See Me Because Volume 17 by art-start

see me because

Volume 17

the art start portrait project

Volume 17

The Art Start Portrait Project is a a multimedia project and platform for youth participants to portray the complex narratives of their identities, asking the world to see them as they chose to be seen. This iteration of the project features Art Start’s 2025 Summer Creative Career Interns in New York, NY.

About Art Start

Since 1991 Art Start has used the creative process to nurture the voices, hearts, and minds of youth from communities that have been historically marginalized, offering a space for them to imagine, believe, and represent their creative vision for their lives and communities.

Founded and headquartered in New York City, Art Start engages thousands of youth and community members each year thorugh its three main programs: Creative Collectives, Creative Connections, and Public Exchanges. Art Start meets youth where they are, supports them in identifying and building upon innate talents, wisdom, and lived experiences, and maintains platforms for voices to be heard and people to be seen through the process of their own creative self-determination.

about the project

See Me Because is a part of the Art Start Portrait Project, a multimedia project and platform for Art Start participants to portray the complex narratives of their identities, asking the world to see them as they choose to be seen.

Art Start believes that the exercise of creation and authorship over one’s identity is an exercise in true freedom - a liberation not often experienced by communities that have been historically marginalized. In addition, when we create, we occupy a space of inherent optimism. When we practice creation, our “possibility” factor comes from within ourselves, without permission from any external person or system. Over time, this can profoundly alter how we interact with opportunity, and likewise how to approach its obstacles.

Art Start’s mantra is: “Imagine. Believe. Create. Become.” It all starts with the freedom to imagine, the courage to believe and the resources and safe space to create before we have a chance to recreate ourselves throughout our lives. The Art Start Portrait Project is a manifestation of this creative process.

Art Start’s See Me Because gives youth and young adults from historically marginalized communities a framework to explore their own complex personal narratives through the creative arts, oral histories, and portraiture.

See me becau

becauSe

I try to wheel myself back in when I find myself comparing myself to others. You have to remember you’re the only one taking in your oxygen. You have to just breathe.

By Zachary Maxwell Stertz 2025

Portrait of Ava

I grew up in Upstate New York, Potter’s Field. It’s rural and pretty isolating. I had some issues with my parents and I came to New York and found a community. In New York, I feel like I don’t have to tone myself down to match the country. Some people Upstate can be closed minded. I don’t blame them. Maybe it’s just because they’ve never gotten out of the town, or they don’t want any other person to outshine the environment. The city creates a lot of individuality. I have found more of myself, my interests, and my confidence. I hope I can bring those things with me wherever I go.

Community spaces for me are where I can be authentic and I don’t have to create a persona so people can like me. Art studios, libraries and museums are spaces that I gravitate towards. These are the best places in the City where the stillness and quiet make things less loud internally. I love being able to show what inspires me and what I aspire to be. I do various forms of art and New York is a great place to do that. I love make-up and hand-me-down clothing from my sister. They feel like home to me. If they fall apart I ask my sister if she can stitch it back. She is someone I miss. She is queer and has always been supportive and easy to talk to.

I’ll say I’m an easily influenced person. I get inspired a lot and I really like art, but making something from nothing is hard for me. I struggle a lot with imposter syndrome. What is that word - Limerence? Maybe it’s because I am just starting out. I try to wheel myself back in when I find myself comparing myself to others. You have to remember you’re the only one taking in your oxygen. You have to just breathe. The feeling of needing to fit in can be really painful.

I think a lot of people will feel more included if everyone was just weird. People try to stick to one thing, but I feel like it’s easier to explore different identities. Weirdness should be celebrated as long as it’s positive and helpful to others and yourself. Being human is weird, so I just want people to be themselves. Weird for me is boundless joy. We need to help everyone love everyone, break apart social rules, and help people realize the world would be chiller if everyone could get inspired by others, and then create.

Artwork by Ava

Chava

If you don’t know me, you see me as a Black female. If you do know me, you would see me as someone who makes art, who creates.

By Zachary Maxwell Stertz 2025

Portrait of ChAva

In the next two years I want to focus on mental health, graduate and get accepted into a good college. I would like to travel with my mom. I also would like to have three rabbits. I have one now, his name is José. I want more rabbits in the future.

If I could change the world, I would make a woman president. I’m not an expert in politics but I don’t understand how we have a man decide what women can do with their bodies. It would be nice to see a woman in charge, but America is not having it right now and that’s the world we live in right now. Personally, I think females are smarter leaders.

