Ava DuVernay’s multi-platform media company and arts collective ARRAY today announced the launch of ARRAY 101, a new online education initiative delivering dynamic social impact learning guides for the company’s films and television series. ARRAY 101 expands the company’s mission to amplify storytelling by black artists, people of color and women directors of all kinds and will launch on May 28.

In partnership with Participant, the first ARRAY 101 learning companion will center on the Emmy-winning series When They See Us, which chronicles the wrongful arrest and incarceration of a group of young people formally known as The Central Park Five. The guide was produced with an eye toward deepening the conversation and impact around social justice themes, inspiring personal action for viewers and innovating within the intersection of education and entertainment. Designed for students in Grades 9 and above, the Learning Companion includes an interactive section featuring eight project-based field study lessons that invite students to create news stories around the Exonerated Five case using public data analysis. This field study was developed in partnership with XQ Institute.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Participant to launch our first ARRAY 101 learning companion, which expands on themes and topics in When They See Us. I firmly believe that there must be a stronger bridge between what our industry produces and real teachers in classrooms,” said DuVernay, creator, co-writer and director of When They See Us and founder of ARRAY. “The one-year broadcast anniversary of the series was the ideal time to release this social impact learning supplement and kick-off ARRAY’s upcoming study guide initiative overall.”