“Voices from the Margins” will engage 30 BIPOC youth (ages 14-25) from under-resourced communities in identifying local social justice issues through art therapy techniques. CAC funds will support a Certified Art Therapy Facilitator/Program Director ($15,000), guest teaching artists and youth mentor stipends ($6,000), art supplies and documentation materials ($3,000), and community engagement activities including venue rental and translation services ($1,000).

The program will produce 3 community listening sessions, two neighborhood art installations, and a community policy forum. Youth participants will develop artistic skills, civic leadership capacity, and mental health resilience while creating meaningful dialogue around housing justice, educational equity, and environmental racism. This initiative centers BIPOC youth voices and builds long-term community capacity for social change.