Jaylen is not able to hold a mallet or hit a drum hard enough for his sound, his voice, to be heard. But one of our Teaching Artists brought an iPad with a drum app to Jaylen, and with his fingers, and through the app, he played the drums on cue and with his classmates. His joy of camaraderie was apparent.
This isn’t just a story about someone getting the opportunity to play music, or to participate in the arts. This is a story about someone joining in. It’s a story about getting to practice being a friend. And it's a story about finding and sharing our voice in a way that is most relevant to who we are.
The arts and the language of play are Upstream Arts' tools to practice being social and to share our truest selves. With your investment, we can continue to amplify voice and choice, enriching the social fabric of our communities.