Community

Youth Spirit Artworks Recruits Charles Blackwell

Published

6 years ago

August 1, 2018

By Charles Blackwell

Alan Laird who once operated Expressions Art Gallery in downtown Oakland, and would also visit inmates on death row at San Quinten Prison in Marin County, had returned to Oakland for a visit from Miami. He requested me to go with him to Youth Spirit Artworks on Alcatraz in Berkeley. Alan had worked on some art projects in the past and introduced me to Sally, the director and Victor Hindman. After a few minutes of conversation with Victor, Alan and I were asked to conduct a session with the youth. We both agreed.

About 25-30 young people attended. Alan and I spoke about life. Not trying to paint a pretty picture, but being real with them. We went from A-Z, prison, politics, love, God, and life’s struggles. They were seriously listening, even telling us, “this isn’t the classroom at school, this is real.” Alan suggested I do a couple of poems and I did. Then towards the end some of the youth presented poems.

A few months later, Sally contacted me and the next thing I knew, I was recruited to conduct writing workshops at the agency. Soon I was doing writing workshops with young adults, homeless youth, and high school students. I was stunned to find out how many young people are homeless. One night Angel Perez, the art instructor, and I went to a shelter in Berkeley, trying to locate one of our clients. It was alarming the number of homeless people there.
One extremely gifted writer, Enera Wilson, who is homeless, writes:

CHARLES
It’s bizarre to believe,
that a man who could not see,
cleared my vision.
This man opened my eyes,
and allowed me to see things in a
different light.
Before encountering this young sanctuary
filled with much spirit and many works of
art,
I was deathly afraid of expressing the twisted
thoughts that came to me.
it’s unbelievable to think that a man who
cannot see,
allowed me to realize,
That I was talented beyond what I had ever
Imagined about myself.
I am thankful for the gift that he bestowed
Upon me.
I give thanks to the man whose name is
Charles.

At YSAW, I use creative writing to confront and convict some of the thoughts which youth today embrace. Its all in an attempt to create the looking glass self. We write about violence, fear, forgiveness, anger, hope, racial hatred, color and love. To move them away from the self-centered world to seeing others, with a concern for various issues; other than self.

After a writing exercise, we have discussions, sometimes provoking them to participate. No matter how intense the discussion, there’s always a note of comedy with Jason Powel Smith and his fried chicken poems:

I saw fried chicken
In somebody’s office And I went past Somebody offer
And I was like ummmmmm!
I always love me that
Friend Chicken

I’ve conducted writing workshops in prisons and I’ve worked with youth before. I can be very hard line, but this is different. Sometimes these youth really hit my heart. Some stories are about horrible situations with parents, family or circumstances they have no control over. Probably the best way to explain the impact of the YSAW Writing Workshop, maybe summed up in a poem unexpectedly presented in a workshop by Elias Gutierrez:

Crash! The thunder booms in the raging
wind blows me back as I am rushing
back at midnight. Phone dead, no money,
no food, no protection from the rain.
I pray, someone, anyone will let me in.
How can this world be so cold as to
take everything I was, am, and will be,
my future and my history away from
me. As I feel the freeze from my
bones and my fingertips, you cannot see
my tears through the bullet like rain
almost piercing my skin. I am not here
anymore, I do not exist.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Related Topics:Charles Blackwell Oakland Youth Alive

Up Next

Schaaf’s Proposals for Building Affordable Housing on Public Land Challenged

Don't Miss

Oakland A’s to Hold Inaugural African-American Heritage Night Against LA Dodgers August 7

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

6 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

STREAMED LIVE!
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/PostNewsGroup
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/blackpressusatv
X: twitter.com/blackpressusa

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

Published

3 days ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

OP-ED: The Illusion of Allyship. White Women, Your Yard Signs Mean Nothing to Me

NNPA NEWSWIRE – “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

Published

3 days ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Political yard signs can symbolize intentions and allegiance. But this year, they’ve also symbolized betrayal. During this general election, Black women were led to believe that more White women would stand with us. Exit polls, however, told a different story. Despite overwhelming displays of support, more White women still chose to vote for the convicted felon, reality TV star, and rapist. White women answered the call but left us hanging at the polls.

A Familiar Disappointment

I live in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the abundance of Harris-Walz yard signs could’ve fooled me. But I’ve seen this before, back when Stacey Abrams ran for governor. White women showed up, put up signs, attended rallies, knocked on doors, and phone-banked. Yet, when it came time to vote, they let us down—not once but twice. I’ve been here for over 15 years, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that political signs are symbols without weight.

In every election, I’ve talked with White women. Most aren’t the primary earners in their families and vote along party lines, aligning with the preferences of their fathers and husbands. These conversations reveal a reluctance to break from tradition, even when their votes affect women and certainly when their votes impact the lives of people who look like me.

The Illusion of Solidarity—Symbols Are Not Enough

On social media, I’m seeing White women posting pictures of blue bracelets to “prove” they didn’t vote for Trump. “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

I’ve seen Black Lives Matter signs and black squares posted on Instagram to “prove” support for Black people, but we now know that was a lie, too. Will those same people who claimed Black lives mattered now take down their Harris-Walz signs and show their true selves?

Navigating these truths is a daily struggle for me—professionally and socially. White women often misuse their privilege, supporting us only when it’s convenient. Seeing overqualified Black women sabotaged or abandoned by White women at critical moments is a constant emotional challenge. It’s exhausting to live with this reality, especially when solidarity seems like something they pick up and discard at will.

One clever campaign ad from Harris-Walz that spoke directly to White women. “Your Vote, Your Choice” emphasized that their vote was private—independent of their household situation. Another was from Olivia Howell Dreizen, the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, which empowered women to consider the greater impact of their choices. But it seems many still couldn’t choose the roadmap to freedom—even when it was handed to them.

A Call for Action Beyond Words

White women, I want to believe you care, but actions speak louder than yard signs, bracelets, or Instagram posts. Show up in our communities, advocate in your workplaces, and stand up to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy. Only through real action will we know where you stand.

If you choose not to act, we see you—and we know exactly where you stand. Good luck these next four years.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.