I EMPOWER CHILDREN TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND PROVIDE PARENTS THE TOOLS TO ASSIST THEM.
I am the Founder and Director of EthnicCity and Lategro. Both EthnicCity and LaTegro are grassroots Urban Arts and Education Movements existing to educate and eradicate any fallacies created to disenfranchise the urban youth and young adults place in society. I am an Urban Eclectic Artist that has a passion for developing the Urban Youth. I am a certified teacher and entrepreneur. When I am not teaching art at Bemis School of Art/Fine Arts Center, I am empowering youth and disenfranchised communities with the tools of community pride and self sufficiency. I have had much experience in the non-profit sector and my expertise lie in: Workshop Development and Facilitating Youth advocacy and empowerment Dance and Theater Slam Poetry Step Master Parent Empowerment Grant Development and Teaching You can also find my art on Etsy.com/VisionistaV I plan to change the world one child at a time!
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\Believing there has been a deliberate dark shadow casted upon our marginalized population of black, brown and poor youth, thus creating ugly interpretations of their messages. We feel it is imperative as educators and parents to teach and empower them thru youth programming, community involvement, partner collaborations and educational consulting. We seek to empower them with opportunities and education. We provide them the tools and knowledge they need to attain equity and social change.
Lategro’s Statement:
In this 21st Century, we have been taught to turn a blind eye to our youth’s educational inequities, institutional racism and social inequities that violate their civil rights in ways that are more subtle and yet more dangerous ways than ever before. Best expressed in the rhymes and funky beats of hip-hop music, who’s genre became a lifestyle and for better or worse it has embodied our youth. It has provided them with a false sense of security and opportunity “to be somebody”. But sadly, an entire generation has been marginalized and darkened by racial hatred and systemic injustice. The worst of its facets and perhaps it precipitated an insane rise in incarceration rates, specifically within black, brown and poor communities.
Cross-generationally, what started as an important art form that allowed our youth to describe and share their realities, sensationalized w our youth to only see themselves as part of the problem. And just as villains rarely create the positive solutions, many turn to acting out their experiences that are not beneficial to our communities nor positive.
LaTegro’s Response:
Believing there has been a deliberate dark shadow casted upon our marginalized population of black, brown and poor youth, thus creating ugly interpretations of their messages. We feel it is imperative as educators and parents to teach and empower them thru youth programming, community involvement, partner collaborations and educational consulting. We seek to empower them with opportunities and education. We provide them the tools and knowledge they need to attain equity and social change.
Lategro’s Action:
We empower our youth and their the parents. We provide them the tools necessary to navigate and succeed in a society of educational inequalities, institutional and systemic racism.
LaTegro Delivers:
“Just Us” An Urban Youth Educational, Social and Economic Justice Project
“Artivism” At Artivism, we encourage young people to explore art ideas that
evoke emotions and passion to respect for human, civil, animal, and environmental rights .
“EthnicCity” Produces Urban Eclectic, Afrocentric and Activist Art
“Peers” A parent and community empowerment organization
