| Back in May we spent three weeks with the incoming group of Problem Children mentors to talk about the attention, care, and role we would be playing. It was an important moment to affirm the work we would be doing as a group.
Through readings and conversation we reflected on the value of inter-generational communities of practice and aligned towards a common goal of ushering these young artists into a deeper understanding of their unique place in the human experiment. Overall it was a powerful moment to think about the role caring adults play in the lives of ambitious, perceptive, and curious young people. Most importantly: it was a chance for each of us to commit to playing that role for our cohort of artists.
Many of us have had this experience with an older adult, whether it was a caring teacher, an encouraging aunt/uncle, or a family friend who shares uncommon knowledge. These relationships often end up defining us in deep and expansive ways – they empower us to believe in a world that has room for us as individuals, as humans with unique capabilities to move the human experiment in new and beautiful ways. Problem Children creates this kind of space for its artists. It is a program that constantly encourages and reinforces this expansive and inclusive vision of our world.
As a member of the Problem Library community, we encourage you to seize this opportunity to support these six young artists. Your presence, attention, and care for this next generation helps underscore the vision of the world our program points toward. Namely that the world needs their voices and that networks of support exist when we are willing (and brave enough) to seek them out.
We hope you will join us and play your part in making these determined young artists feel seen, cared for, and welcomed into the mainstream of society. |
