1 MIRRORING DREAMS OF JUSTICE BRONX COUNTY FAMILY COURT PUBLIC ART SUMMEREMPLOYMENTYOUTHPROGRAM2022
The YAs hope that visitors to the court will feel more welcomed by seeing themselves and their local community represented in this mural and that this will give them a more optimistic view that positive change can happen here.
Bronx County Family Court 900 Sheridan Avenue, Bronx, NY
From its inception, this mural was intended to be a statement piece for the lobby of Bronx Family Court that would break down barriers and engage the community. After surveying stakeholders, Creative Art Works’ Youth Apprentices (YAs) created a work of art that conveys many themes, including racial harmony, equal justice, respect, unity, love, and the strength and hopes of The Bronx community.
Thursday, August 11th, 12:45 PM
MIRRORING
DREAMS OF JUSTICE
Key elements of the mural include portraits of Bronx native Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court; Thurgood Marshall, the first PoC on the Supreme Court; and Amanda Gorman, the National Youth Poet Laureate, whose poetry was the inspiration for a significant part the mural.
Ryan Davis, Teaching Artist Farah Mohamed, Teaching Artist Assistant
Unveiling Celebration
Many elements were inspired by the YAs own lived experiences of growing up in The Bronx. The Bronx is the birthplace of hip hop, so there is a section depicting break dancers and iconic local rapper Fat Joe. The Bronx 167th step street, made famous in the movie, Joker, has been recast with diverse families. Upon learning that those who enter the judicial system often return to court multiple times, the YAs decided to also convey through the stairs the words of Chinese philosopher Laozi, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
About the Mural
2
One goal is that everyone who enters the family court judicial system should be able to see themselves represented in the art. The team of YAs who executed this mural in many ways mirror the fabric of The Bronx. They speak six languages, including English, Spanish, Creole, Mandarin, Urdu and Yoruba. They have family from Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Malaysia, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, Pakistan, Nigeria and Trinidad.
Amari Outlaw-Clark, Teaching Artist Assistant
Our YAs range in age from 16 to 24 and their interests include medicine, computer science, the performing arts, social work, and literature, just to name a few. While we have a number of YAs returning to us for a second or even third time, for most of them, this is their first summer job ever. And what a job it is! Not only do they earn NYC minimum wage for six weeks, they also acquire and develop transferable job and social skills, a sense of pride in themselves and their work, and a sense of ownership in a piece of art that enhances the lives of their fellow New Yorkers.
FROM BRIAN RICKLIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
3
This year, we have recruited Youth Apprentices (YAs) from all five boroughs who represent the cultural, ethnic, religious, gender, and socio-economic diversity of our city. Many of our youth grapple with extraordinary challenges in academic engagement stemming from homelessness or transitional housing, food scarcity, recent immigration, language barriers, foster care, or court involvement. Many of them face multiple challenges. Our programs provide a brave space where there is opportunity for personal growth, not because we coddle young people, but because we challenge them.
ExecutiveBrianSincerely,RicklinDirector & CEO
The work is physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. Over the course of six weeks, our Youth Apprentices must unite as a team to overcome seemingly insurmountable creative and technical challenges. Internally, they must learn to navigate differing perspectives, negotiate conflicts and build group consensus. Externally, they must balance their client’s wishes while still maintaining their own voice and artistic integrity.
Our YAs develop a sense of ownership as they create their art, and that sense is amplified, during the culminating event, when each individual has the chance to tell their audience what contributions they made to the project. We hope you will share their sense of optimism and accomplishment and we thank you for attending today’s event.
Creative Art Works employed over 80 Youth Apprentices to develop and create three mural sites this summer. Projects included a vibrant exterior mural to welcome students to PS/MS 4 in Crotona Park West in The Bronx; a mural for the lobby of Bronx Family Court that speaks to equity in justice in the judicial system; and a prominent mural that spans a block and half along Montefiore Square in Hamilton Heights that reflects the energy and vitality of the West Harlem community.
4 Farah Mohammed, TAA Cesia Bernardez Gabriela Bravo Jodian BrandonJeffrey MartinezNatasha Gomez FioniaTaonaSherwoodSpannJadeynCourtneyMadhereWedemire MIRRORING DREAMS OF JUSTICE YOUTH APPRENTICES AND TEACHING ARTISTS
5
PerezAriangy De Leon Christian ToroJulian Otero Nathaniel GuerierRyan Davis, TA Mikhile St. Louis Jasmine Chan
Juliet
Alaysia Simmons
6
Cesia Bernardez Cesia is a 16-year-old high school student who was born in Honduras. This is her first job with Creative Art Works. Cesia always had an interest in art and this job has taught her many things about art that she never knew before. Her experience with CAW was wonderful and she is very proud of the person she has become. When she is not working, Cesia spends her time playing volleyball. She is not yet sure what she wants to do in the future, but she hopes she can continue with sports.
