|
Visit to Arts for
Action
As part of our series of informal visits
to our grantees, SJF spent an hour with Arts for Action at Oxnard College on
March 26. Before we stepped into the
classroom, Canek Pena-Vargas enthusiastically explained the rich array of
activities available to young people through their program.
In the art class we visited about 1/3 of
the youth were graffiti offenders, earning community service credit for
participating in the 3-month "Paint Not Prison" program. Others in the class were mentors and peers
interested in social justice and the arts.
After learning about their legal rights
and the penalties for tagging and graffiti in Oxnard, members of the group
developed alternative ways of addressing the graffiti problem and presented
their ideas to police and local politicians.
While expanding their artistic skills, these young people are organizing
a meeting of at least 100 members of the South Oxnard community to discuss the
subject of a mural they will paint at the Rodeo Community Center.
Arts for Action's lively
website (http://arts4action.wordpress.com/) details its many resources and
activities including political advocacy, community organizing and
issues-oriented film-making. A current
project is improving public transportation and bicycling in Ventura
County. Arts for Action also provides
free and low-cost lessons in Capoeira Batuque, an Afro-Brazillian martial
arts/dance form that increases flexibility and strength; aligns mind, body and
spirit; and builds community.
We are inspired by Arts for Actions
collaboration with other organizations and the many ways young people are
encouraged to get active, express their concerns and create change in their
community.
|
|
|
Upcoming Grantmaking Meetings
of the 2009 Giving Circle
|
August 6 - Training on proposal review - Proposals distributed to eligible Giving Circle members
August 27 - Grantmaking - Review and select top proposals, identify conversation questions or research issues/projects
September 17 - Grantmaking
- Conversations with Grantees
September 24 - Grantmaking - Decide on Grantees
October 15 - Evaluation and Future Planning
November 5 - Grant Reception
|
