The Journey.

Resonating.
When reading the Beginner's Guide to Community-Based Arts the wheels in my head started turning, and I immediately began thinking of ideas for my project at GB (hopefully?). The first thing that really stood out to me was finding the heartbeat of the community, what a sweet saying! I think it's important to really relate to the people you're working with and find out how they operate, what they're interested in, passionate about, etc. Then and only then can you gain their acceptance and trust. I imagine that when working with JDs it's crazy important to first gain their trust above all else. The section that got be really excited was the Action section! It got me thinking, all those kids at GB have their untold stories, society labels them as "bad kids" because they messed up, but what society doesn't know is the stories behind these kids. There's more to them then just the label Juvenile Delinquent. They are kids. With all these untold stories, I think it's important for them to be able to voice their struggles, opinions, and hardships in a safe environment that is understanding and unbiased. Also, it's so so so important to make these kids realize that their community has NOT given up on them. They need to feel welcomed and accepted by their communities as individuals who do have bright futures ahead of them, not just the f*** up next door. It's all about raising self-awareness/self-esteem and promoting support from their community to better these kids' future. I think it would be a good idea to have the kids at GB be involved in some sort of community development project that would better the community that they are from. I look to Big Man's story for inspiration. 


Community Development is cool!

The CRAFT model. it comes from the heart. 
Contact: cultivating trust, mutual understanding and commitment as a foundation for your creative partnership. 
Open. The Heartbeat.
The art based program that I found most useful was the the Zuni Nation piece by Chris Edaakie. You have to find out what makes a community tick. I am a college student going into communities that I have never really been apart of. I am an outsider, and in order to gain their trust and respect I need to immerse myself in their culture and walk a mile in their shoes to better serve them. In order to gain one's trust you must be honest and open with them. I believe being honest and open with the kids at Gardner Betts is the best way to get them to open up to me. 
Research: Gather information from the people, places and issues you are working with.
Absorb.  The Wheel. 
Ricardo Levins Morales stresses the important of listening, observing, and questioning. After one is able to absorb the material you must filter it through your personal experiences. It is important to know what the community wants by listening to them through both verbal and body language. I have never worked with juvenile delinquents before, but I have had done a little research. It is important to combine my previous knowledge with what I learn from interacting with the community. Tom Hansel brings up the analogy of a wheel. "Everyone's viewpoint is like part of a wheel. Only by listening to all the different perspectives can you get the whole wheel rolling." In my opinion, research means incorporating every bit of information you can. In dealing with the east Austin community, I would need to do my own research, but also talk to the people in the community, the kids in GB, and people outside the East Austin Community. Everyone is a part of the wheel. 
Action: Produce a new work of art that benefits the community.
Voice. Untold. Possibilities. 
Mujer Artes shows the importance of weaving together everyone's ideas, passions, and interests into an amazing product, Arbol de la Muerte. Through their collaboration, they were able to send out a message and tell the untold stories. Village of Arts and Humanities is amazing! What a great story!! I have such great admiration for Lily Yeh and how she got such great community involvement. Coming together, classic. Action means getting everyone involved, and when I think of everyone I mean everyone! When thinking specifically about East Austin, it is important to make the community realize that their youth are in trouble, their future is in trouble, and that everyone needs to come together as a community to help lead these children in the right direction, and not to simply forget about them. Everyone needs to realize that possibilities that are opened up when people come together for a common good. Positive energies yields positive results. 
Feedback: Spark Community reflection, dialogue and organizing to spread the impact of the new work.
Share. Ripples. 
Dialogue, give and take. That's key, there has to be some sort of communication when going into any community. After the Action takes place, there needs to be a breakdown by all parties involved in order to voice their questions, comments, and concerns. Once you realize that something is successful pass it on, and involve others. 360 Degrees has got my mind on GB.  I really think there needs to be an open dialogue among all members of the East Austin Community. 
Teaching: Pass on new community-building skills to others to sustain the impact.
Teach. 
Everybody Teaches Everybody sums it up. It's important to take what you have learned and teach someone else, pass on the skills. When developing a mentoring program for the kids at GB, it would be beneficial for them to then share what they have learned with other kids in similar situations. A learning and teaching cycle that can't stop won't stop.


Page 27...
"be honest and open with yourself as you are asking others to be"
I think at the end of the day, you just have to be real with people. Rhodessa Jones got her s*** out there to the ladies she was working with, and I think we need to do that too with our projects. The community needs to realize that we are real human beings who genuinely want to get to know them and help them help themselves. I think it's important not to go in there with our credentials written across our chests trying to be their "o so holy" savior who is coming to save the day. No one wants to be open and honest with someone who is trying to come in looking like a savior. That would just be an uptight, lame situation, and nothing would be accomplished. You are everyone's equal. No one is better than anyone else, and the sooner everyone realizes that the sooner everyone will be open and honest with each other. Just be yourself. be cool. be chill.