 |
YOUTH
/
PERSONAL STORIES Listen
to Mickey, Lucas, and Jason as they share their personal experiences
with ArtWorks.
| Mickey |
All up to this day, my teenage
years have not been an easy road. I've had to make many
choices to make the right decision, and before I could, I had
to first make a decision to believe God, then stop stealing,
smoking weed, drinking and hanging out with my friends. I
was 13 at this time with nearly 5 points on my record. My
behavior was bad throughout middle school. Part of the
reason I messed up was the home life. My dad was smoking
weed with me. Then he always smoked crack, and for the
longest time my home was full of crack addicts. Now I'm
in foster care and doing better since I left the care of my
parent - safe to say.
But through this experience, it made me (even enabled me) to see life through
a whole new light and see it's not a pretty sight. It's like nobody cares
for the youth. Then the people who do are very few. People have the
nerve to look down on us without believing in us and point out nothing but wrong
and condemn us. This is the pain I've faced and still face to this day. But
I've learned that the only person that determines my success is myself and God
with me. I'm glad to go through what I'm going through because I know it
has built inner power and character and love.
Working here at Artworks has taught me how to communicate and demonstrate leadership
among my co-workers. Working here is good for me because I've noticed that
drawing has helped me to manage my anger. |
| |
|
| Lucas |
The power of choice is rarely an
option when in trouble with the law. All your freedom is
taken away. You are given your punishment and expected
to complete it responsibly.
When I was arrested, I was looking at a maximum 3-year sentence
and 300-dollar fine. With the option of community service
I was able to avoid doing any jail time. Getting involved
with Artworks has given me the opportunity to help serve my community
in a way that will be positively noticed. Although I was
given 300 hours to complete, knowing I was going to be able to
have my freedom and help with an ever-growing program was a reassuring
feeling.
The Artworks employees are here to help support
my skills and help me learn new techniques with art. Here
we’re not treated or thought of as criminals. We’re
well respected and are allowed to have positive input in our
projects. My other options for my sentence was working
with the city cleaning garbage from under the freeways and/or
cleaning graffiti off the streets. With Artworks I’m
still learning and able to express myself, but now I’m
being rewarded for my art, not criticized or put down. Without
the option of Artworks my punishment would have been incredibly
worse. I and probably everybody who has gone through this
program is grateful for their opportunity. |
| |
|
| Jason |
Artworks helped me so much, because
before I started here I was always hanging out with the wrong
crowd, and doing drugs and just getting into all kinds of trouble. When
I started here at Artworks they gave me a warm welcome and I
immediately knew this was the job for me. I felt as if
I’ve been here for years. All the supervisors are
always respectful towards everyone's opinions.... |
| |
|
|
