Tag Archives: Indianapolis

The Kheprw Family by Alyssa Brewer

The time has come to leave the Kheprw Institute. In such a short time I have developed deep and intentional friendships with the Indianapolis CAPS cohort as well as with the Kheprw staff. I had no idea that this place would become my home away from home -and these people would become my family away from family. Each morning we would have two hour discussions about our day- our goals, plans, accomplishments, and most notably how we are doing. In any “professional” space I have been, discussing your personal feelings and concerns were off the table. Here at Kheprw, they are welcomed. It is a support group unlike any other. 

Throughout the summer us interns completed different projects for the team. I helped put an aquaponics system back together, write emails for an entrepreneurship incubator, create an online curriculum about social capital, construct an LOI for a grant, and other various assignments. While at times it seemed stressful, it was nothing more than we could handle. There was a constant middle ground between leading and learning. 

Overall, I am grateful for this experience. I learned more than I could have in the classroom and had enough support to do it without overextending myself. While I am excited to see my family and friends again (combining the time studying abroad and working here, I’ve been away for almost eight months now), I am also sad to leave. Through this program, I was able to broaden my connections, my education, and my ideas of what service, leadership, and purposeful work mean. I am excited to forge a new path ahead of me but I will never forget what and who helped me get there. 

We Have the Knowledge and Experience, So What’s Next? by Zachary Felty

My internship ended on Thursday and I have traded in my apartment in the city of Indianapolis for the home of my family. I have transitioned from my quite apartment to my hectic home with my parents and 4 siblings. Since coming home I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my ten weeks at Kheprw Institute. While working there, I saw things that I had only ever read about. Things such as gentrification, food deserts, and other ailments that low-income communities suffer from. I spent the entire summer helping to build out a fundraising campaign to help Kheprw address these problems. However, I still left feeling like I should have done so much more. I also have struggled with guilt since leaving Kheprw. Here is a low income community that is only 20 minutes from my home, that I had no idea existed. It has been right there for me to go and help in all this time, but I have done nothing for them up until this point. Knowing this now, having these feelings, and having gone and helped in this community, I know face the question of, what’s next? I have always tried to live my life by the mentality of: if we have the ability to help, we also have the responsibility to help. That leads me to the conclusion that if I know there are these low income communities so close to where I live, then instead of feeling guilty for not knowing, I should harness that guilt to make a difference like I did this summer. However, only one question remains, where do I start? I find this to be a difficult question, because I don’t spend a lot of my time in a single place. I spend a lot of time in Indianapolis (with my family) and at Valparaiso University. However, I have learned two thing for certain this summer: there are always opportunities to help nearby, and that help should only be what those in need say it should be. With that being said I think I will start to identify those in need around Valpo and perhaps more in Indy, then learning from them what they need, because assistance is useless if it is not what the those in need wish for. These will be my next steps, and then the next course of action will present itself after they have been taken. This is the closest to a plan that I can come up with while drawing on my experiences this summer. While I am uncertain about who is in need by my two homes and what kind of assistance they may desire, one thing is unquestionable; even after my time at Kheprw, there is still work to be done.

A New Normal by Alyssa Trinko

This summer has been one of the most amazing summers of my life. I have learned so much in such a short amount of time. I have fallen in love with Indianapolis and found a home there. I’ve also fallen in love with the Harrison Center and the work the incredible staff is doing to create positive change in Indy.

The Harrison Center builds relationships with the residents and business owners of Indianapolis neighborhoods so they can help make neighborhoods healthy, foster community identity, and work on renewal in the city. Art is central to this work. The Harrison Center is home to 32 resident artists, many of whom are creative placemakers and collaborate with the Center for city projects. The “city side” of the Center works on building these close relationships with people all over the city and engaging them through art and other creative mediums like public art events, public art installations, porching, and other creative placemaking tools.

This form of activism is innovative and, though it continues to gain popularity across the country, it is still unconventional. I had never heard of creative placemaking until I came here. On the first day of my internship, my internship coordinator, Moriah, told me we would all be attending a porch party for lunch. I was very confused as to why we would be eating lunch in a neighbor’s yard in the middle of the work day. By the end of my first week, I was quickly starting to understand why.

This summer, we worked specifically in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood of Indianapolis. All of my internship projects were focused on connecting this neighborhood’s past to the present. The goal of the work is to invite new residents and business owners in the area into the existing stories and traditions of the neighborhood as it continues to experience gentrification. This kind of community engagement the Harrison Center does unites the community, and it eliminates racial inequity.

I organized a storytelling night for the residents of Martindale-Brightwood to share their stories with new neighbors. I also co-created an art show with fashion pieces that celebrated neighborhood matriarchs. I spent a lot of time porching with residents, interviewing them, and taking their photographs. Resident artists painted these older residents’ portraits and they were turned into billboards, postcards, and shown at exhibitions for all of Indy to see. All of these initiatives are examples of creative placemaking.

The work the Harrison Center does is hard. It takes years of effort, dedication, and a strong belief in the cause. It truly takes a village, but it works. In just two months, I was able to witness a community in Indianapolis become closer, more loving, more understanding, and stronger. The Harrison Center has shown me the meaning of community, how to build it, and what it can offer us as humans. It has shown me what a neighborhood really looks like, and that we desperately need close-knit, healthy neighborhoods with identity and culture now more than ever. As I leave Indianapolis, I feel confident that I can take what I’ve learned here and bring it to my own community.

Going Home by Rachel Winkler

I am writing this while sitting at my small wood dining room table. My cat is curled up next to me and there is a soft light coming through the windows that face the street. It is weird to be home, to be back in St. Louis. I have had so many homes in the past three months. When I leave St. Louis to go back to Valpo, I say I am going back home. When I leave Valpo to go to St. Louis I also say I am going home. During CAPS my roommates and I would refer to our apartment as home. I even say I am going back home to see my family in Washington even though I have never lived there for a substantial amount of time. Over the summer I thought a lot about what really made a home a home. 

When I was younger I thought of home as an unwavering permanent place. I had grown up in the same city, only moving once when I was five so my house had always been my home. Many people say home is where the heart is and to some extent, I would agree. Valpo, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Washington all have pieces of my heart and have people I love there. Not all of these physical spaces always felt like home. It wasn’t until I felt safe, secured, and loved that I believed somewhere was home.

 When I first moved into my apartment this summer it did not feel like home. It was scary and new and weirdly quiet. I was also in a new city with two roommates I did not really know.  The same feelings were there the first night I spent at Valpo. These feelings shifted as I began to figure out the city and get closer to my roommates. I began to be able to then branch out and form connections, take risks, and enjoy my new found home with my new found friends. 

