Take a Drive and See Some Art Without Getting Out of Your Car

In 2018, a non-profit called Capturing Belief partnered with SAY Detroit Play Center to contribute to their vision to be the premier training center for young people to improve their community and nurture their individual growth. In 2019, they worked with a new group of young people and continued their mission to "use visual storytelling to shatter stereotypes, dismantle biases, and create universal belonging for young people of color". In 2020, they planned to partner with Inside Southwest Detroit and Ford Motor Company to continue and expand their in-person training program, but thanks to COIVD-19 they had to completely rethink everything to pivot their plans for the 2020/21 session. To do this, they took everything 100% virtual and put a big focus on mental health throughout their 15-week program. 

They called this new version of the program the #remoteAllyProject. The goal of these sessions was to create visual art and to help youth to process what they were going through as their school year was abruptly interrupted and they were forced into isolation by the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 15 weeks, 19 students from Detroit, Kenya, France, and Italy were encouraged to maintain a positive focus while they worked with 8 different teachers to develop better communication and thinking skills while learning about the art of visual storytelling. 

The fruits of that effort are currently on display in front of the Michigan Central Station at Michigan Avenue and Vernor Hwy. in Corktown. You can drive through to see over 100 photos that the students captured for the project. It is an inside look at how the next generation is processing something that we are all still trying to work through in real-time. It is not only a powerful display, but a nice way to get out of the house to experience art in a year that has been relatively empty of artistic gatherings. 

The photos will be on display through January 31st, so you only have a couple more weeks to take a drive through the display. To learn more about Capturing Belief click here. To learn more about #remoteallyproject and to follow them on Instagram click here.

~S