COLLABORATIONS:
Our partners and connections in the community are truly the lifeline of Gandhi Brigade. Partnering with other local organizations allows us to reach broader audiences and offer programming that would be otherwise outside of our individual capacity. The impact from our partnerships are truly the products of collective power. Our current programs feed into several different collaboration projects described below:
Common Ground:
Common Ground began in 2011 through a Trawick Team Up Grant with YMCA Youth & Family Services, Arts on the Block, and Imagination Stage. Common Ground is a program for youth where the skills of visual, media, and performing arts come together in order to bring the community closer. The program is run out of the YMCA Youth and Family Services center in the Carroll Avenue Quebec Terrace and Nobb Hill communities in Silver Spring, MD. The first part of the program is a nine week long training for teens who will become mentors for middle schoolers. During this training, they learn mentoring and group facilitation techniques, and also learn a sampling of the three art disciplines.
The second part of the program is a nine week long after school program that meets once a week for middle schoolers. The Teen Mentors assist in facilitated activities focused on teambuilding and communication. The Middle Schoolers also get a chance to sample each of the three art disciplines during this program. The third part of the program is a six week long summer camp centered around the theme of Common Ground. Teen Mentors act as Camp Counselors, assisting Lead Teaching Artists as they work with middle school participants, who will pick their “majors” amongst performance, media, and visual arts. At the end of the summer program is a an interactive culminating event for the youth, their families, and the community members of Caroll Avenue Quebec Terrace and Nobb Hill.
Visit the Common Ground Blog to view media and for up-to-date information.http://commongroundsilverspring.wordpress.com/
Social Justice Summer:
Social Justice Summer: Gandhi Brigade partners with Pyramid Atlantic to employ eight teen interns to learn about documentary filmmaking and printmaking. These teens use their art and media skills to produce a film and a visual art campaign to promote a current issue that affects the community, selected by the youth. For the past three summers, our eight interns have used crowd-funding to raise money for their summer salaries through Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Last summer, through their efforts and outreach to the community, they raised over $6,000.
Dig Lit:
Through a partnership with Passion for Learning, Gandhi Brigade staff and Community Educators facilitate after school Dig Lit programs at Eastern Middle School and Silver Spring International Middle Schools. Participants receive instruction from Gandhi Brigade staff and teacher allies in writing and digital literacy to create projects such as music videos, photo stories, personal blogs, and news packages.
