A failure may be deemed as something that didn’t go as planned, have a non-desired outcome, or be something tried that simply didn’t work. Some failures may even result in negative repercussions. They may cause us surprise, embarrassment, frustration and all kinds of unwanted feelings. They should be avoided at all costs- right? 

In 2022, the team at Creative Generation, in collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), spent time with hundreds of members of the BGCA community, specifically those who were interested in artistic, cultural, and creative learning in their Clubs. While at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2022 National Conference in Chicago, IL, Creative Generation held space for dialogue on the impact of BGCA Arts programs across the country.

In June of 2019 I found out I was pregnant. Thrilled, as I always wanted to be a parent. It was a beautiful nine months of wonder, excitement and planning. Wondering all the ways I could explore the arts and creativity with my little one. Excited to learn from my child and expose them to various creative experiences, planning how I might incorporate the arts into our daily practice as mother and child. So many thoughts, so many preconceived notions of how the arts would continue to be a river, creating buoyancy and movement into this new chapter of my life. Never a fear or doubt of how to keep the arts present in my upcoming new life — they had always been, as an artist is who I am.

Last week, I shared with you a bit about my friend and creative co-conspirator, Luke Chacko (LINK FROM BLOG POST), and their inspiring story using music to address the challenges faced by many young people today, especially 2SLGBTQIA+ youth.

The first time I heard this song, its catchy lyrics got stuck in my head for days and made me think: “What a true testament to what young people are experiencing right now in this intense and rapidly changing world: anxiety, pressure, worry, and yet they are finding ways to stand up and bloom.”

Luke Chacko (he/she/they) is a 16 year old musician from Arlington, Texas who went viral after Idina Menzel invited Luke and other young audience members on stage to sing "Let It Go" in July 2017. Luke’s sudden internet fame landed them an appearance on The Ellen Show in September 2017. This provided Luke with a platform to shine a light on the effects of bullying, which they had endured and ultimately overcome.

How many times have you said the phrase, “be careful!”? As a mother and teacher, I’ve said this phrase multiple times, daily. Often, I am not even conscious that I am saying it. The phrase is more reactionary, like an applause after a performance. In bringing my awareness to how and when I use this phrase, I found it being widely applied to almost any type of scenario: my toddler rushing down the stairs, “be careful here!”; a student enthusiastically opening a very full jar of paint, “be careful with that!”; teaching a technique that may potentially cause strain or overextension if done incorrectly, “be careful when you do this!”.