This past Saturday I attended an art benefit. The event was hosted by the Southwest Youth Collaborative, as a part of the Recurrent Dreams Project, which is a collaboration between artist Granite Amit and 10 youth participants of the SWYC.
[The SWYC is a community-based network of youth and community development organizations serving African Americans, Arab Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans, Native American and Latino children, youth and families living in the West Englewood, Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, West Lawn and West Elsdon neighborhoods.]
The event was held at the Arc Gallery and Educational Foundation in the West Loop, which ended up being relatively easy for my mom and I to find. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when we arrived, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.
In addition to a panel discussion about art as resistance, audience members were treated to a small jazz band–which was incredible–as well as some of the most awesome free styling and break dancing that I’ve ever seen in person. Sometimes kids can be pretty amazing. Check it out:
I’m pretty sure in my next life I want to be one of those dancers.
The Girl and Her Dog 