I struggled in school last year, but now I’m in my Senior year I need to put my best foot forward and graduate. I think about where I’ll live in the future and this is what motivates me to make the effort in school. I can’t live off of my mother forever. She does push me to do more, and essentially encourages me through rewards. My dad doesn’t ask much from me. He is a simple guy that just wants to see effort. He just asked me to pass school, so I don’t want to fail him. My mom seems to nag me more, but she just wants me to succeed. They both help in different ways.

I see myself as an artist. I think all kids make art when they are young. I painted a lot when I was younger, but I stopped when I got to school. Now I‘ve become more focused on architecture, a different kind of art than when I was younger. How do others see me? If you don’t know me you will see me as a Black female. If you do know me, you would see me as someone who makes art, who creates.

Artwork by Chava

Coralis

The idea of standing in front of something and having a somatic experience where you’re like, “Oh, I feel this!” - that is art.

By Zachary Maxwell Stertz 2025

Portrait of coralis

I’m 22 and I grew up in Brooklyn. I’ve always lived in the same neighborhood. It got gentrified. My mom likes it because things got cleaned. Everyone in my elementary school is gone and there are poodles on the train. A lot has changed.

Most of my upbringing was going to church and going to school because my mother said it was too dangerous to go outside. I love the punk rock scene but I couldn’t bring that out in church. I still value the way people were demure, respectful and conservative in church. My values are very uniform,very professional, but then behind the uniform very… not that. Understanding misconceptions is interesting to me. I get obsessed and need to digest things to form my own opinion.

I’ve always been into art drawing. My sister, who is disabled, and I would always go to the hospital, and my mom didn’t like for us to be rowdy. The hospital had art supplies so we would be drawing all the time to keep quiet. I was always a person who drew, even on my books at school.

There are so many dreams I have. Logically, it is financial stability and family. In a creative sense, there are so many projects I want to get into, like write a movie that depicts the experiences of my trans friend whose experiences are not being represented. Another dream is to meet people who have similar values and do the same things I do creatively, and then collaborate. Having a group of friends and a community is a dream. I also would love to learn how to swim.

Art is everything for me. The idea of standing in front of something and having a somatic experience where you’re like, “Oh, I feel this!” - that is art. That’s why art installation inspires me a lot, because you’re engulfed. Any experience where you can get in front of something and have a very visceral, physical, emotional experience - even if it’s just sitting on a bench in front of some water, I love it. I love the feeling of “I’m having an experience right now.”

Artwork by Coralis

Damani

In the future, I want a nice family, and finding a career for myself will bring the biggest happiness to me.

By Zachary Maxwell Stertz

Portrait of Damani

I was born in Queensbridge, one of the biggest neighborhoods in Queens. I work at Jacob A. Riis, my local Community Center to support the neighborhood and bring people together. My team is called MAP, Mayor Action Plans. We develop community events and find funding to improve the neighborhood, like better parking, safer playgrounds and addressing various issues we are having.

As an artist, I draw characters and create my own universe. One family member who gives me encouragement is my cousin, Sugar Ray. He is like the preacher of Queensbridge. He motivates me. My aunt does too. She raps and does performances. They tell me I am talented, but I am a shy person so how can I show off like that?

Growing up my parents would do anything to make me feel like a princess. They spoiled me. They had tea parties, dance parties. It was fun while it lasted, but as I got older, my attitude started to change. When I was ten, I was playing tag roughly and one of the boys pushed me mad hard and I got my face fractured. A neighbor spotted me and brought me to my building and my mom called an ambulance. My family was shocked when they saw how I looked. I was lucky that day, but it was a hard day. I’m okay now.

In the future, I want a nice family, and finding a career for myself will bring the biggest happiness to me. I would also like to have a long term relationship. My parents are not together. I love them but I don’t want to be like that, separated from a mate. I want a family.

Artwork by Damani

Fadima

I’ve learned how to experience my own autonomy. I had to learn how to speak up for myself. It is still hard for me to do that, but I’ve learned.

Portrait

Fadima

By Zachary Maxwell Stertz 2025

I live in Harlem. Growing up here, you had to develop a tough skin. I was really sensitive and everything got to me. My parents are immigrants, and I was a first generation kid. In the early 2000’s people didn’t really get it. Xenophobia was rampant, bullying was rampant, and I had to fight a lot. I’ve learned how to speak to and navigate people now and how to experience my own autonomy. I had to learn how to speak up for myself. It is still hard for me to do that, but I’ve learned.

