This post documents my mural arts exchange in Managua, Nicaragua, through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ Community Engagement through the Arts program. The first two covered the community murals I created with local youth in El Viejo and León, respectively.
The mural in León, like the one in El Viejo, was completed in three days with about 30 participants. The atmosphere was very different there, though – it was more urban, had more colonial architecture, evidence of a tourism industry, and was pretty diverse – as far as I could tell from my short time there.
On January 19, Meridian’s Global Service Leaders (GSL) team will honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy and vision with a day of service locally in Washington, DC and around the world. Addressing Dr. King’s challenge, “What are you doing for others?”, Meridian and GSL will build upon the success of last year’s Warm Up, DC program, and collect, donate and share items to be distributed by the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring. IRC offers education, nutrition, clothing, and family support programs to newly arrived refugees and their families To achieve this goal, Meridian will be partnering with...
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There is no denying it: art and culture are social drivers in the community. Using art for community engagement exists as a means for reaching not only artists, but also the youth and marginalized communities. Through a cooperative agreement, Meridian and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State have selected four American artists to travel to Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to participate in a cultural exchange.
The Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Program, Meridian International Center’s newest youth leadership initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is already proving to be a success. The 24 participants, who range in age from 15-18 and represent eight different African nations, arrived in the U.S. on Sunday, April 6th. Over the next couple days, the participants were then given the best D.C. had to offer: a tour of the Capitol Building; a meeting with the staff of Senator Jeff Flake; a briefing and visit to the National Museum of African Art with the director, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole; an...
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