More Diverse Alexander Technique In Chicago?

 I recently received a query from a potential student living in Hyde Park on the south side of the city. They were inquiring about whether I would travel for sessions, because after a comprehensive search they could not find an A.T. teacher within a reasonable commute. The closest teacher works in the Loop, which is not easily accessible by public transport for some areas of the south side.

A quick google search or look at the Chicago Area Teachers of the Alexander Technique page  confirms that there are no A.T. teachers on the diverse south or west sides (past Wicker Park) of the city, or even the south suburbs. We are concentrated almost entirely on the predominantly white north side, and in the western and northern suburbs. 

I was stunned by this rather graphic representation of how non-diverse Alexander Technique practice tends to be. From the inception of the Technique, despite Alexander's humble personal roots, it has been accessible overwhelmingly to those with a high level of privilege. Typically this has been white well-off folks (Alexander's original clientele was the British Aristocracy).  In America, that has by and large continued.

I posed the title of this blog as a question, because I don't know what the answer is. I am privileged, and don't come from a minority that lacks representative in A.T. circles (being a white Jewish man). I am actively working to find ways for this work to reach different people than it typically has. More than anything I want to foster dialogue about how we as a community of learners can work together to change this situation.

At the Alexander Technique International Congress I learned about a coalition of teachers called the Alexander Technique Diversity Coalition (Like their Facebook!). I attended a panel where several members of the Coalition shared both their experiences both of becoming teachers while coming from minorities and methods and experiences in reaching these communities. I learned a lot, and I encourage you to check them out and to read the fabulous list of resources they have. 

I would like to request your help in finding ways I can reach and interact with Chicago communities that don't have access to this work. . I have not had a completely monochromatic practice, but I think this has more to do with my association with institutions like Green Shirt Studio and The Voice Lab  than my own concentrated efforts. 

Here are some commitments I've made for the coming year that I hope will help:

• I plan to reach out to south and west side organisations (as well as appropriate north side orgs as well) to try to create partnerships, especially subsidized or group programs to overcome economic hurdles to studying and to find creative ways to introduce the work to different populations. .
• I am establishing formal sliding scale and pay-what-you-can on private lessons and programs that I run independently to create access for folks who don't have it now. To help with this, I have received a small endowment from a private benefactor.  Details on this will be available on my website soon, but until then feel free to email me with questions. I am also looking to create new unconventional methods of teaching to help reach folks that don't have the time or money for the usual ways of learning this work. 
• One thing I have already attempted to do is to make sure the visuals on my website and other materials reflect the diversity I wish my practice to have, as well as making sure the voices of minority students are included as much as possible in testimonials and other community oriented communications (this was a big issue raised at the Diversity Coalition panel). I am committed to continuing and improving this practice. I want everyone to feel that this work is for them. 

Lastly, I am committed to learning from YOU about how I may better serve Chicago's diverse communities. I encourage you to reach out if you have any ideas or feedback that might be able to help. 

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