This summer I was placed at School on Wheels who provides one on one tutoring to children experiencing homelessness. School is hard for all kids in some aspect or another. It is a time of continuous growth, challenge, and change. It is so much harder when children do not have a place to call home. A safe, consistent place where they are able to perform and learn to their full potential. This summer I worked with some children who were transitioning from a space they might have considered to be home into a new space with new people. They might also be dealing with a violent or traumatic experience. They are going through all these major changes and now with the absence of a home and the school year is rapidly approaching.

This summer I learned that no one can remove all the obstacles that have been unfairly placed into these kids lives but one person can make somewhere feel a little more like home. Trying to understand what my role is as someone with privilege in spaces that are underprivileged has been something I have really struggled with. It was important for me to acknowledge it every day and be conscious of how much space I was taking up. This allowed me to step back and make sure the kids could show me all the amazing things they can do and be able to explore, create, and have fun. If I had not done this my experience this summer would have been far less impactful.

Going back home, to St. Louis was hard. It is weird to walk into the lives of these kids and know them and know their struggles and the just vanish out of their lives. I am still processing everything that I learned over the summer but one thing I have come to appreciate so much is community. Being invested and present in a community is so personal and forms a devotion and passion for others that cannot be replicated. Being a dedicated part of all the communities I am a part of is now something I strive to be.

Different Sides of the Aisle by Braxton Jenkins

CoCoDA stressed to me and other travelers on the Friends of CoCoDA Tour that we must be culturally humble when we travel to different communities in Central America. We must understand that we are probably not accustomed to how people live in underdeveloped countries. If we are not aware of this, our interactions may have be negative without us actually realizing it. After returning, I have realized it is almost more difficult to be culturally humble in the United States. That is an incomplete conclusion. I was in Central America (El Salvador and Nicaragua) for 2 weeks and have traveled to Haiti and Guatemala with WAVES for 2 weeks total before this summer. Cultural humility is not easy abroad, but it is simple when I only have to be there for a short amount of time. I have spent the rest of my life in the U.S., and cultural humility is still an intense learning process.

The ethics of service are strikingly similar from country to country. Working with Central American employees and serving people in developing countries is almost the exact same. In the last week of my internship, CoCoDA sent me to Bloomington, Indiana to shadow the founder and president of Whole Sun Designs, a solar panel installation company. I participated in 8 site visits between the president and clients that were pre-installation and close-out meetings. The men I worked with were intentional and visionary about the details of installing the next few projects, planning projects four weeks in advance, and directing the company in the direction they want it to go. The president had high, though reasonable expectations for everyone. I knew CoCoDA functioned like this as a non-profit serving under-resourced people in Central America. I watched Whole Sun Designs do this as a for-profit, and it changed how I thought a business could operate and still reap amazing results. Successful businesses do not have to choose which clients to hold in contempt or treat employees with partiality.

I was surprised at how the president and employees wove integrity and fairness to each other and their customers as integral to the company’s operation. Our conversations in the site visits, which were usually at people’s houses, reminded me of when I evaluated solar panel systems in El Cacao, Nicaragua. We were just as respectful to their homes and ensured we understood how they wanted to use their system. For example, the president could recommend taking a tree down to maximize sunlight on one part of the roof. He would not follow through with it if the client did not want it. People also showed us awesome parts of their property that they had developed. They were proud of it just like homeowners in Central America were proud of their home development. The only difference between serving clients of Whole Sun Designs and CoCoDA is who could afford the system and who could not. That single difference introduces a running lists of nuances that lead can lead to poor service in developing countries for those who do not continuously collaborate with their clients.

Indiana itself has flooded me with varying levels of emotions that are common nuances in life in life in this country. I know how Indiana has treated black people in the past, so I had to be mindful of that everywhere I went. The threat was not as serious in Indianapolis or Bloomington, but I could not get it out of my mind. I stayed at the house of the president of Whole Sun Designs for two nights. I could not believe that we drove for 20 minutes through forest to get to his house. I am from Chicago. I have buildings and streetlights, not open land and trees. The hills reminded me of Nicaragua’s landscape more than anything else! The president’s roommates were very welcoming people; so was everyone else I met. I have been to many cities in the U.S., yet cultural humility seems more complicated to exercise here than abroad. That is probably because I live here and encounter different cultures on a regular basis rather than touring other countries for a week at a time.

I have not yet gotten into the nitty-gritty of commitment to community development, or business development. I am thankful for this summer internship because I have been exposed to methods of doing both ethically. I will not have to shift into my career thinking there are only avenues to success that are cut-throat. Pragmatism, realism, and respect will be enough.

Shattering Concepts by Braxton Jenkins

“CoCoDA is a lifestyle,” said one of the Latin American employees in the annual organization board meeting, while I was in El Salvador. Later in the meeting, he said, “CoCoDA is a tool,” for the communities we work with. Those statements essentially wrap up how immersive, transformative, and intentional community development in Central America is for the people who devote their careers to the mission of this organization.

As a person who spends much of the day theorizing how to fight for equality, the CoCoDA Board meeting was an oddly unfamiliar environment. Before traveling to Central American communities, I watched the Board of CoCoDA evaluate its position and discuss next steps in lieu of its past. This resonated with me because I was watching a large team of people brainstorm ideas to actually help real people. Part of CoCoDA’s model is to partner with NGO’s in the countries they work with. Even more impactful than seeing CoCoDA work was seeing an NGO in El Salvador operate. I saw innovative composting bins, iguanas that were being raised to supply supplemental protein, a greenhouse to grow vegetables and fruit, and a private news radio station on the same day that I saw the same organization hosting an event where hundreds of men who fought in the Civil War almost 30 years ago would tell their stories. I thought working on the team that is in the U.S. and has the most power made me the biggest helper. This experience complicated that conception because I realized crafting a direct connection with target communities is not only a suggested and time-consuming activity, but it is imperative to help the communities fulfill their dreams and seriously engage in the continual struggle of community development.

I also consider myself deeply involved in my faith and capable of identifying malice in my own intentions. My experiences in Central America have shown me that I am a privileged fellow who has profited from injustice. The United States funded wars and still funds government corruption. This is no secret in El Salvador and Nicaragua. In the U.S., however, our understanding is that Central America is having trouble ousting its systemic corruption. I heard story after story and fact after fact that undermined this fallacy. These truths undermined my foundation of religious understanding and premise for justice. How could I as a person from the U.S. who puts my faith into action excuse myself as someone less than a bystander to these continuing histories and issues?

These experiences move me to feel guilt and pity. Upon reflection, I realize those feelings are meaningless. They turn into a drive to fight for justice. But it’s not just a drive. It’s a commitment. Obstacles surely come. This organization has grinded through the worst of them and expects more in the future. Meanwhile, they also expect to continue working with Central American communities, if CoCoDA is still wanted. If this is the case, the communities decide not only what schools they want to build, water projects they want installed, or how many people they can send to college but also how they want CoCoDA to help. All of this seemed glamorous until I realized successfully completing one project inevitably leads to other problems. For example, building a school does not guarantee having teachers or all the proper materials to teach. Seeing fruit of this organization labor with Central American communities as they develop themselves is a demonstration of struggle and companionship that each experience differently.

