Roberto is an educator and artist who brings a distinct style that incorporates his narrative from being a disengaged youth in special education classes to becoming an honors graduate from UW-Madison while also using empirically tested best practices in youth engagement grounded in culturally relevant pedagogy, youth development, youth leadership, social and emotional learning, and civic activism. Roberto has taught classes at UW-Madison’s School of Education that have won national awards. Roberto further captivates his audience by also utilizing his award winning skills as a film producer, poet, and actor, to make each talk both authentic, engaging, and dynamic.
Speeches for Young Audiences
Flipping The Script
This presentation discuses how youth can redefine their labels and use them as their strengths. Roberto talks about how he went from being a disengaged student in special education classes in high school to eventually graduating with honors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in a major he created entitled: ”Social Change Youth Culture and the Arts.” This talk grounded in a youth development approach is guaranteed to help traditional and non-traditional learners define and redefine their strengths to demonstrate increased academic and social achievement.
Lighting the Torch of Change
This talk is aimed at activating students towards achievement that bridges the gap between academics and society to include personal and community change. Roberto asks the question minted by Steven J. Gould: “What good is intelligence if not the ability to solve long standing social problems creatively?” He creatively weaves his life story, and the history of Hiphop into his speech in a way that practically equips youth with examples of how and why they need to become activated learners. This talk brings youth development, social and emotional learning, and culturally relevant theories to life in a way that authentically equips youth to achieve academic success while carrying a torch of hope and service to their school and community.
Speeches for Educators
Hip-Hop(e) Education
Hiphop culture is a phenomenon that affects youth from every background. In this talk Roberto distinguishes between Hiphop Industry and Hiphop culture. He also explores how Hiphop culture organically integrates best practices in engaging youth found in principles of youth development and culturally relevant pedagogy. This talk further examines how youth culture can inform educators in their pedagogical style and curriculum design in order to engage students in a way that is authentic, fun, and effective. Roberto shares his own research regarding the challenges and best practices of using this cutting edge 21st century approach and how it can and has helped youth raise G.P.A.’s, have fewer behavior issues, and increase attendance. Educators will walk away with both a theoretical framework and practical ideas that will allow them to implement cutting edge 21st century pedagogy in their classroom the next day!
Diversity Education
This talk is designed to help youth workers understand the power of diversity by equipping them to recognize, utilize, and mobilize valuable human and social capitol found in the youth they work with. They will learn how to identify human and social capital in people from different backgrounds including: age, ability, class, race and ethnicity, and gender. Roberto shares various case studies on how organizations, programs, and communities have been able to harness this power to create positive change. Roberto gives practical examples on how theory and practice can come together so that audience members can leave with a framework on how to begin this process in their own communities, classes, and programs.
Please contact the presenter directly for pricing.
