Converge Media and the Back2Besa crew came by to our Creative Cafe to learn more about the work experience it creates for young people. Watch the full segment here!

Converge and Back2Besa with Fox13 covered our 10 year anniversary event at Washington Hall! Take a look…

“Shut It Down: A Decade of Art and Resistance by Creative Justice”

“Central in the Creative Justice "Shut it Down" exhibit was a large installation with the message "Shut Down the Prison Industrial Complex." Created by youth, the powerful imagery filled the space of Indigo Slate Gallery…”

“Just being able to …hit something — where I can't hit a person or something that makes me upset. It gives me some type of clarity, it gives me some type of relief that I was able to get that out emotionally,”

“A South Seattle coffee shop’s unique approach to supporting local youth…”

“Creative Cafe will be primarily staffed by the youth involved with Creative Justice, who will be serving espresso from Fulcrum Coffee Roasters and getting guidance from Blas Alfaro of Fulcrum and Luis Rodriguez of The Station. The staff will not only be trained on how to be baristas but will learn the ins and outs of different facets of the coffee industry, everything from how to ethically source and roast beans to how to fix espresso machines.”

“Nikkita is the executive director of Creative Justice, an arts-based healing engaged space for youth and young adults impacted by the school-to-prison pipeline and other harmful systems and institutions.”

“Last week, Besa Gordon (@besagordon) checked in from the Creative Justice (@creativejusticenw) Back To School Giveback at Washington Hall. The event featured donations of clothing, school supplies, shoes and more as kids got ready to head back to school for the 2023-24 school year. There were also haircuts and more. It was an important event for the community to ensure that the youth are comfortable and ready to learn and push for their potential. “Just wanting to be in the community and show up is important. We really care about providing support to the young people,” Creative Justice Director of Advocacy Nyasha Sarju said.

Creative Justice hosted their Black Health and Wellness Day at Washington Hall last weekend, featuring numerous organizations, guests, and resources focused on community well-being. Organizer and Musician Rell Be Free said the goal of the event was to fulfill community needs and provide opportunities for healing.

Moni Tep is the Education Director at Creative Justice. Today she spoke about her work at Creative Justice and their outreach with youth who are oftentimes overlooked and marginalized in our community.

“If you’re not descended from slavery, how should you spend Juneteenth?”

“Envision a criminal legal system that doesn’t throw people away…”

“This community arts organization gets young people involved with social-justice themed art — and out of the juvenile and criminal justice systems.”

“We have seen the research that shows locking a kid up for a crime doesn’t make the community safer, and it actually does the opposite of that,” explained Aaron Counts, “It further isolates those young people that are more vulnerable and pushes them away from the safety net that a strong and supportive community can provide.”

“…and a lightbulb went off for me that I dont know anything about these kis except whats written down on paper.”

“Over the course of four eight- to 12-week sessions in 2015, 48 at-risk youth engaged in music, visual art and creative writing exercises that culminated with a presentation and celebration. The goal is not only to foster creativity and personal expression but also community engagement. “Given the right environment, even young people who have been most noted for their ability to destroy can create,” Counts says.”