Meet Debra! Sylvia Allen (a member of the Women’s Choir) sat down with Debra to learn a little bit more about her life and passion for teaching.
What do you teach at CPPAC?
Early childhood classes. I teach Sing Make Move, and I teach Tadpoles at Swap N Play. I will be teaching Magical Me, a class for 7- to 10-year-olds that focuses on the power of pretend play. You can see how much magic comes out when children engage in this kind of play. Being superheroes or dragons makes them feel powerful. I love to help kids discover that place within themselves that can overcome difficulties, to find their resilience.
Where are you from? What brought you here?
I moved here from Denver, Colorado, where I was born, on Valentines Day, 1993. I moved here with my daughter, who was 10 years old, to be near family who lived in Portland.
What do you do when you’re not at CPPAC?
I volunteer for the St. Johns Center for Opportunity, working on the farmers market, and for the St. Johns Welcomes the Village Coalition. I am on the planning committee for the Roots N Harmony fundraiser. I work part time at Metamorphic, mornings and Sundays.
What are your other interests?
I love to dance. Dance—movement—kept me resilient through a challenging childhood. I do clowning and was in the Portland Rose Festival Foundation Citizen Clown Corps for about 10 years. I was a social worker for over 20 years and I am very interested in resiliency and how it can be developed in children.
How did you get involved with CPPAC?
I had just moved here and was looking for an intergenerational place to be, a place of learning for people of all ages. I took a friend’s child to a recital at Cristina Marino’s studio, and through Cristina I found out about CPPAC. I heard the women’s choir sing and that drew me in.
Aside from teaching, how have you been involved with CPPAC?
As a volunteer I work the front desk on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 9:00pm. As a student I have taken improv classes at CPPAC on Mondays for the last year. I love love love it. Tony Cohen is a great teacher. You meet interesting people. It gives you tools for living. And it’s fun!
What are your favorite things about CPPAC?
Sitting at the front desk on Wednesday nights, I get to hear the women’s choir. I am officially the fan grrrl of the choir. Hearing them sing is very healing for me.
I love the intergenerational connections that CPPAC builds. I look around at the faces in the choir and see women of all different generations and backgrounds. I learn from the students I work with, even the babies. We’re on a journey of lifelong learning. We can all continue to learn from each other. Building community partnerships that serve different generations in the community—that’s what is most special about CPPAC.
It’s so important to help children discover the ordinary magic in their lives, because that is where resiliency lies. So important to nurture curiosity and creativity. It takes a village to raise a child. CPPAC is embodying that, being part of the village.