ShALaK aTtAcK: ARTREACH: Community Expressions

I believe that creative expression can be a very powerful tool for social change an engagement. As an Art facilitator my main objective is to be able to promote social equality, self-esteem, empowerment and motivation through education and artistic expression to individuals and communities alike.

My motivation comes from the belief that every human being has the capacity and right to health, education, a safe environment, respect, and freedom of expression. My experiences of working within different communities in North and South America

, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Europe,

have opened my consciousness to very difficult social contexts. Being able to participate and collaborate alongside the creators, the action takers and the participants of different organizations has become a huge benefit to my personal and professional growth.

Artistic Program coordinator and Interventionist at la
MAISON DES JEUNES DE COTE-DES-NEIGES 2006-2009

I currently work in Montreal at la Maison des Jeunes CDN a visual arts facilitator and art program coordinator. Creation en Couleur is the name of our program, which includes painting, mural/graffiti, drawing, creative sewing and clothing design workshops. The painting workshops started last fall with an introduction to graffiti painting, and as winter began it evolved into individual painting projects. The youths' interest and the success of these workshops have been phenomenal and very inspiring. In the spring of 2008, MDJ recieved a grant from the city of Montreal to officially support this program, and since we have been able to create a studio with necassary materials accessible for the youth. We have participated in several exibitions, and the youth have since sold their artwork to private collectors, and have been chosen to be apart of McGill's SEDE 2008-09 calender.
This summer we are currently working on a mural on our Decurtrai location where the music and theatre workshops take place, as well as working on the backdrops for the MDJ Musical-Theatre piece that will be presented in August of 2008.