The purpose of my internship was to evaluate dysfunctional residential solar panel systems (that a domestic company installed about 10 years ago) in a rural, indigenous community in El Cacao, Nicaragua. When I returned to the U.S. after 16 days in Central America (and 3 days of working with solar panel systems), I researched how components of solar systems work and what causes their failures. I wrote a report and prepared a presentation that CoCoDA will use to explain why their systems are failing and options they can pick from to install a more sustainable plan for their solar systems. This was the easy part because limited human interaction in community development is always the quickest way to complete projects. Thankfully, CoCoDA has spent more than a year collaborating with the community of El Cacao and its elected board to ensure they wanted an intern to evaluate their systems; this is the second project in five years with this community. Therefore, I consider my short-term incomplete service of a couple months complete because it is only one small part in a long-term effort that extends far beyond this one project.

 

Surprise! by Meg Main

  On my first day in the studio of ArtMix I met a boy by the name of Alex Smith. He was the first student I spent a longer period of time with. In the first encounter, we were equally instructed by the current teaching artist, Emily to make these items. I didn’t know it until after, but this TA is trying to figure out how to apply Alex’s skills and abilities to our Urban Artisans program’s work environment and product creation. 

  Urban Artisans is one of five programs that ArtMix runs throughout the calendar year. I think it’d be fair to say, this is the top program that we are known for throughout the city. ArtMix prides itself on working with all people of all abilities. In community class, participants come and go as they please every Wednesday. However, UA is a more specific program, which intends to assist 16-21 year olds to transition from an education oriented student to a more workforce minded capable young adult and potential employee. So, the students in the UA program actually have an internship where they receive checks and they come in to work according to their assigned schedule, no matter their level of ability. On a weekly basis, most of our TAs are investing in the UA program day to day more often than not. This being so, the ArtMix gallery is primarily UA creations that are put together by several students.

  So, on that day, Alex and I worked on an untraditional piece that a TA thought of specifically for Alex. I’m not certain how long Alex has been with ArtMix, but on that day, I spent the entire morning with him. At first we talked a little, but as the day grew later, he spoke less and for that matter, he worked less too. 

  Since that initial day, I’ve learned that ArtMix tends to work with ceramics, illustrations and felting. However, this past week, a TA, Carrie, was on vacation, therefore the week could be labeled a little more untraditional than most. On one of the days, Ms. Beverly visited and worked with students in the morning. Ms. Beverly is a local actress who teaches in addition at various camps and programs, ArtMix being one. The TAs assigned students to work with her, me being an intern to participate and assist. Ms. Beverly and I had two sessions that morning. 

  In the second session my friend, Alex, was present. Alex is a difficult student to work with. He listens to instruction and his actions prove that, but often when given a piece of clay or a paper and pencil, he’ll make his own thing, which tends to relate to a transformer. Additionally, when sitting with the entire group, Alex will often act. I’ve never really understood what he’s acting out, but he’ll speak and move his body as if he’ s in a performance. 

  So, last Tuesday in the second session, Alex along with approximately 7 other students and myself partook in Ms. Beverly’s activities. Eventually, we got to the part where we were to draw a card with an action or feeling and one person is to act that out, it’s basically charades. Knowing Alex, I was thinking he wouldn’t want to participate or be in front of people, but I was aware of his ability to act, just through observing him and listening to the TAs about him, so I was curious as to how Alex would respond with this activity. 

  At first, he stood there with his paper that said “surprised”. Eventually, I entered his scene and I knew how to help. After seeing his paper, I held my hands behind my back and I explained to him that the best box is behind me, it’s a wrapped transformers gift. I “handed” it to him and Alex intricately grabbed the box, held it with one hand, opened it and began his scene. In a very real way, one in which I could not have done better myself, Alex acted out being surprised by the gift from his own perspective. 

  Without a doubt, this will be my favorite memory from this summer. By simply doing my job, being observant and working to genuinely understand the population I encounter everyday, I was able to watch someone excel at something some people wouldn’t even attempt. After his scene, Ms. Beverly was astonished by his acting, Alex was smiling from ear to ear and I was SO proud of him. 

  There’s so much I’ve learned from Alex and every other student I’ve met, but this moment in particular reinforced an ArtMix goal of never giving up on these individuals, even if it is a silly ice breaker game. Beyond that, I’m reminded of how much value everyone holds, no matter their diagnosis or capabilities, everyone can do something that’ll knock your socks off, exactly like Alex did last Tuesday.

 

*Names were changed to maintain privacy*

Three Places. One Week. Too Many Questions. by Alyssa Brewer

In one week, I went from studying abroad in Namibia to spending time with my family in Arkansas to now living in Indianapolis. Throughout this week, so many emotions bubbled up inside me. It was a cycle of confusion, anger, sadness, and exhaustion. Culture shock overwhelmed me at times. I questioned the habits of the nation in which I grew up. Why are there so many aisle of cereal? Why are there so many ads on the radio? Why is there too much water over here and not enough over there? But then new questions arose when I traveled to Indy from Arkansas. Why are there so many one-ways? Why are there no grocery stores nearby? Why am I here? That last one has become the theme of this summer. Technically, I am an intern at Kheprw Institute in Indianapolis- however, I am still discovering what that means. 

Kheprw Institute is a Non-for-Profit organization that focuses on empowering marginalised communities to become self-sustainable. Throughout my experience interning here, I have developed even more questions than answers. The leaders host discussions each morning about critical themes- social capital, empowerment, entrepreneurship, climate, race, education- just to name a few. No other organization that I have worked at does this. 

In a way, this style reminds me of my time studying in Southern Africa. I find comfort in the fact that despite every other aspect of my life changing, at least here there is some similarity. I am not stuck in some 65 degree office wearing button-downs and fulfilling menial tasks. Instead, I am sitting on a front porch openly discussing economics with my supervisor. The culture here at Kheprw is as non-traditional as it is real. 

While I have encountered some bumps in the road- arriving later due to study abroad schedule, tearing a ligament in my foot, and navigating the city with a boot on- I have not let them hold me back. Even though this experience has been both mentally and physically challenging so far, I have learned to be patient with life, be patient with others, and most importantly be patient with myself. So now the only question on my mind is what’s next?

Community Work as Dance by Maria Kubalewski

One of my close friends is a ballroom dancer. Although my wish to become a better dancer by osmosis has yet to come to fruition, my eyes were opened to how unique of a craft ballroom is. 

Kheprw’s approach to community work reminds me a lot of ballroom dance. 

