Year
2018 - 2024
OrganizationCreative Resilient Youth
2018 - 2024
Creative Resilient Youth
Creative Resilient Youth (CRY) was initiated in 2018 to bridge gaps in youth art, mental health, and leadership education. I co-founded CRY with Bennett Kuhn, Felicia Blow, and Michelle Lee Delgado Wallace. From 2018 to 2022, we provided Philadelphia-area youth programming to shape the future of youth-led care through co-design, collective study, healing practice, and socially engaged art.
Today, CRY provides drop-in programming directed by Avani Alvarez, a founding youth leader from the inaugural 2018 cohort.
Today, CRY provides drop-in programming directed by Avani Alvarez, a founding youth leader from the inaugural 2018 cohort.
RoleDirector of Strategy and Partnerships
Co-Founder
Co-Founder
AudiencePhiladelphia youth (14 to 25 years of age)
Mission
CRY is an intergenerational collective promoting equitable mental health care through collaborative study, shared power, socially engaged art, and leadership training.
- Access their authentic selves to define and communicate care for themselves on their own terms.
- Influence how mental health is talked about and cared for in their peer group, families, communities, and other youth-serving spaces.
- Create tools to address injustices in youth mental health care systems.
Credits
Current leadershipCo-Founders
Michelle Lee, Co-Director and Co-Facilitator
Felicia Blow, Co-Director and Co-Facilitator
Bennett Kuhn, Co-Director and Co-Facilitator
Past Partners Deep Space Mind 2015, Program Partner
Special ThanksPublic Trust (formerly Slought Foundation)
Creative Resilience Collective
Avani Alvarez, Executive Director (founding youth member)
Felicia Blow, Co-Director and Co-Facilitator
Bennett Kuhn, Co-Director and Co-Facilitator
Past Partners Deep Space Mind 2015, Program Partner
Young Artist Program, Program Partner
Youth Arts Workshop, Program Partner
Philly CAM, Exhibition Partner
Little Berlin, Exhibition Partner
Youth Arts Workshop, Program Partner
Philly CAM, Exhibition Partner
Little Berlin, Exhibition Partner
Special ThanksPublic Trust (formerly Slought Foundation)
Creative Resilience Collective
GrantsStoneleigh Foundation
Barra Foundation
Philadelphia Cultural Fund
Douty Foundation
Penn Cares Fund
Added Velocity (via The William Penn Foundation)
Velocity Fund (via The Andy Warhol Foundation)
Barra Foundation
Philadelphia Cultural Fund
Douty Foundation
Penn Cares Fund
Added Velocity (via The William Penn Foundation)
Velocity Fund (via The Andy Warhol Foundation)