Alaysia currently attends the Health Professions and Human Services High School because she is looking to pursue a career in the medical field. She is working with Creative Art Works this summer, helping to design and create a mural for the Bronx County Family Court. So far, she is enjoying her work experience and is looking forward to further improving the art skills she has acquired here. Her tasks related to making and mixing color for the mural helped her realize that she is a good problem solver, and can work well with a team. She is also glad that she is obtaining greater work experience for her future.
Christian Toro
Ariangy was born and raised in the West Bronx. She attends Bronx Leadership Academy 2 and is going into her Senior year of high school. She’s into fashion and is planning to go to the Fashion Institute of Technology for college. Other than fashion, Ariangy likes to play volleyball and go to the gym. This is her first time working for Creative Art Works, and she’s learned a lot in this program. She’s not a sketcher or a painter like many of the people on her team, but she’s learned to try, even if it doesn’t come out the way she wanted. Overall, Ariangy believes that her time with CAW was a good experience. The practice she gained from drawing and figuring out the different types of patterns will be helpful for her to succeed in future fashion goals.
Christian is a 20-Year-old from The Bronx. He lives with his parents and his younger brother. He attended Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and the Arts but is now a Sophomore at Lehman College. Despite being diagnosed with Autism, he manages to do lots of things, and even keeps up with many classes, which he passes with outstanding results. He is a reflective and hard worker. He is a good bachata dancer. He enjoys karate, being part of theater plays, and traveling to places like the Dominican Republic and Washington, DC. Additionally, he loves video games, manga, anime, cartoons, books, movies, and exercise. He has a lot of goals in his life but one of these goals is to become a writer. This is his first job and his first time working at Creative Art Works and he is grateful for the experience. Here he learned to become better at time management and work with a team.
Ariangy De Leon
7
8 Fionia CourtneySherwoodWedemire
Courtney is 16 years old and the middle child in her family. She was born and raised mostly in Manhattan but recently became a Bronx resident. Courtney is currently attending High School For Environmental studies. This is her first time working with Creative Art Works. Her goal is to become a forensic psychologist and study criminal justice. She loves organizing, problem solving, and taking care of animals. At CAW she has learned how Important teamwork truly is.
Fionia is a 19-year-old junior who attends The College of Mount Saint Vincent. Fionia was raised in The Bronx, where she developed several hobbies such as meditating, skating, and drawing. She has a passion for digital art, website building, and Photoshop, so she hopes to find a career in advertising. This is her first year at Creative Art Works, where she enjoyed meeting new people, exploring her creativity, and she loved the welcoming environment.
Gabriela Bravo
Dayna Hernandez Dayna is an artist, poet, music producer and singer, native to The Bronx. Dayna is passionate about using the arts as a means of expressing herself, and it is evident to viewers upon experiencing her work. Through her art, you can truly get an unfiltered, bold insight into her thought processes, honest perception of the world around her, and how those influences impact her daily life. Dayna understands the importance of embracing vulnerability, and how vital it can be when it comes to inspiring personal development, as well as how it aids in the realization of advancements within the world. Working with Creative Art Works for the second time has allowed her to continue to hone in on her art education, meet new people, and explore new and enriching perspectives.
9
Gabriela is 17-years-old and currently entering her senior year at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School. She was raised in The South Bronx by her father and five older siblings. Gabriela has always adored the depth and process of art-making and has dedicated a large portion of her life to experimenting with it. Her interests include sculpting monsters and medieval knights, and drawing grand fantasy landscapes. This is her first time working at CAW, and she has enjoyed her experience so far in creating her first large scale mural. She isn’t yet sure what she wants to do in the future, but is very keen on finding out.
Jadeyn Madhere
10
Jadeyn is 16 years old, born and raised in Brooklyn, and will soon be a junior at the High School of Art and Design. She plays volleyball and is a middle hitter. She also plays the piano, the guitar, and sings. She wants to become a professional tattoo artist and maybe own her own parlor one day. This is her first year at CAW and she has learned a lot about the mural design process. Besides practicing to be a tattoo artist, Jadeyn is an Illustration major at Art and Design and works with various mediums and materials, although her favorite is watercolor.