I was dealing with all different parts of my life. At home, my mother didn’t understand my experience at school and at school, the kids didn’t understand me because they didn’t understand my home life. My mom just wanted me to be happy, but she also couldn’t understand me because she was dealing with so much herself. I had to navigate through a lot of miscommunication. I didn’t feel like I had anyone in my corner. I cried a lot. I did martial arts and fencing. I also created a lot. I colored. I read so much that I would get detention for reading because my Dean said I must have thought I was better than others because I was always reading. My mom is from Africa, and it was installed in me to read. She had us read the dictionary. I loved and still love books. It was always my escape. I also crochet. I like it because it’s repetitive and it calms me down. I discovered it as a kid at the Children’s Foundation, across the street from us in Harlem. As soon as the instructor showed me how to chain stitch, I immediately picked it up and just kept going. As a creative, I would love to work with other artists.

I have three men in my family who have been incarcerated, including my cousin who is a well known musician and is currently locked up. I don’t really trust the police. Especially, right now with all that’s been going on. I feel like calling the police can escalate situations. As for the world, I wish all people will have a home and food. I don’t understand the argument. People should have food, water, shelter and medicine. I know it sounds like bleeding heart stuff but the world could be better.

Artwork by Fadima

Jasper

I want to share stories and use my voice to spread love.

By Zachary Maxwell Stertz

Portrait of Jasper

I was an outcast in Middle and High School. I didn’t have a lot of friends or people to share with. I was an awkward person, very quiet and observant. I would only speak when spoken to. I’ve branched out of that and I now allow myself to be who I am, no matter what. That’s what you’re supposed to do - be who you are. I went from awkward and shy, to awkward and proud of it. I tried to be normal, but I’m not normal. I like making and collecting weird stuff. I like being weird. For a long time, I felt like I didn’t stand out and I didn’t feel seen by others. Now, I feel people see me and it’s their choice if they want to interact with me. For me, community centers around people you bond with over similar interests, to share stories that feel most like community. Now, I feel I have a stronger community than I’ve ever had.

My favorite memory is going to Disney World for the first time. I had to have been 13 or 14 years old. I was a huge Disney fanatic. I had a wonderful time. It was my mother, step-father, and my two sisters. Besides being a Diseny fan, I am a huge Muppets fan. My biggest inspiration is Jim Henson, the creator of Muppets and Sesame Street. He is the reason I do what I do now, which is puppetry. It inspires me because you’re making something and sharing stories. I want my creations to help create memories and to make stories help people learn that there’s a better way to be than bad politics and bombing others. I want to share stories and use my voice to spread love.

Artwork by Jasper

Nasir

I look at my struggles and see how I can always turn them to strength.

By Zachary Maxwell Stertz 2025

Portrait of Nasir

I’ve been bouncing around the City most of my life, but I’ve lived in East New York for about ten years. Everybody is doing their best to get by there. Now they are building more there. I guess that counts for something, to see some renovation and some profit in the area. My father is a contractor. He works near Wall Street. My mother works from home as a data analyst.

It’s refreshing to be here at Art Start. The people are great. I need that, because I like to be by myself. I always close myself off and stay with my close collective of people. Sometimes I do feel some insecurities, but the older I get the more comfortable I feel in my skin. This is who I am. It doesn’t really matter what people think of me. The only person that knows me is me. I just have to keep moving. That is life.

I am happy where I am right now. I feel like I am doing better than a lot of people my age. I just want to live a quiet and peaceful life. I don’t want to do anything crazy. I just live my life one step at a time. Now I’m applying for a job to pay my student debt so I can go back to college and get my degree. I don’t believe that school should cost that much. I’m proud that I graduated high school. When I got my diploma it felt it was a big step. High school was hard. There was COVID and school wasn’t the best. It was a bit of a ruckus. The State Test was hard, but I passed. I checked all the boxes, and having graduated makes me feel good about myself.

I look at my struggles and see how I can always turn them to strength.

Artwork by Nasir

Why not try and do everything I can in my lifetime? That’s my timeframe. If I can achieve it, I want to do so.

By Zachary Maxwell Stertz 2025

Portrait of Rami

I see myself as Creative, a brother, a son, a friend. That’s a big part of who I am. My family and my friends mean a lot to me. I have four siblings, and I’m the second oldest. My mom is a big inspiration. She’s the baseline in my life, and has always provided for me and my siblings, no matter how hard times got. She has an artistic mind. She has introduced me to plenty of people and has brought so many people into my life who I consider my community. I’m pretty lucky. We are like a giant family. There’s a lot of support and love there.

There has never been a time like now. We are going through it as a society. We’re in a time where people are fighting against stereotypes. I hate when people are viewed differently. Stereotypes are obstacles. Generalizing and mocking people need to go. I like to think I’m an optimist, because I like to believe we can change stereotypes. But how? I think it’s something we are figuring out.

I have a lot of ideas. One thought is if I could transform my friend group to a content creator group, making content with one another. How to actually start it though is harder. It feels really ambitious. I live in the biggest opportunity-filled city in the world, and I am hesitant to do anything. I am always in my head and self-conscious. It prevents me a lot from starting.

