How can Performing Arts Change the Lives of at Risk Kids?

Life is about choice and options, in neighborhoods across America, at risk children have neither. However, they desire a life changing encounter with the performing arts. Without a caring trailblazing and passionate family member, pastor, teacher, mentor or performing arts center most at risk children will not live to experience this encounter. Children need performing arts in their life. Performing arts can drastically change a child’s perception of their environment which ultimately changes their vision of self and community.

A performing arts environment fosters change and keeps at risk children off the street and out of harms way. Performing arts can foster a desire for a better life and change begins to unfold spreading from child to family then to the community. Without performing arts in a child’s life, most will never dream of a better life and will live unfulfilled lives. Performing arts is a gift that facilitates change and creates hope in the life of an at risk child.

Many at risk children end up experiencing performing arts through movies such as “Fame.” Many city councils across America allow bars and party stores on each corner. While others sale bonds to build more juvenile and prison facilities. In disadvantaged homes across America, at risk children are surrounded by inner city blight and deteriorating urban conditions. Instead of building juvenile facilities and prisons which further embeds a lack of hope in children, communities should begin to build performing arts centers.

Many parents of at risk children are so concerned with day-to-day basics such as lights, gas, and rent. Many don’t even know about schools for the performing arts. While, many who do, view performing arts as part of dance routines, acting, singing and theatre. True, these are the obvious; however, many parents lack the vision to see that their child could build a sustainable career based on core principles and life skills that are taught in addition to the arts.

The performing arts teaches an at risk child to be assertive and become future leaders and positive role models while building character, integrity, and social skills. This allows an at risk child to dream bigger dreams like being the first college graduate in their family. In addition, it also fosters an environment to a whole new universe of self discovery. Performing arts also opens a mind to unlimited possibilities.

At risk children, dream just like children from affluent communities. The performing arts can help an at risk child reach back into their community and provide hope for others. Without performing arts a child may never dream of a better life for themselves, their family, and community. The performing arts, spreads hope for change throughout all communities no matter the economic situation. Without performing arts the community lacks hope for a better tomorrow. Performing arts is a social and life changing tool that bridges children, schools, and communities. If you want to see a community with at risk children thrive, build a performing arts center.

What about Haiti?

When help is needed the most, most often the people who need it receive it late or not at all. I truly want to give to a charity since the day the devastation occurred. However, Wycliffe’s charity “Yele” had a couple of issues because his organization was receiving millions while the legacy, trophy, or corporate top-heavy charities were not even coming close. Then someone decided to slow his growth by publicizing a situation that he publicly says that had corrected some time ago.

There is so much in-fighting amongst the different organizations. In addition, people are starving and dying by not being rescued in a timely manner. Ask yourself, how does this help those in need? It does not. I too was horrified when the rescuers were only paying major attention to the one hotel that housed our fellow Americans. Realistically, more people should have been rescued had the efforts been fair across the board. I begin thinking just maybe the hotel built by better specs, from the looks of it the answer is probably not.

Where is our humanity? When you help someone is it supposed to be fair and just or is it to be selective and or conditional? The people of Haiti are still God’s children too. I’m thankful our soon to be “one-term” president sent aid sooner than later. Note that in previous times, the Haitian people have been turned away from our borders while others have selectively have been allowed to enter legally/illegally. You do the math. There is enough wealth in the world to feed the Haitian people 3 meals a day!!! Cut out all the greed, nepotism, bigotry and focus purely on a humanitarian effort to meet the needs of the people.