Opening: Works From GLIDE’s Youth and Children’s Program On Display at GLIDE, 6/2 - 8/19

“Beautiful are the Souls of my People”
Selected Works From GLIDE’s Youth and Children’s Program On Display in GLIDE’s Creative Space

June 2 Through August 19

Address:
GLIDE’s Creative Space, GLIDE, 330 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Exhibition Dates:
June 2, 2011 –August 19, 2011

Visiting Times:
Monday - Friday, 10AM - 5PM, Sundays, 9am – 12:30pm

Opening Reception:
Thursday, June 2, 2011, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
with special viewing for Children from 3:30pm – 5:30pm

Community Reception:
Sunday, June 5 following the 9am and 11am Celebrations

The GLIDE Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC) drew inspiration from the Langston Hughes poem, “My People,” for the title of their self-curated exhibit, Beautiful are the Souls of my People, scheduled to open on June 2nd in GLIDE’s Creative Space.

Created and developed by the children over the course of last year, the collection includes a culmination of pieces which consists of pop-art portraits inspired by 80’s icon Andy Warhol from the Pre-school and Kindergarten groups, mixed-media self-portraits from the 1st and 2nd graders, and contour illustration and super hero identity portraits from the 3rd through 5th graders. The exhibit is an exploration of the self through portraiture and will feature work from 4-10 year olds.

“This exhibit is a major platform for our children to tell their own stories, to embrace the fullness of a rich legacy, and to affirm their humanity,” states Janice Mirikitani, Founding President of GLIDE. ”Many of our young people have experienced the difficulties of being marginalized. Their expression through self-portraits is a means by which our children define themselves and celebrate who they are.”

In a time when many schools are losing creative arts programs to budget cuts, FYCC is proud to offer an outlet for creative expression to their kids, something that will help them as they grow into adults in today’s world. Candice Jacobs, FYCC Creative Arts Lead Teacher reflected, “I want the kids to understand the world differently, to experience their world more fully, to learn from the world from an artist’s perspective.”

Beautiful are the Souls of my People will open in GLIDE’s Creative Space on Thursday, June 2nd, coinciding with the first day of FYCC’s Summer Programming. The public is invited to a free Opening Reception on Thursday, June 2, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm with special viewing for children from 3:30pm to 5:30pm.

A second community reception will be held on Sunday, June 5th following the church’s Celebration services at 9am and 11am.

The Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth, and Childcare Center (FYCC) offers a holistic set of resources to help families realize their potential at home, in school, and as leaders of the community, in a safe and welcoming environment. We serve children from the ages of 2-12 with a continuum of licensed childcare and afterschool and summer programs including tutoring, literacy enhancement, computer instruction, creative arts, counseling, advocacy, case management, and nutrition education. FYCC also works closely with families to provide parenting and leadership skills, case management, and wellness and peer support groups. FYCC provides 2,420 hours of licensed childcare annually.

About GLIDE
Located at Ellis and Taylor in the Tenderloin, one of San Francisco's harshest urban environments, GLIDE is an oasis that has served the poor and disenfranchised for more than 45 years. GLIDE is unconditional in its love, support and commitment to the community it serves – providing a range of holistic services from meals to housing to healthcare in order to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization. With an unwavering commitment grounded in spirituality and emotional understanding, GLIDE is a leading organization for social justice – inspiring the larger community to celebrate humanity through compassion, generosity and acceptance. For more information, visit http://www.glide.org or call 415.674.6000.