I wouldn’t like to change anything in the world. I could give a spontaneous answer like I would like to do away with this problem or that, but I’d rather consider what I’ll do with my existence. Why not try and do everything I can in my lifetime? That’s my timeframe. It’s broad, but that is what I would change - that I start pursuing everything I am capable of doing, whatever that means. If I can achieve it, I want to do so.

Artwork by Rami

Samyta

I want my parents to be proud of me. After everything they have done for me, I want them to be satisfied with what I have done with my life.

By Zachary Maxwell Stertz 2025

Portrait of Samyta

I’m 17 years old and I grew up in Glendale, Queens. We moved to Long Island when I was in Fourth Grade. Thinking back, some of my favorite memories are watching Sponge Bob cartoons with my brother. He has special needs and I remember his laugh. I would do anything to make him laugh. He is my older brother but I do feel as I care for him. I love him so much. I will always be there for him.

I’m going to be a Senior in high school this year and it’s nerve racking. There is so much responsibility put on you. I want to go to a college to pursue a double major in Art and something with Math, maybe finance or accounting. My parents have always pushed me to do my best. It’s a big burden, but I believe their motivation helps me. I really like school and seeing my friends. I have a small group of friends but I feel lucky to have found them. I have good grades, a 4.0 G.P.A. I enjoy learning so that’s a big part of it.

My parents grew up in Bangladesh. It’s not a wealthy country but there is a strong culture and everything is connected to that culture. There is such beauty, and everything is so much more lively there. Everyone there is so nice. I have never been anywhere where I felt so loved. It’s beautifulthe celebrations, the people, the beautiful colors. You have to experience it. It’s amazing.

I think people are envious of the opportunities in America. I feel very privileged to be where I am and have the opportunities I have. That makes me want to work harder. I see myself as a BengaliAmerican girl. I am the first person in my family that grew up here. There is a big divide between my parents’ views and my views. I feel like I broke the barrier on that. There is a big difference in views when your parents immigrated.

I want my parents to be proud of me. After everything they have done for me, I want them to be satisfied with what I have done with my life. Getting a Master’s degree is a dream of mine. As long as I believe in myself it is possible.

Artwork by Samyta

Environment And mass incarceration in communities of color

The environments in which children grow deeply shape their socio-emotional health and development, setting the stage for how they approach their understanding of themselves and their future. Prevailing mainstream stereotypes, lack of resources and opportunity, substandard schools, concentrated poverty, and exposure to violence are often underscored by multigenerational family and community trauma, all disproportionately affecting the development, growth, and mindset of many young people of color. The majority of young people participating in this project described their neighborhoods as something to survive or overcome. Some described them as violent, and others likened their upbringing to feeling like being stuck in mud, or being in the trenches.

The neighborhoods in which many young people of color wake up each morning often have higher rates of crime and are subject to greater police surveillance. Stressful dynamics exist between youth and law enforcement. That stress compounds. Day in and day out, young people don’t see the growth, viable progress or opportunity in their neighborhoods. What they do observe is a large number of family and friends entering the justice system. In 2023, 49% of New York State prisons were occupied by Black people. Emotionally and psychologically, youth of color must endure these disproportionate and devastating rates of mass incarceration playing out every day, year after year, impacting their mental well being and future orientation.

It’s not difficult to understand why a young person in this environment might approach each day with a survival mentality. Research shows that any involvement or proximity to involvement to the criminal justice system increases the chances of further justicesystem involvement. If this statistic plays out in a young person’s life, the consequences of incarceration can be severe. Convictions further undermine their life’s trajectory by interfering with school completion and job placement, not to mention the social emotional and cognitive development interrupted by the trauma of system involvement and family separation. The subsequent label that comes with being justice-involved also carries severe consequences. Labeling Theory infers that the power of labels, particularly shaming and stigmatizing labels, further separates justiceinvolved persons from society. Our impressions of ourselves are shaped by how others treat us, which in return helps to shape our constructions of social identity. The label can be internalized.

Given the environmental stresses many young people of color face from an early age, it’s clear that much needs to change. Drawing on Dr. Shawn Ginwright’s theory of Healing Centered Engagement, we can start by sporting their creative imagination and sense of possibility for their success, subverting labels and stigmas that consistently threaten their self-awareness and self-determination.

We as a society must support and encourage the imagination, dreams, and ideas of young people of color, along with providing tangible opportunities and consistent, safe spaces for their voices and talents to thrive and be incorporated into our society, as a whole.

Danny Arenas, LMSW, Artist Director of Programs and Impact, Art Start

Art Start 2025 Summer Interns and Staff

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