CULTURE CLASH (Coolture)
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“ Local Teens Show North Broadway Neighborhood Through Their Eyes Story and photos by GAC
THIS SUMMER, WITH SUPPORT FROM AN ARTS RESPOND PROJECT GRANT FROM THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS, THE GALVESTON ARTS CENTER DEVELOPED A SPECIAL WORKSHOP SERIES FOR A DESERVING GROUP OF CREATIVE TEENS. The participants were five students in the youth art collective at Galveston Urban Ministries (G.U.M.) whose mission is to develop holistic relationships to transform Galveston’s North Broadway community. The end-product of this eight-week virtual/in-person course was to be a small, grassroots publication called a zine (a kind of DIY art magazine.) 24
Despite the challenging times, GAC’s teen zine project provided an opportunity for each student to grow creatively. Using a hybrid learning model of virtual and in-person smallgroup sessions, the students were introduced to zine culture through the eyes of a diverse group of professionals working in a range of creative fields, including poetry, typography, and photography. The topics and themes were chosen to support the students’ individual interests and strengths and to foster the development of a message. The workshop series kicked off with a crash course in zines with Stacy Kirages, co-founder of Houston ZineFest. Kirages was especially excited to be involved in the project. “Zines have always been a great outlet for young people to express themselves and share their experiences,” she opined, “but it’s even more important during this time when we are isolated due to COVID-19 and communities of color, the Black community especially, are still experiencing social injustice from law enforcement. Being able to work through feelings in a tangible way, like in a zine, can be extremely healing and restorative.” Ashanti Anderson, an award-winning poet and member of GAC’s staff, worked with the students on creative writing and ideation throughout the workshop series. She began each in-person lesson with a writing prompt designed to get the students in the right head space for the day. G.U.M. Youth Art Collective Instructor Sarah Cantu and youth program director Brandon Williams participated in each of the sessions too, and helped keep the students focused and motivated throughout the project. Each student gained a perspective of their own as the series unfolded. Several rounds of brainstorming and discussion helped the group zero in on ideas. But the students were in agreement from Day 1 on what they wanted as their main topic: The Hood. C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • S E P T/O CT 2 0 2 0
