New Visual Arts Faculty — Jaizi Abedania, MFA

Jaizi chose to work with The Northwest School (NWS) because its core values of social justice and global awareness resonate deeply with their teaching philosophy. They aim to engage students with diverse perspectives and works of social activism to broaden their worldview and artistic practices. NWS's emphasis on cultural exchange and interpersonal connections also aligns with Jaizi's belief in shaping a student’s sense of awareness and community. Additionally, the school encourages teachers to learn alongside students, fostering a transformative and life-affirming exchange of ideas. This collaborative environment keeps Jaizi deeply engaged and committed to their work. They appreciate NWS’s dedication to student and community well-being through initiatives like collective care for the school environment and healthy school lunches shared in welcoming spaces. Jaizi is thrilled to join a team of caring, empathetic, knowledgeable, and dedicated faculty at NWS and hopes to bring their expertise in mixed media, video, and photography to benefit the students and the community.

In recent years, Jaizi has served as a professor of photography and digital imaging at Adelphi University in New York and as a mixed-media teaching artist at the Brooklyn Museum. Their experience includes teaching middle and high school art at institutions such as East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy and Fusion Academy in California. They have facilitated extracurricular programs in mural arts, photography, and filmmaking in New York City and have mentored students in photography in San Francisco and Seattle. Throughout their career, Jaizi has been committed to supporting historically underrepresented populations through the arts and continues to seek ways to foster arts exploration in diverse and underserved communities. Their research as an arts educator has focused on developing students' socioemotional awareness, addressing learning differences, and utilizing various modes of engagement in the classroom.

Jaizi has drawn inspiration from activists and educators like Paulo Freire, Augusto Boal, and bell hooks, incorporating their teachings into workshop facilitation that engages university students, fellow educators, and community members in activities designed to analyze and dismantle oppressive systems. These experiences have profoundly shaped their teaching practice, and they look forward to future opportunities for research, artistic collaboration, and shared self-expression at NWS.

Jaizi holds a BS in Comprehensive Design from the University of California, Davis, and an MFA in Photo, Video, and Related Media from the School of Visual Arts in New York. They also studied art education at Notre Dame de Namur University in California and have accumulated 18 years of experience teaching mixed media and lens arts to middle school, high school, and college-aged learners. Their artwork, including photography, video, and mixed media, has been exhibited in New York, Seattle, and San Francisco. Jaizi continues to create art that transcends borders, documenting their personal history of transmigrancy and exploring themes of identity, community, and belonging. They are excited to continue their practice in photography and video while developing new projects in sound art and environmental installation.