Voice to the unheard

http://itspnyc.org/theater_arts_against.html

This site is dedicated to giving a face, voice, and movement to artist and people who are trauma survivors. Some of the images that I found via this site I found provocative and challenging to watch. I'm not sure if I found them disturbing because of the subject matter that hey provoke or me own experiences with sexual abuse trauma survivors, and I'm not sure it matters. What's important is what is being said and that it's being given a voice and being heard that is the powerful part. I find that in general looking at artist that deal with this intense subject matter, I am moved by the vocals often more so then the visuals. Funny considering that I would consider myself to be a visual person all the way around. GIving a voice to the unheard....

Is creative writing a must? Should outside sources be contacted?

Theoretically if I were to facilitate a creating writing workshop after school to help facilitate dialogue and expression of feeling, how formal should my workshop be? Should I pull in outside help from a group therapists? Or would bringing in an outside person be to off putting for students to open up to?

places to go, ways to say

http://www.survivorsartfoundation.orgThis is a great site that is dedicated to creating an outlet for trauma survivors to express themselves. I like the idea of having an online gallery space for survivors. From my own experiences, verbally talking about my issues what a no go in public forums. Issues about death, dying, incest, child abuse and neglect, drug abuses, and addiction of all types exist in our school. Because they exist in our lives, forbidding the topic from classroom allows ignorance and self-hatred to grow rather then healing and understanding. Since providing a free and clear space for students to speak what’s on their minds is an unwavering issue I want target in my student and in my own life as an artist; listing sites such as this one would direct students on where they can be heard safely away from school and into the real world. Education is useless if it doesn’t help you navigated the real world.
http://safekids.survivorsartfoundation.org/knews.html
another great site that is more kid directed