Jeffrey Martinez
Jeffrey is 21 years old. He was born and raised in The Bronx. He is currently majoring in Liberal Arts & Science at Hostos Community College, and wants to change his course of study to graphic design. His overall goal in life is to do the most that he can to support his family and his own well-being. Working at Creative Art Works has taught him to be confident in himself and to never give up. CAW also taught him that building a community really helps people feel inspired to achieve a shared mission.
Jodian was born in The Bronx and raised in St. Andrew, Jamaica. She is an ambitious young woman who aims to be well-versed in multiple fields, so as to be able to settle down in any career when necessary. She graduated from the Academy for Scholarship and Entrepreneurship in 2021, then went on to do a three week Art Immersion course that summer in Madrid. She has completed her first year of college at the University of Connecticut, double majoring in Civil Engineering and Landscape Architecture but will be spending her upcoming school year studying Fashion Merchandising and Management at Berkeley College. She is using this summer to engage her creative mind and leave her mark in New York.
11
Jasmine is a 21-year-old illustration major at the School of Visual Arts. She aspires to create concept art and visual development for video games and animation. This is her first job with Creative Art Works, and it has helped a lot with her social and collaborative skills, while also making use of her artistic abilities. She was born and raised in Queens She spends most of her free time browsing videos on YouTube, planning future personal projects by watching historical and nature documentaries, and drawing at The MET.
Jodian JasmineBrandonChan
Karah Thomas is 20 years old. She is a first generation American born and raised in The Bronx. She attended A. Philip Randolph Campus High School and is now a sophomore at Hampshire College, where she majors in animation, but wants to pursue a career in the medical field. This is Karah’s second time working for Creative Art Works; she was in the social justice poster program in 2020. Working for CAW has helped Karah learn new techniques and grow and expand as an artist.
12
Julian Otero
Karah Thomas
Julian Otero is a 17-year-old male from the Bronx. He is a Senior at New Design High School, graduating in 2023. Julian is passionate about basketball and football, and he enjoys playing video games. Because of his interest in figuring out how things operate, Julian is currently looking to pursue a future in engineering. This is his first year with Creative Arts Works and it has been a creative, wonderful experience. He has especially valued working with such amazing peers.
13
Mikhile St. Louis
Since working with Creative Art Works this summer, she has learned many new art skills, such as color blending, and drawing realistically. She’s discovered her love for art again with new-found motivation and confidence to keep going.
Juliet Perez Juliet is 17 years old and attends the Global Learning Collaborative High School. She was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx. She loves to read, write, draw, play sports, and go out. Since her childhood, Juliet has been interested in and loved art, but has only recently started pursuing it. She wants to major in psychology and art in college. Her goal is to get better at art so she can incorporate both her interests in her future career.
Mikhile, born in Brooklyn, is 16 years old, and is the oldest of two siblings. He attends Millennium High School in Manhattan. His goal is to either become a basketball player in the NBA or an architect, so he could build his mother a house where she can live. Mikhile loves to play basketball, watch anime, and eat. This summer is his first time working with Creative Art Works. He learned how to work with tones in painting during the mural making process, and he would love to be a part of CAW again next year.
Natasha Gomez Natasha Gomez is a Bronx native resident who has a passion for public health. To further discover the impact of art as a tool for positively influencing community health, she joined Creative Arts Works to gain first-hand experience in making communityfocused art. Additionally, Natasha has a passion for a diverse set of interests that include sailing, equestrianism, and language learning. In the future, Natasha aims to join a non-profit organization focused on uplifting community health through different programs and resources.
14
– From “Pictures and Progress,” by Amanda Gorman, first National Youth Poet Laureate
“For a people to be rendered visible, indivisible, vivid and vibrant as all the glass we carry, We cannot just have a vision of justice. We must be able to envision ourselves in that vision for justice to be served, For the right to representation that we all deserve.”
Taona is a 19-year-old southernborn, New-York-raised, country bumpkin. Specifically, raised in The Bronx, where she developed many different hobbies and overcame obstacles. She graduated from Harry S. Truman High School, Class of 2020. Taona enjoys listening to music, hanging out with friends, and trying different art styles. This is her first year working for Creative Art Works, and she’s excited to gain more art experience and make new friends. Taona also hopes this experience will help her explore more art-related options in her career.
