Community-Word Project

Honor, Identity, and the Rhythm of Progress: Spring Culminations

June is the month where process becomes public. Across our partner schools and community sites, the internal work of the spring residencies burst into light through a series of unforgettable culminating showcases.

New Directions Secondary School students gathered under the mentorship of Teaching Artist Jashua Sa-Ra for a powerful Juneteenth Showcase at the CUNY Lehman College Studio Theater.

The afternoon was an uncompromised celebration of individual talent and collective heritage, utilizing traditional dances, drumming, poetry, and movement to interrogate concepts of “identity” and “transformation.” Whether that transformation was social or intrapersonal, the showcase served as a profound testament to the stabilizing, therapeutic, and deeply validating power of collaborative art for youth navigating complex life transitions.

At Bronx Academy of Health Careers (BAHC), a college-preparatory high school focused on healthcare professions, our students took a sharp turn into the theatrical, using the intricate, stark mechanics of shadow puppetry to explore narrative and storytelling.

These showcases don’t happen without support from people like you. Consider donating today so more students can find their voice through the arts. Link in bio to donate 🫶

“We glow happiness like fireworks in the sky.” ✨ These words, painted by our students, capture exactly what we’re celebrating this 4th of July: the light that happens when students find their voice and share it with the world.

This mural is Community-Word Project in one image: creative expression, collaboration, and joy, made by hands that are still learning just how powerful their voice can be.

Wishing you a holiday as bright as this!