Kheprw Institute is a grassroots organization that works primarily out of the Riverside and Highland Vicinity neighborhoods in Indianapolis. Grounded in the belief that members of a community are the best suited to lead within the community, Kheprw works to involve community members of all ages, interests, and backgrounds in conversations and programs touching on (but not limited to) race, education, the environment, entrepreneurship, art, and technology. 

There are many different styles of ballroom- Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Samba, Mambo, Cha-cha. Instead of focusing on one path to community work, Kheprw makes moves with urban gardening and youth programming, sparks conversation about gentrification and environmental degradation, and is working to provide a safe space for creatives of all kinds and an incubator to coach small businesses on the sidelines. Each style of dance requires conditioning- practice, coaching, and discipline. Each of Kheprw’s branches requires continuous research- discussion, collaboration, and commitment. Strong dancers are multi-faceted in the sense that they can dance more than one style, making them competitive; Strong organizations are multi-faceted in the sense that they have a team that offers a variety of programs, assisting the community in supporting itself. 

If a member of Kheprw is one half of a ballroom couple, then another organization, community member, or project makes up the other half. When you’ve got a really good relationship with your dance partner- you’re both comfortable with the style and approach, there’s clear communication, and there’s a sense of trust- dancing is smooth. When you’ve got a new dance partner, or you and your old one don’t agree on style or technique, dancing becomes a lot more strained. It doesn’t matter how prepared either partner was for the competition, if you’re not jiving together, it’s just not going to be your day.

As to be expected in community work, Kheprw has dance partners that don’t skip a beat and partners who seem to be dancing to a different song. Synchronized dance partners help to provide opportunities within the community or lay the foundation for long-term projects. Why bother dancing with a partner who has two left feet? The better question is why not? Members of Kheprw treat every experience as a learning opportunity. Even when a relationship is uncomfortable, even when there’s tension, both partners can learn from one another. Sometimes partners grow closer, other times the partnership just isn’t meant to be. But there is always value in the relationship, always a story to hear and a lesson to be learned. 

Dancing is an art. It takes time, creativity, and demands an appreciation for the culture. To do well, partners need to work hand in hand to support one another. In this way, dance emphasizes the interdependent relationship, making it emotional, fun, and challenging all at the same time.  

Community work is also an art. To do it well starts with seeing the community as something to be appreciated, as something to learn from and grow with. Kheprw emphasizes community work- meaningful relationships amongst people comes first. The work then emerges from that space. Just like dancing, working with people is inherently emotional, fun, and complex. But that’s exactly what makes the work, makes the dance, so important. 

Growing in My Discomfort by Meg Main

So far, my CAPS experience has really pushed me out of my comfort zone. Through the entire application and interview process, the idea of potentially finding another temporary home, moving to Indianapolis and everything in between has made me feel unnerved. I am happy to be a CAPS Fellow, but I have definitely experienced the discomfort of growing pains here in Indy. Nonetheless, 20 days into my CAPS experience, I’m beginning to reap the rewards of powering through these uncomfortable but positive times of growth.

During my time at ArtMix, I have contributed to and observed the behind-the-scenes of a non-profit organization. While I am already learning a lot from this internship, I have also faced challenges. From learning to communicate my needs in an office environment to meeting the demands of my superiors, I have learned how to have tough conversations, while also being the best team member I can be. I have been lucky to have great leadership at ArtMix who have given me guidance along the way.

Being able to have these direct and honest conversations has always been something I’ve struggled with. For example, when I worked in fast food, I maintained a position at the window, day or night, rain or shine, or even in winter storms. Back then, I was never willing to talk to my advisors about my expectations and my preferences. Even in March, during the interview process for CAPS, someone asked me about a time I encountered conflict. I managed to answer the question, but I was unsure of how transparent I could be. At that moment, I knew this is one skill I would like to work on: being open with my advisors and mentors. So, I am beyond thrilled that through my internship, I have had productive conversations with my supervisors that have led to positive outcomes. 

My time in Indy has also been uncomfortable in the sense that it is 124 times the size of my hometown. Meaning, my time here has been overwhelming. I’m used to having fewer options in restaurants, less traffic lights and a higher speed limit. This new atmosphere has been exciting, as it’s introduced me to Indian food, walks downtown and some amazing new food spots. However, it’s hard being in a city where everything is unfamiliar, and simple activities can be challenging. For example, my roommate and I tried going on a bike ride through the city our first week, and we got so lost we needed our other roommate to come pick us up!

These past three weeks have been a big gulp of discomfort to consume, but with my roommates, cohort and time at ArtMix, I’ve been able to collect memorable moments and valuable lessons. I understand now that it’s good to feel uncomfortable; it just means I’m growing. In this situation, that means I’m growing in my relationships, problem-solving skills, navigational skills, flexibility and my ability to address difficult conversations.

Getting Lost by Rachel Winkler

I’ve gotten lost more times these past two weeks than I have gotten lost in the past two years. Being lost can be scary and frustrating but it is a part of life. My times being lost have been some of the most important and stabilizing experiences I have had. It was when my roommates needed me to come to pick them up after they got lost biking and rollerblading downtown and then we proceeded to all get lost was when we really bonded. When we got caught in a rainstorm and we couldn’t see five feet in front of us I learned I could rely on them to keep me calm. Getting lost was also something that happened to all of us while we were together and apart which made it easier to share all of our stories of triumph and failure. Being lost has helped me build a community. I have been able to have meaningful, insightful conversations with my cohort, my coworkers, and those I interact with through my internship by talking about the imperfections of life.

I am doing my internship at School on Wheels. They work to end the cycle of homelessness through education and empowering students. These students are at a major disadvantage when it comes to getting a good, stable education compared to their more privileged counterparts. I have had the opportunity to listen to mothers advocating for their children. It is amazing to see the sacrifices families make to provide education. I have also heard stories of heartbreak and trauma. So far I have also been feeling a little lost in my internship. It has made me question where I fit in in the world. I have been thinking about how to acknowledge my privilege and how to serve responsibly especially when entering into a new community. There is no easy answer but I have decided to embrace the feeling and force myself to think about the hard questions.

Recently, I have fully embraced wandering. I have started just walking and letting myself discover new things, new paths, and just get a little lost. I have started (I’m not sure if this is smart or not) turning off the GPS and trying to find my way back home. I have ended up in some really beautiful places that I might not have seen otherwise. I have also hit dead ends and had to change course. This summer I am going to try to let go of my expectations and let myself grow and wander into something I could not have planned out.

Art I stumbled upon on a walk

A cool trail my roommate Alyssa and I found

A garage with Legos in the wall

Bonsai exhibit I wandered into

Bright Lights, Big City by Zac Felty

This first week has been a whirlwind of change for me. Moving into an apartment for the first time in my life, saying good bye to my family who I am so used to living with every summer, and starting work at a non-profit organization for the first time. This last weekend and beginning of this week has certainly worked as an open door to a seemingly endless flow of change for myself, as I embark on this summer of adventure in this big city full of bright lights.

