| Featured Youth Poet :: REALITY, age 13
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 Jay-Jay Davis AKA Reality first became a part of the Phoenix Rising weekly workshops at Urban Peak's The Spot, a program funded by a YouthReach grant from Colorado Council on the Arts. READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH REALITY :: click hereExcerpt from "HERO" By Jay-Jay Davis AKA Reality Can someone please say AMEN
Stand up and understand
We need a HERO to guide and hold our hand...
The Nation of my generation
is unhealthy and the choices we make
lead us to destruction
Can my HERO please take away
my generation's confusion?
Can my HERO please put
my generation in an illusion?
'Cause at the end of the day life doesn't want to be your friend
And the streets don't want
the best for you
And the rap songs just want
to brainwash you
And the sexual experiences just want you to lose value
From Inglewood, California
To the Bronx, New York back up
To the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and all the way
To the south side of Atlanta, Georgia
Back down to Houston, Texas
Stretching banging ways to the tip
Of Tampa Bay, Florida
Are gangs
Takin' over my generation
Tears, Bullets, Drugs, Weapons and Survival on my mind
Daddy wasn't there this time
Therefore it's okay to turn to the streets and say everything is fine
To put that lil' boy in a grave
Walking down the street when his intentions weren't bad
But now his family has to be sad
All these young girls shaking their rear ends at parties
and knocking boots on YouTube
All because they think it will put their boyfriends in a better mood
But baby girl do what you do
and be proud
Because at the end of the day it doesn't matter how he sees you
What matters is that you can be a strong lady and be you
And don't give it up because you listened to the "Whisper" song
And don't wear skintight clothes because Lil Wayne said he likes a thick red bone
And Plies said he gon' put it on
Lil' girl you got the choice so be strong
See the problem we have today is that we always try to sugarcoat our ways!
We get offended over what elders say
So please HERO heal double
HERO I call out that you will destroy the drug use
And exterminate the thug use
And motivate the school use
And stop my generation from a self-defeating abuse
The thought of blazing up, smoking and getting tore' up
is on this generation's mind
But Homie you got the power this time...around
So stand up and stump that cancer killin' stick to the ground!
And don't use the lighter to flame up your addiction
Use the lighter to flame your position
You could be a fail out, jailbird, or just another high school dropout
But you got the value so treat yourself like you're true
And don't let your peers
turn you into an addict
You got to be the one to say ENOUGH, I DONE HAD IT!!!
'Cause life works magic
And you need all the breaths you can get to run life's race
And doing drugs and alcohol will only terminate your pace
So I'm gonna put my feelings in the trash and smoke this poetry
up like ash
Someone give my HERO some boxing gloves to knock out the streets, self-defeating
TV's words and rappers slurs
The problem that my generation has
Is that we can't come face to face
with the truth
But I don't need proof to cater to
All I need is YOU!
So will you be the HERO?
And help?
Can someone please say AMEN
Stand up and understand
We need a HERO to guide
and hold our hand © 2009 Jha'vone S. Davis AKA Reality FOR THE FULL POEM AND THE INTERVIEW: click here |
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Poetry Prompt
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Describe your voice in metaphor. Begin each line with "My voice is..."
· If your voice were a color, what color would it be? What would it say?
· If your voice were an animal, what animal would it be? What would it say?
· If your voice were something in nature, what would it be? What would it say?
· If your voice were weather, what kind of weather would it be? What would it say?
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Items & Services We'll Gratefully Accept
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:: in-kind items ::
a Mac computer, especially a mini
floor lamps
file cabinets
an L-shaped desk
office chairs / lounge chairs
journals / pens / glue sticks / scissors
:: volunteer services ::
events coordinator
grant writer
graphic / web designer
:: other opportunities ::
finance committee member (contact AfA Finance Committee Chair, Ben Martin)
fundraising committee member (contact AfA Fundraising Committee Chair, Joe Giglio)
advisory board member (contact Director of Operations Marie Verrett)
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 Letter from Catherine
Faith In Our Calling
Greetings!
