I came to AWBW with a vision of using art to create an environment for LGBTQIIA+ youth in rural southwest Kansas that isn’t currently available to them: a place where they can feel safe and supported.

I’ve just launched Prism Youth — a first-of-its-kind program of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Finney County Kansas. Prism Youth caters to LGBTQIIA+ youth and allies in grades 5-8, providing a safe space where they can be themselves. With the AWBW training, I am now using art as a way to build community and establish safety within this population that is especially vulnerable in rural Kansas.

My first AWBW workshop was a big hit with the kids! They participated in the “Claiming Who I Am” workshop. After writing negative messages they heard from others and negative things they tell themselves, they tore up their pieces of paper, making them confetti sized and went outside to scatter them. I think getting outside for that part was really helpful for the kids. Then they focused on creating representations with images, colors and other things to represent who they really are.

One student noted, “our emotions and feelings aren’t person shaped,” and preferred to make something more abstract, which seemed so fitting!

While creating the representation of themselves without the negative language, one student said, “This makes me so happy and I don’t understand why!”

Another student who deeply struggles with anxiety said, “Drawing my depression makes me feel like I can cover it with love.”

We talked about how we don’t have to force positivity but even when we aren’t feeling amazing, love can still exist alongside it. It was a really amazing conversation to have with the kids and we are really looking forward to doing more!

I think belonging is one of the most important elements of safety and empowerment. Even with this very first workshop, I’m excited to see the Windows workshops as a space where they can begin to claim belonging.