The apartment living is one that is entirely new to me, but I am enjoying it thus far. I am used to living in a family sized house, with a yard, neighbors, and with all my younger siblings running around providing an endless supply of distractions and laughter. However, I am now finding myself in a two room apartment with a new roommate. My neighbors are the rest of my cohort who live in the building over, and instead of a yard we have a river and canal to explore. This is a great change for me, but one that I am excited about, nonetheless. On Sunday we all got brunch with a former CAPS fellow in the city at a place called “Wild Eggs,” which creates amazing breakfast food ranging from breakfast burritos to French toast. We went to a fun store called “Silver in the City” which sells things ranging from environmental books, sterling silver jewelry, and the most ridiculous looking socks in the world (that everyone seems to want). I am used to summer activities with my family such as beach day, walks in the neighborhood, and grilling out. However, these activities I have embarked on so far show that a large portion of my summer will be spent exploring the city, trying new places to eat, and finding stores that sell weird socks. All alongside my Indy Cohort. This range of activities that we will and have already embarked on, show how different this summer will be for me. Make no mistake, however, I am very excited for this change and new adventure that is right in front of me.

I also began work with a non-profit for the first time this week. The Kheprw Institute works with low income communities with things ranging from cooking skills, education on social capital, to assisting other non-profits to carry out their missions more effectively. Traveling to this institute displayed (quite quickly) that this city can transition almost instantly to from a beautiful, well-trimmed college campus with shopping and modern looking buildings to a neighborhood crammed to the brim with small houses in overgrown yards; in strong need of assistance. This showed me that the areas where our skills are needed are not always in the inner city, across borders state borders, or across the sea. They can actually be a 13 minute car ride from your home. This institute (thus far) has shown me that there are many different ways we can assist our communities, and they can be much closer than we may think at first.

A Summer Sanctuary by Alyssa Trinko

Flowers. Flowers all around me. Shades of pink and lavender. Little did I know these were the petals of milkweed: the native plant to Indianapolis that provides monarch butterflies with a sanctuary in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was golden hour. I felt the warm, gritty surface of the bench upon which I rested as I gazed at the luscious greenery surrounding me.

Before I sat down to catch my breath, I had spent one hour driving around Kroger searching for parking — desperately trying to navigate my way through the one-way streets. I struggled to decide what groceries to buy. “What will I cook for dinner tonight?” I thought. “What will I cook for dinner the rest of the week?” I was exhausted, and I was overwhelmed. I had just finished my first day of interning in the city.

As exciting as change can be, it can also be quite daunting. I have spent nine days in Indianapolis, living on IUPUI’s campus and working at the Harrison Center, and I feel much more confident now. The first few days were pretty challenging. While an internship experience is about growing as a professional, it is also about learning to stand on your own two feet. Grocery shopping, cooking, and commuting to work play a big role, of course. Self-discipline, hurdling obstacles, and feeling comfortable with uncertainty, though, are parts of the story, too. With the support from my roommates and a little (okay, a LOT) of perseverance, I have successfully survived my first week in a new city.

And I could not be happier. This summer I am a Creative Placemaking Intern at the Harrison Center, which is a non-profit organization “for the arts” and “for the city.” The Center focuses on renewal, anti-gentrification, and building healthy communities in Indianapolis through “cultural solutions: art, music, education, and grassroots activism.” It has been amazing to see firsthand all of the incredible work the staff and resident artists are doing here, and it is even more thrilling to be a part of it. Here is a video that might give you a better idea of the work we do: https://vimeo.com/299053006

As a Creative Placemaking Intern, I will contribute to and lead art projects that are based in concepts of place, which means the history and culture of long-term neighbors and neighborhoods on Indianapolis’ North Side. Through these projects, we hope to preserve their traditions and bring new Indy neighbors into their stories instead of erasing them. I am looking forward to writing blogs, making photographs and storytelling, organizing events, and building community with the wonderful neighbors in Indianapolis.

Just as the monarch butterfly starts its life journey as a curious caterpillar, it always finds its way to becoming the beautiful creature it is meant to be. I, myself, feel much like the monarch — in search of sanctuary, nourishment, and growth, as I prepare my wings for flight. And Indianapolis seems to be the perfect place.

Blog Inception

My internship with the Harrison Center has held countless surprises, lessons, and memories. Looking back on all of it (the good and the not-so-good), I wouldn’t change how any of it played out– mostly because everything I’ve learned has been one more puzzle piece I can add to my unknown, post-graduation future. One of my most unexpected epiphanies didn’t make itself known until my last couple of weeks in Indy but it greatly affected that span of time.

I didn’t anticipate becoming apathetic to writing– blog writing that is. I know it’s a bit meta and ironic with this being a blog post but between the Harrison Center and the freelance writing I do for an addiction recovery center, this reliable use of my Creative Writing degree has grown less appetizing. Upon reflection, I think what’s deflated my love for blog-writing-as-a-career, has been the way it has zapped my energy and interest in independently writing creatively; the original intent behind my business and sales writing was to give me enough financial stability to be able to pursue my personal writing endeavors.

A non-blog-writing project I initiated this summer!

I know that there are many other financially-plausible options that my Creative Writing degree could open up for me (e.g., editing and proofreading, layout and design, ghostwriting, graduate school, etc.) but I’d always kind of banked on freelance content and sales writing since I’ve already gotten my foot or at least a few toes into that door.

From a big picture perspective, I know that I would end up feeling lethargic about any task that took up 40+ hours of my week or really anything mentally-demanding by the end of the summer– but I’d be lying if I said this apathy hasn’t been slightly alarming. Granted, I know I have a tendency to get too caught up in the spiraling tale of “what ifs” but as I explained in my previous CAPS blog post, it is okay because that’s just a part of my process.

At my first meeting with my amazing mentor, Lindsay Bledsoe, she imparted upon me some advice that she herself had recently received and benefited from. In regards to pursuing a creative career, she said that “sometimes you have to make art and sometimes you have to make money.” While this was initially a bit of a buzzkill to my barely 3-weeks of interning honeymoon phase, it’s stuck with me and resurfaced as relevant many times throughout this summer.

I had already had some experience with this hard lesson, as I struggled the past school year to release from my freelance writing the high expectations I put on all of my personal and academic endeavors. But I had underestimated how much more difficult it would be to establish a routine and mindset that would allow me to evenly ration out my writing energy. I know that as someone looking to make a career out of my creativity, it will be an ongoing search to find that  balance between upholding my artistic standards, self-fulfillment, and making money.

These amazing friends have kept me inspired and sane this summer!

