Event Recap · Guest Speaking · Education
Heroes & Comics
Orange County Educational Arts Academy (OCEAA) · Santa Ana, California
Guest Speaker · Seventh- and eighth-grade students
Akili Damone Hight delivered a guest presentation exploring the history and cultural influence of superheroes, the evolution of comics, and the relationship between identity and storytelling. Drawing connections to his novel LUCID, the session encouraged students to consider creativity, self-discovery, and the hero within themselves.
Heroes and Comics: Identity and Storytelling through Ethnography
Preparation for the engagement traced comic-book history from early newspaper strips through the superhero eras, connecting cultural representation with superhero mythology. These themes framed the relationship between identity and storytelling, and how heroes reflect the experiences and possibilities of their communities.
The Hero Within
The materials also connected the hero’s journey and lucid dreaming to LUCID, using Evan Wheat’s fictional journey as a lens for imagination and self-discovery. The engagement’s focus on creativity and the hero within reflects Hight’s approach to sharing stories with young audiences.