Embrace the Mess, a podcast and workshop series produced by re:imagine/ATL, has been released as a free resource for educators and anyone working with youth. The podcast is designed to break down the fears and boundaries that prohibit vulnerability and creativity between educators and students. Embrace the Mess chronicles the journey of two Atlanta-based teaching artists, Paras Chaudhari and Gavin Bernard, as they step into the classroom for the first time in years to become “listening artists,” working alongside students to turn life into art.

The podcast is a result of years of programming in some of the most challenging Title I schools in metro Atlanta; a shared journey of the ups and downs, lessons learned and lives transformed. It is re:imagine/ATL’s hope that the podcast will ignite a movement connecting teaching artists and the creative professional community directly to the classroom as they share their stories of resilience through scripts, songs and short films.