Painting Affirmations with Students & Faculty at Passages Academy

The Arts & Dreams team went back to Passages Academy, the New York City Department of Education school for incarcerated and detained youth, in the Bronx on November 20, 2012. We each spoke for a few moments about how art has helped us move through our personal life challenges. We also spoke about the power that affirmations, positive sentences that feel good, have to encourage a healthier, more loving sense of self.

Even after we assured students that if you can write your name you can paint, one young lady still felt shy and stuck to markers. But, to our delight, by the end of the workshop she was painting fearlessly. Another student lost his friend and created a big red heart to memorialize him, with the words "Love Lives."

Thank you, Literacy for Incarcerated Teens, Ms. Anja Kennedy and everyone at Passages. We had a wonderful time making affirmation paintings with students and faculty. Here's a small selection of some of the artwork they made.

I'm in command of me.