Beginning in November 2023, a project at La Escuelita became a powerful testament to the role of the arts and mindfulness in engendering social change. The funding from the Art Meets Activism grant, made possible by the Kentucky Foundation for Women, aimed to provide tools for questioning, supporting, and shifting societal norms around community. It was designed to address systemic inequities by creating a space where underserved, multilingual, immigrant, and asylum-seeking youth could feel seen, heard, and supported through mindful artistic expression.

At the heart of this experience was a focus on trauma-informed practices, integrating arts and mindfulness to cultivate trust, belonging, and visibility within the community. Participants engaged in expressive activities—drama, movement, writing, music, and visual arts—to share their lived experiences and personal narratives. The program culminated in a final exhibition and performance, encouraging awareness and inspiration actions to cultivate a community that thrives in interpersonal and systemic harmony.

At the final exhibition and celebration, visitors were encouraged to interview the artists and share how the exhibit affected their ideas of social change and community. Many visitors found themselves rethinking the concept of community, appreciating the visible intergenerational representation in the art. A poignant statement from a visitor, "Aunque somos diferentes, somos todos útiles e importantes," underscored the message of collective worth despite differences—"Even though we are different, we are all contributors and important." This sentiment was vividly illustrated in one piece showing the world encircled by children holding hands, symbolizing unity and interconnectedness.

The exhibit served as a reflective mirror, challenging practices of "othering" as well as highlighting relational abundance. Visitors noted that the art pieces, with their diverse expressions and shapes, emphasized how varied feelings, appearances, and lived experiences contribute to the community. One visitor described the exhibit as “todo está en armonía y plenitud,” meaning everything is in harmony and abundance, which contrasted with their usual experiences of unmet basic needs.

The project's impact was further evidenced by the youth's enhanced ability to articulate their ideas of community through poetry, tableaus, and visual art. One community member remarked on the program's healing power, noting the profound emotional and expressive growth observed in the youth's artwork.

Through this experience, I was reminded of the cyclical nature of giving and receiving, exhaling and inhaling. Just as I shared my soul work with this community, the youth’s creativity, insights, conflicts, and gratitude enriched my own understanding and inspired further artistic contributions. It was profoundly gratifying to witness the long-term impact of the relationships I built with my students during my time in public education. Seeing one of my former students, now an emerging leader, appointed as the director of La Escuelita underscores the enduring value of these connections. It fills my heart with optimism to observe how our young visionaries are meaningfully giving back and driving social change in their communities. This project illuminates how the arts and mindfulness can drive social change, fostering a deeper, more inclusive understanding of community dynamics and individual potential.

I’m deeply grateful to the Kentucky Foundation for Women for investing in my vision, and the La Escuelita community for welcoming me to share my life-work and devotion with their young people. 

I invite you to explore this experience through the documentation. The following link shares the project from November - December 2023; the following document from January to the final exhibition and celebration in May 2024. Finally, I wrote this poem based on the exhibit visitor feedback and it was published in “Hotflash,” Kentucky Foundation for Women’s newsletter. 

Always from the heart,

Jessica  Sharpenstein

~jsharp

For more on my arts integration and mindfulness initiatives with youth facing systemic oppression, please consider visiting my digital portfolio.