Nathaniel Guerier Taona Spann Nathaniel is a 20-year-old College Student at The City College of New York. He is currently studying art history with the intention of going into interior design. Since he was young, Nathaniel has always valued imagination, creativity, ingenuity, and experimentation, which ultimately fueled his interest in the sciences and the arts. Nathaniel enjoys learning and putting himself in different environments to gain new experiences. He has participated in ballroom dancing, practiced photography, and played several instruments. Working at Creative Art Works has been an opportunity to gain new artistic experiences. This summer, Nathaniel hopes to utilize this experience to build his creativity and learn the basics of the artistic process. He hopes to use his creativity towards many projects related to design in the future.
15
16
Robert Blackburn Printmaking Award (2021), Lucas T. Carlson Grant at Columbia University (2020), and IPCNY’s Coursework Award (2020). Her recent solo exhibition was at Nyama Fine Art in NYC in 2022, and her work has been acquired for the permanent collection by the Baltimore Museum of Art.
“Public moments of justice begin with private, internal moments of reflection. At the heart of justice is this self-correction, the ability to be humble, to acknowledge our past failures, to make way for an imagined future. ...We want to create a visual representation of the aspirations of the court from the perspective of our young people.”
Farah Mohammed, Teaching Artist Assistant
Farah is a visual artist and teacher, and former social worker based in NYC. She received her BA from Bennington College and her MFA from Columbia University. She has taught as adjunct faculty at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Farah works in different printmaking techniques. Her exhibition highlights include International Print Center New York (IPCNY), The Jewish Museum, The Wallach Art Gallery, Field Projects (NYC), and Local Project Art Space (LIC, NY). She was recently the recipient of The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts
– Judge Sarah P. Cooper
Ryan has worked for CAW as a Teaching Artist Assistant, Teaching Artist, and Teaching Artist in Residence. He has worked for many New York community art programs, including The International Print Center New York (IPCNY) and The Door, in The Bronx. He also works at Wave Hill in Riverdale as the Family Art Project Weekend Coordinator. Prior to moving to New York, he developed a community mural project at Sowers Academy Elementary School as the recipient of the Palmer Travel Scholarship. Before that, he was an Assistant Instructor at Young Artists at Work in Toledo, Ohio. Ryan received his Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis on painting at Ohio University. He maintains his practice primarily in screen-printing and collage and has exhibited his work in New York at IPCNY and internationally in Spain and Italy. He currently lives in Brooklyn.
Amari Outlaw-Clark, Teaching Artist Assistant-in-Training
17
Ryan Davis, Teaching Artist
Amari is a self-taught artist from The Bronx. She graduated from Wadleigh Secondary School of Performing and Visual Arts and is currently enrolled in Bronx Community College. Her biggest goal as an artist is to create an animated TV show or publish a comic book featuring her own characters and stories. She wants to be able to inspire others to explore their creativity no matter where they come from. Before becoming a Teaching Artist Assistant, she previously worked with CAW at Bronx Family Court, collaborating on the mural, “In Harmony’s Way” and has had a previous internship with CAW and FunPlus in the Character Design program. In this program, she was awarded “Most Likely to Become a Character Designer.” Her previous jobs include working with Renaissance Youth Center in The Bronx as a Youth Worker and as a Narrator at The Bronx Zoo’s Dinosaur Safari.
18
19
20
21
22
23
Public Art Youth Employment Programs give teens and young adults full-time summer jobs and part-time jobs after school to create large-scale public art and multimedia projects. Youth Apprentices are guided by professional teaching artists from the initial concept development through client presentation, to the final edit and public unveiling or premiere. Along the way, they gain tangible employment and life skills such as leadership, teamwork, responsibility and the power of taking initiative. They are empowered by the enduring accomplishment in their work of art and its positive impact on the community.
About Creative Art Works
About the Public Art Youth Employment Program
CAW’s Public Art Youth Employment programs are made possible by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council and by these generous supporters: Bridge to FoundationWork
Creative Art Works (CAW) is a 36-year-old nonprofit that empowers young people through the visual and multimedia arts. Our programs equip children, teens, and young adults with essential tools and skills; connect them with community, academic success, and career opportunities; and inspire them to reach for new possibilities. Working in underserved neighborhoods of New York City, in public schools, recreation centers, foster care facilities, parks, juvenile justice settings, and in the remote environment, CAW provides dynamic creative youth development for those who otherwise lack access. Our programs build confidence, unlock a love of learning, and teach valuable technical and socialemotional skills while creating profound connections between our young constituents, their art and their communities. www.creativeartworks.org
Creative24 Art Works is a 501(c)(3), EIN #13-3638436 Copyright © 2022 Creative Art Works. All rights520reserved.EighthAvenue, Suite 201A New York, NY 10018 646.424.0392 www.creativeartworks.org caw4kids @caw4kidscreativeartworks.nyc Follow us!
