May, TEMPO Young Adult Resource Center (508)

Transcription

1 May, 2014 Young Adults from Wayside's Photo Voice program exhibited their work in Waltham and Framingham last month. I chose the word identity because it is a word used often in my life. I am diagnosed with GID, gender identity disorder. I am a transgender individual. To some people this means they identify as male or female. TEMPO Young Adult Resource Center 68 Henry Street Framingham, MA (508) tempoyoungadults.org To me it is not an identity, it is a small piece of who I am. I do not identify as male, I was born male in body that isn t considered male. - Colby Photo Voice is a unique blend of advocacy research, selfdiscovery and photojournalism. Photo Voice is a grassroots method involving the use of photography for social change. Groups of people that are rarely heard from are allowed to record their lives through their own eyes and use this information to promote positive change in their lives and communities. Young Adults are provided with cameras to document their experiences, needs, and hopes as they write narratives to accompany these photos and then display the work for the community. For more information about Photo Voice, contact: David_Sebastian@waysideyouth.org

2 Page 2 Keeping Up With Tempo: May, 2014 This May Tempo celebrates 3 anniversaries!! Nick & Alan are celebrating their third year with Wayside while Shanesha will celebrating her second year with Wayside. Shanesha began working as an Administrative Assistant at Wayside s Multi Service Center in Watertown in May After a few shorts months at the Multi Shanesha began co-facilitating many youth prevention groups in Watertown. In the summer of 2013 Shanesha began working a few days per week at Tempo where she quickly became an active member of Tempo s team. Shortly after, Shanesha was hired as a full-time Transition Facilitator. Shanesha has embraced Tempo s vision since her first day! She has teamed with the other Transition Facilitators to help countless young adults reconnect with their families, indentify & achieve their goals, and transition into healthy adults. Nick first began working at Tempo as a Peer Mentor for Tempo s Street Outreach Program, Community LINKS. Shortly after completing his Peer Mentorship, Nick was hired as a Street Outreach Worker. Nick has worked hard to help many young adults secure emergency shelter, reconnect with their families, find support groups, and complete community service hours. Nick is currently pursuing a Master s in Counseling Psychology at Framingham State University. Alan was hired as a Street Outreach Worker in May 2012 after completing a one-year Peer Mentorship at Wayside s Community Service Agency (CSA). Alan quickly teamed with Nick and conducted numerous hours of street outreach, introducing hundreds of young adults to Tempo. Alan is currently completing an internship at Wayside s Family Works Shanesha, Nick & Alan Program. Alan will be graduating this month with a Master s Degree from Simmons College. Together, Nick and Alan have helped place over 150 young adults in emergency shelter and provided over 1,000 healthy meals & hygiene kits to homeless youth and youth at risk of homelessness in the Framingham area. Thank you Shanesha, Nick & Alan for your continued dedication and commitment to the young people who visit Tempo!!

3 Page 3 Keeping Up With Tempo: May 2014 Carry On With Ariane How to make a stranger smile The crunch of the gravel getting caught between the sidewalk and the swirly grooves of your shoes, The air flirtatiously nipping at your ears as it whistles past, The sun s nurturing warmth caressing your forehead. Lull you into forgetting you are not alone. So yes, your heart will jar and sputter a bit, and you may cough in surprise, breath whooshing out, when a stranger approaches your path. You might look down quickly, unsure. You might look to the side, unwilling to put his friendliness to the test. You might even check the time, as if the stuttering fingers, the pulsing two dots between stiff numbers would change the fact that you are Here, and he is Here. In the end the love living in your soul wins and you let your eyes meet, touch, And you remember what you d forgotten. ~ ~ ~ All it takes to make a stranger smile is the sight of your own face rippling, cheeks folding in, teeth winking out, eyes narrowing in pleasure as You smile first.

4 Page 4 Keeping Up With Tempo: May 2014 Green House Graphics is back! In April Tempo began its fourth session of Green House Graphics (GHG). Currently there are seven young adult artists participating in the GHG workshop. There is a lot of new talented artists! On June 26 th GHG will host its second art show at The Amazing Things Art Center from 6-9pm. Don t miss out!! The Amazing Things Art Center is located at 160 Hollis Street in Framingham. For more information about Amazing Things Art Center visit Go Steven for working at the local farm! Congrats Della for enrolling in school and getting an apartment! Go Nikki and Angelina for completing the semester at Mass Bay! Yay Michael for finishing his job at FSU! And a BIG shout out to the new GHG artists, Jonah, Dionne, Jordan. Graham, Jamie, Chris, and Alex!

5 Keeping Up With Tempo May 2014 Page 5 Why Wear a Green Ribbon? In 2007, the National Federation for Children s Mental Ribbon Health launched its Annual Green Campaign, one of their most important and visible awareness and education campaigns. The green ribbon is now a distinguishing feature in most Children s Mental Health Week publicity efforts. Wearing a green ribbon during Children s Mental Health Week is a positive way to show your support with the mission to promote health, awareness and dialogue throughout communities nationally and internationally. For more information on events and updates for Children s Mental Health Week in Massachusetts visitwww.ppal.net/about Come watch and/or join Tempo s Flash Mob and help us burst the stigma around mental health conditions, promote recovery, and celebrate the resiliency of young adults overcoming mental health conditions on Wednesday May 21 4pm at the Natick Mall!!! For more information on Tempo s Flash Mob contact Ariane at arcysua@gmail.com Monday 8-5, Tuesday 8-5, Wednesday 8-8, Thursday 8-5, Friday 8-4