Artist & Teacher Kip Fulbeck Speaks On Diversity
- by R. Ankrom
American artist, slam poet, filmmaker, and teacher Kip Fulbeck spoke to and met with Chatham Hall students as part of the School's Leaders in Residence program. Kip is the author of Permanence: Tattoo Portraits; Part Asian, 100% Hapa; Paper Bullets: A Fictional Autobiography; and the upcoming Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids.
"In many ways, Kip Fulbeck embodies what this country is, or is at least becoming," shared Kyle Kahuda, Dean of Students, who first saw Kip speak in San Francisco. "We are a nation of people increasingly difficult to categorize or stereotype. Instead of trying to squeeze ourselves and others into boxes that simply don't fit, we must recognize and celebrate the value of the differences that make us unique. Kip's ability to spread that message is certainly helped by the fact that he is simply a cool, funny guy."
In addition to an energetic and inspiring keynote address in Chatham Hall's Van Voorhis Lecture Hall, Kip also met with students in an intimate setting afterwards to take questions and dig in a bit deeper on subjects touched on in his talk.
"Having Mr. Fulbeck on campus was great" said senior Heather Yepez who introduced Kip and is part of the Cultural Perspectives Club that was responsible for bringing the artist to campus. "He really spoke to the real issues of identity and perspective that we all have to deal with everyday."
Kip has been featured on CNN, MTV, and PBS, and has performed and exhibited in over 20 countries. He speaks nationwide on identity, multiraciality and pop culture - mixing together spoken word, stand-up comedy, political activism and personal stories.
Kip is also a professor of Art at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he is the recipient of the university's Distinguished Teaching Award. He is also an avid surfer, guitar player, motorcycle rider, ocean lifeguard, and pug enthusiast.
"I was really knocked out by how great the Chatham Hall students were," reflected Kip. "They were thoughtful and obviously very bright. Visiting Chatham Hall was a real pleasure."
