorite pastime of mine is mulling over terminology:
Mumbo…
dissonance
brings
reactance:
perceived forced action
reactance is compliance
compliance
is
tolerance
tolerance is not acceptance
acceptance
is
passion
passion is buy-in
buy-in
is
internalization
internalization is belief
belief
needs
trust
trust holds hands with integrity
integrity
is
wholeness
wholeness is gestalt
What has your best contribution to Cleveland been?
Purely subjectively, consciously influencing minds (in and out of classrooms) through shared learning so new and smothered voices are heard.
Do you have favorite quotes or sayings you live by?
Peace within for peace between, to enable peace among.
What’s the best learning/experimenting you’ve done in the last 5 years
Generally speaking, the best learning is that learning is never ending.
Professionally, as an educator the best learning is in the non-traditional classroom: Reciprocal, shared, and experiential learning using an interdisciplinary approach that actively combines theory and real life application in a relaxed setting. Comfort level (mental, psychological, emotional, social, religious, physical, etc.) of every participant is of paramount importance to listening, processing, absorbing, discarding, or internalizing shared learning. Inadvertent learning may happen anytime, anywhere. On a personal level, living in urban Cleveland.…
Who’s on your list of most-admired & why?
Guileless, sensitive children. Hopefully, they’ll mature into trustworthy, humane adults.
What’s the best advice you’ve been offered?
Speak out. Speak up and often.
What was a significant failure in your life and what did you learn from it?
Failure is not in my personal vocabulary. I believe things go wrong when plans or expectations go awry. So I try to keep frameworks loose and flexible and adjust to the inevitable contortions of the unexpected.
Where are you most likely to hang out in Cleveland?
Lake Erie and teahouses or coffee shops that make soothing cups of hot soy chai.
How do you think Cool Cleveland can continue being successful?
Network...which you’re doing, literally. Stay connected. You’re doing a phenomenal job! (:divend:)