  

Lessons from “Naptown”

This blog post comes to you in two parts. Firstly, one of the most awkward friendship-based situations, in my opinion, is listening to friends talk about inside jokes without being in on it. It’s fun for a couple seconds, of course, because there’s excitement and laughter, but then again, there’s accidental exclusion. So to prevent that possible feeling, I would love to share some of the jokes and lessons from this summer.

 

Me and Katy, a previous CAPS Fellow who now works at ArtMix, welcoming guests to the Art and Home Tour.

 

1. The Byrd Family

Though the Indy CAPS Fellows grew closer day by day through dinner time, there was some general, low-key disconnect due to everyone knowing one another to varying degrees. One day, one Fellow showed up late to dinner and the light-hearted dramatics that ensued afterward centered around a husband showing up late to a wife’s home cooking (stereotypical scenario definitely noted). From this moment, each CAPS Fellow took a role in the family, namely a father, mother, fraternity son, hipster daughter, and an outspoken aunt. Sure, we were acting and having fun, but thinking more about it, I think friendship includes things like how we could easily adapt, make light of a mistake, and use our imagination. At the end of the day, friendship should be a relief and a joy, and these qualities helped make it that.

 

2. Cowboy and Roller Derby Names

Have you ever thought of what your cowboy or roller derby name would be? Well, my cowboy “God-given name” is Wilhelmina “Willie” Buford (named after an Ugly Betty character and a Forrest Gump character). Again, this is another silly, imaginative game of sorts, but these names and other answers stemmed from out-of-the-box questions that sparked dialogue… and a good time. Questions, whether they’re serious or not, are much better at growing friendship than back-and-forth statements. While this should be a given, questions really helped us bond and reflect more about ourselves and other topics.

 

3. Hive Mind

Over the course of the summer, as my suitemates and I spent more time together, we noticed a trend where we would say things in unison (“…we finish each other’s sandwiches”, “that’s what I was gonna say”). Let me just say that this is one, a super awesome phenomenon, but also two, a really neat indicator of closeness. It wasn’t that we were getting predictable, but more so that we simply spent enough time together to “get” one another. Time, I’ve found, is a precious thing. Usually, I think about the time around New Years, the end of the semester, my birthday, and even a death. But time can also be seen as a gift, as a glue, and not just an hourglass. Maybe viewing it as such could change a mindset.

Perry’s drawing of our apartment cohort!

 

4. Dungeons and Death

If I was asked before this summer if I wanted to play Dungeons and Dragons, I probably would have said no, not because I was unaware of the game, but because of the stereotypical associated audience. After watching The Big Bang Theory and peering to see fellow Valpo students engage in a story, I didn’t feel like it would be the game for me. But after a Fellow talked about it and explained the game, I became interested and together, we roped other Fellows (and each of our friends… and my boyfriend) into the game. Because of D&D, I learned that opening my mind and being receptive to a friend’s interest can be fruitful for all parties: I gained a new interest and experience while they felt appreciated.

 

5. The Grate

One day, the Indy gang was walking around and decided to come inside due to an approaching storm. But because there wasn’t any rain yet, we decided to keep walking. Nearly one minute after this group decision, a Fellow heard ducks crying out from somewhere. We all searched for the ducks until we found a family of ducks in a sewer grate. Working together, one of us went in the grate, three of us chased the confused ducklings, and the other one of us guided the ducklings back to the mother. Many things this summer required teamwork, such as moving one another into the apartments, but this one was for sure the cutest and most anxiety-inducing moment. Teamwork, in short, makes the dream work. On a less cheesy note, working together really does produce results, especially when everyone’s on the same page. And yes, we did save the ducks!

 

  

Some super cool art featured at Buckingham Companies’ Art and Home Tour.

 

Second, it has been a busy time since the beginning of July. ArtMix has held two main events, an Art and Home Tour (2 of 3), which is a set of events that bring guests into residencies that collect art, and the Arts for All Fest, a celebration of our students and the ArtMix community. Both went swimmingly thanks to behind-the-scenes work, volunteers, and the amazing attendees. Though these events are very different in nature, they both create a community for ArtMix and continues the ArtMix vision. I am grateful to have surrounded myself in such a positive environment, a philanthropic, kind, and generous environment that is inevitable at such an organization. Though my job was tedious and sometimes tough, it was all the more worth it to help ArtMix. I know it is cheesy to say that everything happens for a reason, which is one of my frequent sayings, but I firmly believe that this summer has helped me bridge junior to senior year and think more deeply about vocation.

 

The ArtMix family featuring administrative staff, two interns, and our volunteer of the year.

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A Hot Commodity

My confidence is often borderline arrogance; however, I mean it when I say I’m a hot commodity at the American Red Cross. Not only do they literally want my blood, but my skill set has garnered a lot of attention throughout the region. I’ve been working as a Regional Communication Intern for the Red Cross, meaning I maintain their social media accounts, graphic design, and video. The last one is my focus, passion, and something that the Red Cross was very interested in. I think it’s important to stress that I am currently their only staff video editor in the state, as it is responsible for all of my stress.

My supervisor, Duchess has been very supportive of my editing passion since she interviewed with me, and I’m very grateful to have her constant encouragement and understanding of the process. I receive plenty of support from everyone in the office; however, supply and demand has come to create another barrier between myself and those who don’t have the same understanding. It hasn’t been negative by any means, but I’ve been nonstop for about three weeks and am still receiving pitches for video projects during my final days. In this fast-paced environment, Duchess and the Indy CAPS fellows have helped me prioritize, recognize my value, and work up the courage to be more assertive in the working world. I know the skill I have is valuable, and I don’t feel arrogant in saying so. My time at the American Red Cross has made me realized that my time and energy have high values and that I have every right to recognize that.

I no longer feel like I’m making an excuse when I say “I don’t have the time to pick up another project”, and I’ve gained confidence in discussing what’s top priority and what can wait a few days. My biggest inspiration regarding self-worth and negotiating expectations is Duchess. She has provided me with a professional means to carry myself as a leader without being overbearing. Thanks to her guidance as my supervisor and compassion as a friend, I feel comfortable admitting stress and asking others to help combat it. With the projects are clearing up now and the end of my internship is in sight, I can say with conviction that knowing Duchess and this experienced overall has strengthened me both individually and professionally.

Caught in the Experience

As the summer internship comes to a close, I want to reflect on the experience I had at Indiana Humanities, a statewide non-profit that encourages Hoosiers to think, read, and talk. Over the past couple of weeks, I was fortunate to work big events and go to places that no other internship can offer.

My co-intern Julia and I paddling on the White River.

The Next Indiana Campfires Series is a program unique to Indiana Humanities. This program combines treks into nature with literature and campfire discussions. The series won the Helen and Martin Schwartz Prize for Public Humanities Program in 2017, a national award given to the best humanities program in the nation. I was able to take a canoe trip down the White River while engaging in a conversation about literature. My co-intern, Julia, and I shared a canoe for the trip, and it was a bonding experience. I never thought that a four-hour canoe trip would change a relationship, but let me tell you, it definitely does.

