Event Description: Acknowledging the huge need for arts and mentoring for young girls of color, The Gem Project is an interdisciplinary arts and community engagement initiative that fuses dance, art, film & media, theater, and mentoring to cultivate an atmosphere of healing and problem-solving for young girls ages 10-18.

The Gem Project consists of 3, 1-hour workshops in dance and art making. Following the art and movement classes, lunch will be provided to the participants and accompanied by a facilitated group discussion about mental wellness lead by Shalina Ali of Art of Coping. The event will finish with a 20 minute dance showing by contemporary dance performers and a short talkback with the artists will follow.

Gem Teaching Artists: Hip Hop - Jessica "JWoo" Woolridge African Dance - Prince Adrean Visual Art - Letasha Smith of Noah’s Art MKE

The Gem Project Itinerary: 8:30am - 9:00am Check in for students at Milwaukee Youth Arts Center 9am - 9:55am Class # 1 (Hip Hop, African, or Visual Art) 10am - 10:55am Class # 2 (Hip Hop, African, or Visual Art) 11am - 11:55am Class # 3 (Hip Hop, African, or Visual Art) 12pm - 1pm Lunch and Discussion lead by Shalina Ali of Art of Coping 1pm - 1:45pm Contemporary Dance showing and Discussion to follow 1:45pm - 2pm Student Pickup from Milwaukee Youth Arts Center