The 4th grade Youth Leadership group at Hoover Elementary, as you may know, consists of the creators and inspiration for our fourth Oakland Superhero mural project. The painting of the mural on the West Street I-580 underpass is set to begin in April 2017.
In the meantime, the group has been honing in on both the artistic and political advocacy skills they will be utilizing to paint the mural in April. This past week the discussion centered around leadership and actions that can be taken to solve issues they witness within their communities on a daily basis.
“Trustworthy!” shouted TJ, to suggest a necessary attribute that every leader must have. “They don’t follow the crowd and they do the right thing,” suggested another student. Another emphasized that what makes a great leader is one who “is not racist and knows the importance of diversity,” as well as one who can create “new ways of thinking and be a change-maker.”
Influenced by their experiences and their environments, the students were inclined to create superheroes that could solve the issues they brought up when discussing leadership and action plans that can be taken. Through their artistic expression, the students work on personal growth and practice the skills of community-building and collaboration that they need for community advocacy.
Stay tuned for more news on ArtEsteem’s programs and the installation of our next mural, and help us continue to build self-esteem through creation. Our work is impossible without the support of the community.
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