2019 CIIP Program Book CIIP Booklet 2019 | Page 12

Community Partner:
Baltimore Youth Arts
Intern: Sehej Parmar
Site Supervisor: Leisha Winley
What is Baltimore Youth Arts?
Baltimore Youth Arts is a creative
entrepreneurship and job train-
ing program that provides artistic
and professional opportunities to
young people, ages 14-22, with
a focus on those involved in the
justice system. Our mission is to
assist young people in gaining
the creative, personal, and ed-
ucational skills that will enable
them to become leaders in their
communities.
Walking into my internship this summer at Baltimore Youth Arts (BYA), I had two main goals in
mind: 1. to empower and support both BYA and the population it serves and 2. to learn more
about the criminal justice system and its role in Baltimore City. Knowing that I would be serving
youth, ages 14-22, who have grown up in underserved, racially segregated, and resource-poor
neighborhoods that are continuously affected by the criminal justice system, I also walked in
with one main challenge: finding my place in understanding, connecting with, supporting, and
empowering these young people having come from such a different background, identity, and
privilege.
I wish my goals and challenges were as easy to overcome as they seem on paper, but frankly it
took me all summer, when it is almost time to leave, to even begin to really understand the peo-
ple and deeper issues I am advocating for in the context of Baltimore City. The criminal justice
system has such deep-rooted ties with American history, slavery, and race. Its affect in a city like
Baltimore, which is over half black, is profound. From my time at BYA, I have learned that you
don’t need to have been in or have family in the justice system, even though most youth in Balti-
more do, to be affected by it. Simply living in this city where young black people are continuously
targeted and live in fear of it is enough. During a career readiness session, I once asked our young
people, “What are your bigger goals for this summer?” The answers I got – most coming back to
some iteration of being busy at BYA, staying out of the streets, keeping out of trouble, not be-
ing in the wrong place at the wrong time, etc. – pointed to the existence of the school-to-prison
pipeline in Baltimore City and just how cognizant our young people are of this reality. BYA is here
to stop blaming our young people and start supporting them. This is the BYA mission I am so
lucky to have been a part of this summer and want to continue with in the fight for criminal justice
reform…abolishment.
“EDUCATE, DON’T INCARCERATE” - Gianna Rodriguez, Founder and Executive Director of
Baltimore Youth Arts
• Trained in CPR, Mandated Reporting, Trauma-Informed Care, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE),
Conflict Resolution, and Summer Meals Distribution
• Created and co-facilitated a 5-week Career Readiness Training that covers goal setting, professionalism,
life skills, resume and cover letter writing, applying to jobs, mock interviews, and financial literacy, and
organized associated field trips to Nations Photo Lab, Old Navy, and B&O Railroad Museum.
• Interview youth for studio apprentice spotlights, highlight transformative artwork and visits by artists,
and both photograph and document big events such as Artscape, field trips, showcases, and more for
BYA’s website blog, and social media
• Created and modeled BYA’s Salesforce database to store and analyze data on youth, staff, volunteers,
and donors, and the classes offered in different sessions throughout the year
• Research relevant grants for funding of BYA’s program
11