Middle School Art Teacher Dwayne Wilson has a passion for using the power of art as a tool to help lower-income, minority youth manage and rise above their daily challenges, anxieties, and socioeconomic pressures. Before moving to Charlotte from California, he had extensive experience working with inner-city youth in Los Angeles County schools to create arts programs and projects that fostered creativity, independence, and confidence.
After joining Country Day in 2012, Mr. Wilson learned about The Arts Empowerment Project (TAEP), which collaborates with juvenile justice agencies to make a difference in the lives of Charlotte-area children affected by violence and domestic abuse. He serves as TAEP’s coordinator for the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), a role that bridges his professional and volunteer worlds.
The reason this work is so important to me is because I know it is making a difference. We are utilizing the arts as a creative vessel for healing, personal connection with the surrounding community, and individual expression. These wonderful students inspire me every day.
The program gets students from all types of backgrounds in seventh through twelfth grades involved, including from Country Day. Currently more than 40 Upper and Middle School students are YAC members. Volunteer opportunities range from leading art activities at the YWCA’s “Free Arts Fridays” and mentoring kids ages four to eight; creating public art projects, such as a tile mosaic at the Courthouse Building in Uptown Charlotte; attending one monthly YAC meeting; and donating, creating, and distributing “heART Packs” gift boxes of art supplies to Charlotte-area youth programs and schools.
“The YAC members collaborate with children of varying ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultures, which provide a cohesive and inclusive environment for everyone to feel safe and confident,” explains Mr. Wilson. “They bring that experience into the Country Day classroom, as well as an understanding of how creative expression allows each and every participant to develop and portray their individuality, without judgment. This lays the foundation for successful, developmental growth in the areas of critical thinking, problem solving, and risk-taking.”
Alternatively, Mr. Wilson brings his Country Day experience to TAEP. “The first element is cultural proficiency and inclusivity,” he explains. “Many of the children TAEP serves are of different cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. I model for the YAC students how to create a welcoming environment and how to construct art activities that allow us to learn about each student’s culture. Another key element I bring is perspective. I always attempt to see my activities through the eyes of the children creating them, in the hopes they are challenging and fun.”