From the Refiner's Fire a Champion is Born
Greetings in the Lord!
Well, this is encouraging--I just came across an art project being done by the youths (18-24) of Tottenham to rebuild unity within the multi-cultural community in the wake of the riots. The article in Al Jazeera English edition goes on as follows:
"With some people slamming their doors shut and others refusing to open them, it looked at first as though this community project might not get off the ground. But when marginalised young people in Tottenham, north London - the scene of the first of last week's riots in England - set about approaching locals to help with an oral history project, they soon gained the trust of community members, who then joined in to celebrate what is more often a denigrated postcode.
The resulting exhibition, which opens next month, includes one of London's largest arts installations: around 150 giant photographic portraits of local residents.
While British politicians lined up to condemn "feral youths" in places such as Tottenham - most recently the scene of torched cars, shattered buildings and looted shops - this arts project, The Great Book of Tottenham, casts young people in a different light.
The project "shows how much benefit there can be for young people to be creatively engaged within their community, bringing self worth and pride to the community as a whole", says John Baraldi, chief executive of the Bernie Grant Arts Centre, named after one of Britain's first black MPs and home to this project.
This oral history project employed 36 formerly jobless young people to find local residents whose life stories would showcase the cultural heritage of Tottenham - one of Europe's most culturally diverse postcodes."
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The rest of the article can be read at:
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/08/201182014573113330.html
I'm impressed that the local government is thinking somewhat outside the box, in that, they're using art to employ and stimulate these youths with their own natural creativity while they also are bonding with the community and rebuilding the trust that was shattered by the recent riots. Yeah, it might be a bit of: paying them to say, "I'm sorry," but it does sound like the youths involved are being positively influenced through the project. And after all, it does no good to chastise them for their rage, but better to hold them accountable in a way that benefits both them and the community they attacked.
I pray that we will read about more projects like this in the near future and that through them the Holy Spirit would touch the hearts of the people in a way that they are made better and not bitter from the riots. That the incidents would be remembered as nothing more than a clearing away of the hate and anger and a re-planting of God's love, hope, and respect of all people in the UK and that those youths grow up to be steadfast encouragers and champions for social justice.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
Well, this is encouraging--I just came across an art project being done by the youths (18-24) of Tottenham to rebuild unity within the multi-cultural community in the wake of the riots. The article in Al Jazeera English edition goes on as follows:
"With some people slamming their doors shut and others refusing to open them, it looked at first as though this community project might not get off the ground. But when marginalised young people in Tottenham, north London - the scene of the first of last week's riots in England - set about approaching locals to help with an oral history project, they soon gained the trust of community members, who then joined in to celebrate what is more often a denigrated postcode.
The resulting exhibition, which opens next month, includes one of London's largest arts installations: around 150 giant photographic portraits of local residents.
While British politicians lined up to condemn "feral youths" in places such as Tottenham - most recently the scene of torched cars, shattered buildings and looted shops - this arts project, The Great Book of Tottenham, casts young people in a different light.
The project "shows how much benefit there can be for young people to be creatively engaged within their community, bringing self worth and pride to the community as a whole", says John Baraldi, chief executive of the Bernie Grant Arts Centre, named after one of Britain's first black MPs and home to this project.
This oral history project employed 36 formerly jobless young people to find local residents whose life stories would showcase the cultural heritage of Tottenham - one of Europe's most culturally diverse postcodes."
_____
The rest of the article can be read at:
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/08/201182014573113330.html
I'm impressed that the local government is thinking somewhat outside the box, in that, they're using art to employ and stimulate these youths with their own natural creativity while they also are bonding with the community and rebuilding the trust that was shattered by the recent riots. Yeah, it might be a bit of: paying them to say, "I'm sorry," but it does sound like the youths involved are being positively influenced through the project. And after all, it does no good to chastise them for their rage, but better to hold them accountable in a way that benefits both them and the community they attacked.
I pray that we will read about more projects like this in the near future and that through them the Holy Spirit would touch the hearts of the people in a way that they are made better and not bitter from the riots. That the incidents would be remembered as nothing more than a clearing away of the hate and anger and a re-planting of God's love, hope, and respect of all people in the UK and that those youths grow up to be steadfast encouragers and champions for social justice.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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