In conjunction with the adult program, kids ages 7 and older will have an opportunity to participate in a number of camp like activities for two days around the theme of racism. Kids and adolescents will take part in three two-day workshops in creative writing, art and painting, and dancing, through which they will acquire a variety of artistic skills to express their experiences with racism.
In the Creative Writing Workshop, we will aim to:
- Enhance writing skills and abilities through personal experiences
- Provide kids of all ages a vehicle to describe their experiences with racism
- Use writing to define racism
- Use writing to create stories, journals, poetry of racism experiences
In the Art and Painting Workshop, we will aim to:
- Provide kids with the artistic tools to create images that are reflective of their experiences with racism
- Lead kids to identify their feelings associated with racism
In the Dancing Workshop, we will aim to:
- Teach dancing to kids as a way to express a unique voice that speaks from their own ethnic and racial experiences
- Expose kids to dancing and music reflective of different cultures
- Provide kids with the opportunity to learn specific dance techniques and music as a mechanisms for releasing negative experiences
Creative Writing Workshop
Students will read age-appropriate poetry and excerpts from stories and essays by well-known authors that describe experiences, thoughts, emotions, and responses involving racism. Using the literature as a guide for self-expression, students will respond to a series of prompts about their own experiences with racism, focusing on how they felt, what they thought, how they responded, and if they could go back in time, what they might do differently. Prompts will be stimulating and creative, using such literary devices as metaphor, personification, and imagery to help students take ownership of and re-create their experiences in new and empowering ways. Students will learn about themselves as well as about language and literature. Through sharing their writing, students will offer and receive encouragement and supportive feedback from one another and the workshop leader.
- Workshop Leader: Emily Winakur
Art and Painting Workshop
The art workshop will be split into two groups, based on age and abilities. One day the youths will engage in life-size self-portraitures to explore who they are as individuals, their world view, and their racial self-view. This will be accomplished through various art mediums including paint, markers, crayons, pastel chalks, and glitter. Special consideration will be given to each of the participants, tailoring activities to the individual, for each participant to comprehend the overall themes of the conference. This workshop will allow participants to be in a safe space to express themselves creatively with guided exercises to increase self awareness.
The second group will consist of the youths creatively exploring their own experiences with racism. This will be a guided art session intended to have the children explore their own feelings, experiences, and opinions about the racism they may have in their everyday life. This will be accomplished by using various art material including paint, markers, crayons, and other drawing materials. The intention of this workshop is to begin to understand racism through the eyes of our youth and to allow individuals to express themselves through creative modalities.
Both groups will participate in the two workshops during the two-day conference. The artwork created by the youth will be displayed at the closing reception as well as an art exhibition at the University of Miami's Lowe Art Gallery.
- Workshop Leaders: Billie Schwartz, Courtney Whitt & Shanna Dulen
Dancing and Theater Workshop
What is Capoeira? Capoeira has been described as a dance which is a fight and a fight which is a dance by Mestre Jelon Vieira, a master in Capoeira. Although there is some debate as to Capoeira’s origins, many people and scholars agree that the artform was a product of the Slave trade between the Africa (Angola) and Brazil. Accompanied by instruments and song, Capoeira employs kicks, flips, and defense movements with a fluidity that gives it its signature dance-like quality. After many years of being banned in Brazil, Capoeira’s reputation began to improve in the 1900’s. With the help of the founding fathers of its contemporary style—Capoeira Regional and Capoeira Angola—Mestre Manoel dos Reis Machado, commonly known as “Mestre Bimba”, and Vincente Ferreira, commonly known as “Mestre Pastinha”, Capoeira has gained popularity and is now practiced all over the world.
During our dance workshop children will be taught about the rich history of Capoeira and will learn basic movements. We will conclude the two-day workshop with a “Roda”. A “Roda” is a Capoeira circle where students, teachers, and Masters of the artform play Capoeira. During the concluding “Roda”, youth will demonstrate what they have learned during the workshops. The “Roda” will then be opened to all in attendance so that all participants of the summer program experience first-hand the enveloping energy (Axé) of this amazing artform.
Workshop Leader: Judelysse Gómez
FRIDAY JUNE 26
9:00 AM
Registration & Continental Breakfast
10: 00 AM
Writing Workshop (Part I)
12:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 PM
Art and Painting Workshop (Part I)
2:30 PM
Break
3:00 – 4:30 PM
Dancing and Theater Workshop (Part I)
SATURDAY JUNE 27
9:00 AM
Registration & Continental Breakfast
10: 00 AM
Writing Workshop (Part II)
12:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 PM
Art and Painting Workshop (Part II)
2:30 PM
Break
3:00 – 4:30 PM
Dancing and Theater Workshop (Part II)
4:30 PM
Closing Ceremony and Reception
The Youth Workshop images are here! Visit our Gallery Page to enjoy the pieces of art, writing and dancing created by our young participants.
