"All children are our business. We cannot turn our

backs on them because we don't know them

personally nor judge why these children are

homeless. What matters now is that we become

accountable and responsive to these kids because

they are a part of our future."

- Jozef Dominguez

Arts in the Making is a series of expressive arts outreach workshops created for homeless and at-risk youth that brings them together with professional artists to share their passions for the visual arts, music and movement. First implemented in Seattle, Arts in the Making was originally designed to raise awareness about the number of homeless teens and young adults living on the streets, but has become much more. One of the main goals of Arts in the Making is to put Arts in the hands of kids who are living on the street or have dropped out of school, because we know that the expressive arts are essential foundational building blocks to greater learning, expressive language, and critical thinking. Art is created, the written word is given poetic form, feelings are given a voice through musical expression, and participants are moved. What we learned

firsthand is that these teens love Art, Music, and Movement, and for the time we are together, life is better.

The workshops provide a respite from the issues of homeless survival, and offer opportunities for healing through creative self-expression, and a window of opportunity to "see" clearly to the other side of street life.

"We have brought music and musicians right into the closest thing these kids have to a living room ... their drop-in shelters and existing service agencies," said Michele Caskey, a volunteer with Arts in the Making.

"It has been remarkable to see how welcoming and enthusiastic the kids are and how they quite literally come out of their shells when they have an avenue to express their Voice. It was a great pleasure to see

these kids put aside their worries and heavy loads for a while and have so much fun."

Every Arts in the Making workshop takes place within the boundaries of an existing shelter, agency, or drop-in center, and acts as an adjunct to existing services and an existing framework that supports the foundational needs of the teens. This existing framework of policies, procedures, and proper supervision creates a comfortable and safe environment for the volunteer artists to interact with the at-risk youth where all boundaries are respected. We are on their turf. The professional staff is there as a backup to support

what issues or problems may arise.

We may never know or fully understand why or how it is that kids are on the streets; however, as healthy adults and community it is our responsibility to reach out to them. Through personal connection all lives can change. We as caring adults and volunteers need to also look beyond the physical where these children are concerned to see the devastating, long-term effects of their circumstances and connect to teens, homeless and at-risk youth through our common love and interest in art, music, sound, and movement.

With AIM initiatives active in Seattle, Albuquerque and Santa Fe since 2003 more than 100 Volunteer artists have coordinated over 100 art, music, and movement workshops in youth agencies and elsewhere for teens who call the street their home. AIM continues to expand to cities across the country working as an adjunct to existing agencies that serve these children and young adults basic needs for food and shelter.

Arts in the Making can be implemented anywhere that there are artists interested in lending a hand and a heart to their communities at-risk youth. Through a sharing of mutually interesting activities and passions involving visual arts, music, and movement we can help to build a bridge of transitional change and acceptance.

Our artists passions are vibrant and varied. Workshops have included: deconstruction/reconstruction of old clothes, making totem poles out of clay, climbing a rock wall, community rhythm/drumming, jewelry making, glass fusing, paper mache, song writing, harmonica basics, basketball tricks, fabric collage, hip hop yoga, transferring hand drawn images to T-shirts, making ceramic masks ... to name just a few.

How can you get involved and share your

passion for Art, Music, or Movement with

homeless and at-risk youth where you live?