One experience that specifically that brought us closer was having to work together when we got stuck between a couple logs and stopped moving. The river was very low, so not only were we stuck, but the boat kept dragging across the bottom of the river, making it hard to paddle out. Of course, with our luck, at the same time, it started to pour. At that point, we both looked at each other, decided to take a breath, and worked on getting out of the mess we were in. A few minutes later we were able to get free. About a half mile down the river we met up with the rest of the participants who were on a sandbank under trees trying to stay dry. Soaked through, we paddled up and joined them until the rain stopped.

As part of the program, participants gather to discuss the connections between nature, literature, and place. Kevin McKelvey, a University of Indianapolis professor, led our discussion. He read poems, short stories, and excerpts about nature in Indiana, and asked us to reflect on what we thought of the readings. Many points were brought up about how the White River is impacted by the current political climate both in the state and in the nation. Not only was it a wonderful (and wet) experience, I learned a lot about the White River and how the environment around the river impacts so many people.

The lake house pool with Hamilton lake behind it.

With Indiana Humanities, I was able to participate in the staff retreat. We stayed at the President/CEO’s lake house on Hamilton Lake in Hamilton, Indiana. During the three-day retreat, the staff discussed the successes and improvements of the current theme, Quantum Leap, which connects the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field to the humanities; the next theme and its programming; grant application changes; the strategic plan for the next couple of years; and a discussion on the book titled The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks written by Rebecca Skloot.

 

The Indiana Humanities staff during the book discussion.

I found that the discussion of the book was one of the more entertaining parts of the weekend because we engaged in a deep, thoughtful conversation. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is about Henrietta’s cancer diagnosis and how her stolen immortal cells, now referred to as HeLa cells, helped start a scientific and medicinal discovery period. Taken without Henrietta’s consent, her cancerous cells were used for testing that led to discoveries in polio vaccines and how many chromosomes people have. It also helped scientists learn more about the AIDS virus and leukemia. The book follows the Lacks family – how they struggled to overcome poverty, to accept the fact that Henrietta’s cells have outlived Henrietta, and how the family has not been compensated for the advancements her cells have brought to the field of medicine. We engaged in conversation about whether life can, or should, have a patent on it, if the Lacks family should be paid, and if Skloot was using her white privilege to share this story of the Lacks family.

 

 

The Indiana Humanities staff hanging out on Hamilton Lake.

The staff retreat offered me the opportunity to get to know my coworkers outside of the workplace. We played Mafia (the card game) and hung out by the pool. We went paddleboarding and kayaking out on the lake. It was nice to be away from downtown Indianapolis and enjoy time together on a boat just to hang out.

I only have one week left here at Indiana Humanities, and I’m going to make the most of it. The connections I have made with the staff and other interns are strong and I know that I will be in contact with them as I grow in my profession. Thank you, Indiana Humanities, for the wonderful summer that I have experienced here.

Focusing In

One of my boss’s three cats, picture taken from the desk in his house where I usually work

The majority of my time spent in Indy after my trip to El Salvador so far has been focusing in on what project I want to work on for the remainder of the summer. After some deliberating with my supervisor, we decided that I would work on researching ultraviolet (UV) water purification processes and their potential compatibility with water system projects that CoCoDA has been implementing in Central America.

I didn’t have many, but one of the concerns that I had going into this internship process was that I would end up just doing busy work for the summer. This is work that could potentially be useful, but in the end is just a made up task to keep me busy. In this scenario I still would have done all the wonderful learning and reflecting that I knew would come with the CAPS style internship, but without really contributing to the organization. I had no idea that on top of the learning and reflecting I would be doing research for the organization that could change the way that they do water projects in the future. This research could really contribute to providing a more sustainable water system to families, and that is an exciting concept for me.

The current method of purifying the water in the systems that we have helped implement so far is through chlorine tablets, a method that works, but with a couple drawbacks. The first drawback is the upkeep. A trained person has to apply the chlorine to the water in regular monthly or weekly intervals throughout the year. This also comes with the regular purchasing of the chemical to purify the water. The second major drawback is the change in the water’s flavour. After shocking the water with chlorine, the flavour of the water becomes quite bad, providing a motivation for the people to put less chlorine in the water. The potential for a new method of purification that doesn’t change the flavour and only requires UV light bulb changes once a year is quite appealing.

This UV purification leads to a number of questions though. What specific purification device do you use, one that is already manufactured or should you attempt to design a new one? At what point along the journey of the water, from the ground to the home, do you purify it? Should you purify all the water or just the water that will be used for drinking? These questions and more all have many answers and are often dependent on each other. My job this summer is to find potential engineering solutions to these unique problems.

A water collection tank, the beginning of the water’s journey as it makes it way to the families in a community

Besides working on the project, Monday of this past week brought a CoCoDA board meeting. This meeting continued to  help me understand the inner mechanisms of a service based organization. The majority of the meeting centered on keeping the board up to date with what CoCoDA was doing, but seeing the employee interaction with board members showed me how imperative it was to have a governing board. The presence of an objective panel is a way of making sure that CoCoDA stays on the right path and it instills confidence in the employees that CoCoDA is not being run unchecked.

This really cool project paired with the organization I am working for, and the other (really awesome) CAPS fellows that I am living with has so far made my time in Indy an enriching experience. I am so happy with how the summer is going and I’m excited to see where it has yet to go.

Living the Dream: Is This More Than a Metaphor?

When I was just beginning my CAPS placement process, my dream of what this summer would hold was a filmy concoction that I excitedly stirred; my recipe grew as I poured in stories that previous fellows had told me, sprinkled in the advice of every person that would answer me, and threw in a dash (or two) of anxiety for good measure.

I like to reward myself towards the end of the day by moving downstairs to work in the resident studio of one of my new creative friends, Abi (who also took this artistic photo).

This past Wednesday marked exactly one month (it’s felt like two weeks!) that I’ve been interning at the Harrison Center as one of their many summer Cultural Entrepreneur Interns. I can confidently say that my dream had as many holes as it did substance and that I didn’t even need to cook it up (but who am I kidding– I’m definitely already gathering the ingredients for what I imagine the upcoming school year will bring).

One of the many epiphanies I’ve acquired and tucked away has been that it is okay to dream (and worry) about my future; even though I’m certain it won’t unfold in the detailed way I plan it in my head, it’s a part of my process for realizing what I want for myself and for those around me.

Yet parts of my dream have been greatly affirmed– like my vision of a free-flowing work environment that’s continually sparked and tamed by powerful, art-loving women, and my strengthened confidence in my writing abilities and future potential. I still get a few butterflies whenever I stop and think about how I’m working a stable, 9-5 job where my responsibilities entail writing (¾ of every day), interpreting art, strengthening community, and advocating for the persuasive and healing powers of the literary arts.

