For the first time in the Scholars program, the 2020 Scholars were tasked to reflect on all they learned throughout the program and display this knowledge of youth homelessness and trafficking via a creative media-piece.
Check out a few of the cohort's projects below to see how the program impacted the 2020 Scholars.
My visual shows a drawing of someone trapped behind bars, like a cage, and beyond those bars is a sign of freedom. There are words written on the prisoner’s arms that describe the feeling of those who are in the trafficking chain. Beyond the bars, which represents being trapped, is what those young people may see as freedom, and one of those things that may be seen as freedom is the Covenant House, which offers shelter and safety, love and respect, and the tools to build a stable future. The freedom may also represent their dreams and goals beyond the place they are currently in. As an advocate of youth trafficking, this is my take on the perspectives of those trapped and why we should take the initiative to change that.
In my sketch, I drew a homeless young person in an alley, and on the other side of the building is an outdoor shopping center with designer brands. This shows the contrast between the two worlds, even though they are right next to each other, even overlapping. The woman walking on the other side of the street doesn’t realize that there is someone with an unimaginable amount of misfortune right across the street from her. Homelessness can happen to anyone, no matter where they are and once someone is homeless, they could be anywhere on the street.
Over the past four months, I have expanded my knowledge of what it means to be homeless. It’s not just a lack of housing, it’s getting abandoned by loved ones. It’s not just feeling lonely, it’s the feeling of suffocating hopelessness. It’s not just uncertainty, it’s also vulnerability. I have learned the importance of educating my community about what is going on so close to us. If more people were educated about the realities of homelessness and sex trafficking, more people would get involved. It could happen to any one of us and too many people forget that. This program has taught me what a difference we can make.
This Painting represents someone walking out of the things that held them down and moving on to a better life. Along their path they will climb to success and get support and find encouragement and support to finally get back on their feet. Lastly the small detail of adding statistics in the clouds gives more of an understanding of how big coming back can be for someone.
For my final project, I chose to perform Bach's Violin Sonata No. 2 - Grave because unlike the majority of Bach's compositions, it does not follow a clearly defined structure and direction, rather meandering unsurely through different melodic lines and phrases before coming to an firm ending from which the next movement, which I did not play, begins. This wavering nature reminded me of the constant struggle and tribulations that homeless youth around the globe have to endure throughout their lives, and the uncertainty in their lives about the simplest things such as meals, housing, and so much more. However, that uncertainty is quelled at the end of the movement, which I saw as a shelter such as the Covenant House GA, which provides a firm foundation for homeless youth to begin the next chapter of their lives.
Covenant House Georgia, CHGA,
They help children in need, they the MVP’s,
All the bad they see, they make a change,
Like a bag of pennies, yeah,
I’m apart of it, with the Scholars In Service,
We working, and working,
Donating Money, supporting the mission
Learning lots, supporting the vision, yeah,
I feel confused, what to do? I don’t know,
I feel abused, my mental health can’t grow,
Got no clothes, I’m dirty down to my toes,
I’m trying to escape this cage, I don’t know where to go,
I found it, it’s a brand new home,
I got it, now I’m not alone,
I feel good, from my skin to my bones,
I thank Covenant House for this time, now I’m gone, yeah
This is a picture of 3,300 grains of rice. There is a grain of rice for each homeless youth in Atlanta as we speak. Each piece of rice represents a story filled with dreams, struggles, over comings, hopes, and passions. Unfortunately, most of these people will never be given a chance to succeed. But if someone would...watch them along the way, they could be something great. That’s what Covenant House can do.