Art from Ashes is no stranger to the economic struggles that have impacted seemingly everyone around us, yet our staff, board members, volunteers, facilitators, funders and the community hold fast to the belief that we are doing meaningful and effective work in a way that is unique and -- although our methods are backed by science -- well...magical.
We also have great faith in the hearts and vision of the people who support our work. AfA has always presented opportunities for you to give through events, presentations, workshops and online donations, but I have been reluctant to straight up ask for financial help. However, I recently was advised that during times of struggle, asking for financial support from the community is appropriate and even an honor to those who wish to help or those who hadn't yet considered the need.
I didn't want to make this newsletter too long, so If you would like to read the longer version of this letter about our philosophy on giving, click here. Otherwise, please consider making a financial donation now. We are grateful for any amount, but hope you will think about a monthly contribution through GivingFirst.org. This wonderful organization, a program of Community First Foundation, allows regular automatic withdrawals, as well as one-time donations through your bank or credit card. All donations are tax-deductible.
Our program goal for Phoenix Rising is to provide 300 workshops to
youth at various schools and non-profits in Denver, Boulder and
surrounding counties.
- A monthly donation of $100 will provide food, water and writing materials for up to 480 young people a year.
- A monthly donation of $50 allows us to bring in 2 guest poets/artists a month to inspire and encourage the youth in our programs.
- A one-time gift of $5,000
will cover the cost of an 8-week program for between 20 and 40 youth
($10 to $15/hr. per young person per hour), which would include
operating costs as well as program expenses.
- A monthly donation of $70 or a one-time gift of $840 provides one-month's rent (ooh, if 12 people did that a month...)
We hope you will join Art from Ashes in embracing the struggle, and give to support the innovative and powerful work that we do.
Cheers,
Catherine
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TGYS Sponsorships Available
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 Because our application for TGYS funding 2008/2009 was approved, we were able to collaborate with numerous organizations through partial scholarships for our workshops, serving more than 300 youth. Organizations benefiting from those funds included Denver Rescue Mission, Cole MIddle School, Mile High Youth Corp, Excelsior Youth Center, Denver Probation Department, and the LINK program at Adam's County Intergenerational Studies. We also have been approved for 2009/2010 funding. If your organization would like to be considered for a TGYS sponsorship that pays for a portion of the workshops, give Marie Verrett a call at 303.837.1550 or send an email to marie@artfromashes.org. |
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New Adult Workshops in July
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INTRODUCTORY
The Phoenix Rising transformational workshops use the latest
research in left-brain/right-brain functioning and the role of
creativity in healing to encourage participants to access the creative
subconscious in order to facilitate transformation. The process is
designed to allow participants to recognize our inherent creative power
and the importance of perception in how we live.
:: Wednesdays from 6 to 7.15 pm, July 15-Aug. 19
Cost is $175 for 6 workshops; payment due by July 11
:: Pay online with PayPal
INTERMEDIATE :: (participants must have completed an Introductory Session)
THE FOUR AGREEMENTS: In his book, don Miguel Ruiz reveals the
source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless
suffering. When we are ready to change these agreements, there are four
deceptively simple, yet powerful agreements that we can adopt as
guiding principles. At this intermediate workshop, we will reference
"The Four Agreements" and create poems that can rapidly transform our
lives through new "agreements."
:: Mondays from 6 to 7.15 pm, July 20-Aug. 24
Cost is $175 for 6 workshops; payment due by July 17
:: Pay online with PayPal
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| Taylor Jones Races for AfA
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  Taylor's Race for a Cause
Racing to empower struggling youth
On July 18th, Taylor Jones will Race for a Cause in Aurora. The money you donate to support her race will be given to Art from Ashes, her chosen nonprofit. She'll be competing in a 500 Meter Swim, the 10.5 mile Bike, and the 3.1 mile run at Cherry Creek Reservoir. After the race, there will be an awards ceremony, a raffle, complimentary food and beverages, and live music. You can help Taylor raise money for Art from Ashes by visiting her link to donate. The website is secure, fast and easy to use. At the website you will be able to choose an amount to donate and will receive email confirmation of your donation. |
Panning for Gold!