When I was filling out my application for the CAPS Fellows Program, I was very skeptical that there would actually be a real-world, successful organization with a mission to create change through art. At the time, I was freshly-obsessed with the concept of Artivism (art + activism) which I’m now happily able to say with certainty is one of my callings and purposes in society. It was when I first fell into the rabbit hole that is the Harrison Center’s website, that the flame for my future-summer-potion was ignited; I’m using my creative skills and passions everyday for a cause that’s bigger than me.

At the end of my first full week of work, my supervisor spontaneously invited me to come with her to the Indianapolis Museum of Art where I got to wander around for a few hours while she had a meeting.

My time in Indy has also filled some of the cracks of my dream that–at the time–I didn’t have the trust or courage to plant into my heart. Knowing that the literary arts is often an underestimated platform of expression, I was motivated to share with the Center what I envisioned. My supervisor, Joanna, trusted me with the freedom to choose how I wanted to execute this goal– as long as I was also blog-writing, taking initiative and advocating for myself. After my first couple days, I was feeling intimidated by the lack of writers that I was working alongside and the demand to push myself outside of my comfort-zone.

Flash-forward a week after my first day: I was leading about 20 people–fellow interns, HC artists, my supervisors, and a board member–in an Ekphrastic writing exercise where I guided them in  interpreting their own subjective understandings of a 5×5 ft mixed media painting. The experience flew by and it went exceptionally better than I had ever let myself hope for. One of my coworkers told me after this week’s exercise that she never knew writing could help her process everything so well and that she can’t wait to implement this new skill into her coursework in the fall.

But more valuable than all these epiphanies (expected and not), was the fulfillment of a gaping hole in my filmy dream that I hadn’t let myself add to the recipe: the incredible friendships I’m forming with my cohort and fellow artists at the Center. I think God, fate, and Ali (not necessarily in that order) were definitely working in cahoots when arranging the people that have become instrumental to my summer in Indianapolis. My mind and heart have expanded–and will continue–to hold their different perspectives and dreams that I’m lucky enough to learn through our CAPS family dinners, bonding over shared artistic soapboxes with my coworkers, and getting caught in torrential downpours (maybe more than once).

We took this photo before we even got to Indy but it’s actually the only one with everyone in it!

The Vocation of Silent Heroes

My family has always found me to be creative, whether that meant eating hot dogs like corn-on-the-cob at a young age or creating marvelous stories in school through my writing. Even though I, too, find myself to be creative to some extent, I would have never imagined working for an arts organization.

Wait a minute- it’s not just an arts organization. It’s an art organization for everyone and anyone. You may be thinking, Felicia, of course, anyone can do art, or at least, they could try to… why is it so special? But that’s where you’re wrong, imaginary conversationalist. I would venture to say most people think that spaces (whether outside, in school, at work) are inclusive and welcoming to all people, that is, until you are the person excluded by happenstance or purposefully. And this is where ArtMix comes in. 

ArtMix meets people with disabilities where they are at, which is something that is often preached and valued but not practiced. It provides arts programming for all people with its main mission of “transforming the lives of people with disabilities through the creation of art”.

A clay bird that I’ve been eyeing, with a squid behind it that I have also been eyeing

One way that ArtMix has changed the way I think is that it makes me aware of accessibility issues. The first week I arrived in Indianapolis, other CAPS fellows and I walked around town to explore what the city has to offer. After walking a very long time, over twelve-thousand steps I believe, we sat down under the shade of the public library’s trees. It was then that I noticed how people in wheelchairs would have a hard time maneuvering the streets since there is constant construction. My friends and I were able to jump and navigate around construction, but a person in a wheelchair would not be able to do that. I struggle to write this because I know that people with disabilities have agency, yet there are barriers that go unnoticed that make life harder for them to live.

Even though some would say that people with disabilities are handicapped, they are even more handicap-able. I don’t know where I first heard the term, but I try to switch my terminology because I believe it is important to give people more agency than not (thank you, Ed professors). We cannot use our differences, and in this context, the differences of actual and perceived ability, to forge a social (and therefore a mental and emotional) barrier; rather, we must celebrate differences and bond over similarities as best as possible.

The ArtMix Gallery, displaying the artwork of our Urban Artisans

Even though I have worked at ArtMix for nearly one month, the nonprofit world is still a foreign one to me; I can say that I am slowly getting the hang of it, but there is still a lot that I have to learn. Sure, I have volunteered for a nonprofit before (shout-out to the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center), but I have never truly been behind the scenes. Now that I am in the hustle and bustle of a nonprofit organization, I can say that though I knew it demanded a significant amount of work, it is much more detailed work than anything that I assumed. Under the umbrella of development, the ArtMix team created, planned, and implemented our events Here’s the Scoop and ArtMix Home Tours with the help of staff and volunteers. We did everything from advertising, alphabetizing, analyzing- and that’s just the “A’s”. Needless to say, we were booked every day making sure each event would go swimmingly. Programming, communications, development, and CEO leadership are all one-stop shops when in regard to staff members; this still astounds me and reminds me of the passion people have for this cause.

 

Volunteers and staff at our Here’s the Scoop event

Something I have noticed is that ArtMix has a difficult barrier to overcome, for it is on the unfavored side of both the social scene and the arts scene. ArtMix is “low art”, which to my understanding is more down-to-earth and less prestigious. And socially, ArtMix works with a community that is considered “The Other”. This combination is unique, which makes the organization incredibly personal, in my opinion. But this organization- and other ones that reach out to minorities -is pivotal and essential for the people it serves. And that is one of many reasons why I want to be a teacher and pursue the field of education: I aim to build relationships and develop students to a better version of themselves. And furthermore, my passion still remains to make education more equitable. These silent heroes, the people who work for the betterment of others, are the company I plan on keeping.

Outside of work, CAPS has truly blessed me with an opportunity to be independent with other like-minded college students- sometimes it’s fascinating how similar we are. Every evening, we make dinner for one another every night, which I should say is kind of funny, considering we consist of two vegetarians and one person who is lactose-intolerant (so, yes, we are basically vegan for dinner). I really enjoy this, partly because it is routine, and partly because it is a time to catch up and talk about whatever we want to. Sometimes the discourse is silly and lighthearted, but other times, we find ourselves dissecting, and I mean this in all my “millennial” seriousness, the problems of the world and how we find our futures to intersect with them. It is at these points that I like to engage as well as sit back and watch while the people around me exchange thoughtfully eager remarks. Early on, we learned that, for the most part, we have learned that our future careers and our current placements are seemingly thankless yet significant jobs, which I assume most jobs with a foundation on human interaction are. We will be those silent heroes, I’m sure. We’re simply in training right now.