Art might imitate life, but at Kids on the Hill, it’s used to stimulate youthful civic involvement. It’s also used as an incentive for life to imitate the socially conscious art the youth create.
“We are an arts and media organization that focuses on helping young people create social justice,” said Rebecca Yenawine, KOTH co-director for art and curriculum development.
Yenawine explained that the $300,000-a-year, 50-teenager nonprofit undertakes this challenge by experientially -– through a trip or an interview -– researching a social issue that interests its members.
The high school-age group then produces an artwork –- a video, mural, button, billboard or bumper sticker –- on the topic that is distributed to bring attention and possibly behavioral change to the showcased issue.
Yenawine cited a recent rights and responsibilities video –- called “Kids and Cops” –- about police-youth relations that KOTH produced to stimulate after-school discussion among city youth at risk of escalating encounters with police.
“I think it’s a fabulous organization,” said Dr. Baruti Kopano, Morgan State University communications department head. “The work that they do is important work for our community. We have collaborated with Kids on the Hill, and it’s been a mutually beneficial relationship.”
Another project, Yenawine said, featured collaboration with the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health that promoted, through buttons distributed at points-of-sale, healthy foods at inner city corner stores.
“Kids on the Hill … promotes social activism and social responsibility among young, mostly lower-income Baltimoreans through art-related activities,” said Dr. Joel Gittelsohn, associate professor at JHU’s School of Public Health. “They’re great to work with.”
A participant in Baltimore City’s After School initiative, 11-year-old KOTH –- at staff and youth-member levels –- shares its talents at a variety of city youth venues and networks with local businesses and community organizations to promote its work.
Its six-employee staff often teaches at Baltimore’s ACCE and Reach! Charter schools.
“Ours is an innovative approach to art-making,” Yenawine said, “which is very much focused on civic engagement and social justice. We really use art to talk about issues that impact young people’s lives. And we think we make the art process more relevant to them.”
Yenawine added that a Dec. 3 “T.V. Dinner” fundraiser at St. John’s Church on St. Paul Street will feature member videos from the past year.
At a glance
Kids on the Hill
2117 Brookfield Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21217
410-383-7200 or kidsonthehill.org