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Collect all your mismatched jewelry; old stuff you don't want or hate -- you know, things your ex-husband or ex-anyone gave you; gold teeth, twisted or broken jewelry, because...
the Gold Exchange guarantees to pay top dollar for its purchases (and they appraise stones, as well).
If you set up a Gold party through Art from Ashes, Gold Exchange will pay you CASH on the spot for your gold and the gold of everyone who attends, and give Art from Ashes an additional 20% of the total value for the party!
CNN and two local TV stations (7NEWS and 2NEWS) featured Gold Exchange on their programs (videos on their websites). 7NEWS conducted a test by getting quotes from other appraisers first, and Gold Exchange's quote was several times higher. You can check them out at www.thegoldexchange.us. If you set up a party (or just hand over the gold and we'll take of the whole thing!), we both will benefit. Contact Marie Verrett, Director of Operations, for more information.
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"You say goodbye...
and I say 'Oh, no!' "
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Although
we are saying goodbye to our long-time volunteer, friend, facilitator
and Volunteer Coordinator, Melissa Kemp, we are happy that she's
pursuing her master's degree in International Affairs...even if it is
in another state... well, we're sort of happy. Okay, we're downright
bummed, but trying to get over it.
 And Gabriela Perez is the main reason we're able to suck it up and calm down with the lip quivering. Gabriela
has taken over the position of Volunteer Coordinator in addition to her
other duties: working with youth as a co-facilitator, translating the
entire 8-week introductory curriculum and all related poems into
Spanish, not to mention raising a family, pursuing her master's in
nonprofit management, and working for the state, for Pete's sake.
(She's ruining the curve!)
We'll miss Melissa and are grateful
for all the amazing things she's accomplished for Art from Ashes. And
really... well almost really... we're happy she's pursuing her dream.
After all, it's what we're all about.
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 Wanted: Office Intern & Executive Assistant
If you'd like to be a part of this exciting work to support youth and the arts, get on in here!
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This is a perfect role for someone who is detail-oriented with great organizational and computer skills. Candidate should be self-motivated and proficient in Microsoft. Tasks include answering phones, filing, research, organizing, and other general office duties. Hours are flexible, but ideally it would be someone who is able to work between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 1-3 days a week.
NOTE: this position is for unpaid interns who will be receiving credit in a business or nonproft management course or associated field. This position does not include direct contact with youth.
Contact Marie Verrett: marie@artfromashes.org
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT POSITION
Sadly, our amazingly competent and committed Zachary Whiting, who started at Art from Ashes as a youth poet and volunteer, eventually becoming a facilitator and then executive assistant, will be leaving for law school the first week of August. (What is with all these people going into higher education?!?!) We are looking for a candidate to fill his position who has a high degree of organizational skill, and who is detail oriented and committed to the organization's mission and purpose. Consideration will be given to candidates willing to commit long-term as the organization grows. We will ask candidates to first become volunteers and learn more about the organization, before applying for the position (which means hurry!). Please contact Gabriela Perez, Volunteer Coordinator, to set up an orientation. You also can download the volunteer application beforehand. The full-time position pays $10/hr. with opportunities for growth.
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Painless Giving
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Okay, so not everything has to be a sacrifice! We have two sites that allow you to give without any expense when you shop online:
 
GoodSearch.org GiveBackAmerica.com
All you have to do is either remember to connect to a store through one of these sites OR utilize their downloadable handy-dandy toolbars.
Also, if you make GoodSearch your search engine of choice, every time you conduct a search online, we get a penny! Hey, it can add up and again, it's painless... except for the setting it up part, which takes about 5 minutes.
So please take about 5 minutes and get GoodSearch (unless you're savvy... the gauntlet has been thrown!). They make it really simple. Just select Art from Ashes where it says "WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR?" You also can make it your default search engine and/or your homepage.
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