Michaelanne Harriman has served as an Artist-on-Call in Guatemala and attended the BuildaBridge Institute. She's spent the past few years working as the Community Arts Director at the Ayuda Community Center's Orange Korner Arts (OKA) House.
Not one of the kids's that I've met at Orange Korner Arts (OKA) love to draw more than Stefano (not his real name). When I met him, he was 9 and all of his friends told me he was an artist. Stefano was very shy and reserved. Once he knew that I was an artist and was going to have art classes at Orange Korner Arts, he began to hang out at the center, asking for scrap paper and printing "how-to-draw" pages for anything from cars to Sponge Bob. Stefano signed up for all of our drawing classes and has for the past 5 years. He has yet to ever finish any of them. Stefano has a rough life at home. Mom is always at work. Both Dad and Big Brother are locked up and have been as long as I've known him. He spends countless hours alone at his house. This is one reason he used to come over to the OKA House (which is across from his house) nearly every day. Another reason is that he knows that it's a place where he belongs and his contributions will be honored. Throughout the 10 week period of our art courses, Stefano usually gets overwhelmed with the process and stops showing up. Sometimes he will come to the show and participate; sometimes he will show up at the end of the exhibition. Before classes start again, he is back to hanging out and making spontaneous art constantly. During registration, he will sign up for one or more classes and we go through the whole process again. We have talked over the past 5 years about the fact that he has trouble finishing things. He's working on it. Last May for our Spring Exhibition, he came right after school and helped set up the show and assisted the DJ throughout the whole process. While he didn't finish artwork for that exhibition, now as a 14 year old boy, he realizes he can help us so much with the logistics of the exhibition and loved to contribute in that way. Stefano has taught me that the success of the arts program at the OKA House has less to do with the artwork that is exhibited at the annual show and more to do with the fact that we can create a safe, consistent place for youth to know they are welcome, loved, and have space to express their ideas and creativity far beyond the bounds of classes and program.
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3:30 is a question: What is your 3:30 story and what role will you play in contributing to the development of children in your city and your world?
BuildaBridge answers with our own stories of transformation from the children we serve.
3:30 is a challenge: What will you do about 3:30?
BuildaBridge responds with the continuation of after school programming for children in need.
3:30 is a promise.
BuildaBridge promises to uphold this commitment both in Philadelphia and abroad.
Will you respond? Will you commit? Will you advocate? Will you give?
