For the past few months, the city has been under turmoil due to a recent police killing of Keith Scott. There have been protests and lots of civil unrest in the Charlotte community. So there are important conversations that need to held and that are being held. It's nothing new though, its nothing new to this country, this stuff has been going on in every city, not just Charlotte. We just sort of love to have that "it'll never happen to me" syndrome, maybe that's more of an American thing.

The week that these recent events happened in the city was also the week that we'd started working with the gang prevention program for local teens. I was approached a few months prior about taking on the project, I'm always weird about things that describe youth as "at risk", I think people are just misunderstood and just need someone to relate to. I then found out it was in my old neighborhood, an area of the city where my heart is, the area that helped mold me. The same area where I gave my life to God, which is also the same area my good homie lost his life some 22 years ago. So of course I jumped at the opportunity. I built a 3 man team, including myself and went in to speak to these teens, all male, all minorities. Using art as our catalysis, I really just wanted to get their understandingof what they thought of society, the city, their futures in general. In doing this, we also provided them with vital history lessons and lessons on choices, and helping them understand the importance of creating opportunities for each other. We were only there for a four week session, but I'd like to think we made a difference through art and conversation. However we'll continue to check on them throughout the year. Most of them probably wont go into an art career, that's ok. We're trying to build better tomorrows.