JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITY
at THE WHITE HOUSE
JUST YELL was invited by the Obama administration to The White House to develop a one day symposium on Juvenile Justice with the Director for the Arts at Public High Schools, Nathan Diamond. The result seen in some images here consisted of spoken word performances, pop up poetry, panel discussions, breakout and share out sessions, and testimonies.
The guiding foundation of the JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITY symposium was examining and comparing the aesthetics of the state and the aesthetics of contemporary urban experience. Audience attendees were United States Judicial Policy makers, NFP organizations supporting juvenile issues, Washington DC High School youth, invited contemporary artists, and additional White House guests.
The afternoon breakout sessions paired White House artists such as the photographer, videographer, speech writer, chef, florist with invited contemporary artists, youth, and organizational leaders to discuss connections of process, content and delivery between practices.
The following day, TRUTH AS EVIDENCE was performed in the Indian Treaty room with collaborators: Nyugen Smith, Washington DC youth, and Incarcerated youth. It is only through art that these voices were able to be seen and heard in the WHITE HOUSE on an issue that directly affects them most.