Youth On Record

YOUTH ON RECORD EMPOWERS COLORADO'S UNDERSERVED YOUTH TO ACHIEVE THEIR ACADEMIC, ARTISTIC, AND PERSONAL BEST BY EMPLOYING LOCAL PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS AS THEIR EDUCATORS. VISION: YOUTH ON RECORD'S VISION IS FOR YOUTH TO DISCOVER HOW THEIR VOICE AND VALUE CAN CREATE A BETTER WORLD.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES FY 2021DESPITE SYSTEMS AND CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HARM MANY OF THE YOUNG CREATIVES, YOR STAFF, ARTISTS AND YOUTH DEMONSTRATED DETERMINATION, CREATIVITY, TALENT, EMPATHY, HOPE AND COURAGE. YOR'S WORK ADDRESSED SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION AND SEEKS TO PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL TOOLS TO BOTH NAVIGATE AND ULTIMATELY DISMANTLE SYSTEMS OF INEQUITY, WHILE ACHIEVING CREATIVE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.YOUTH ON RECORD USED THIS YEAR TO CONTINUE TO LEARN HOW TO BEST MEET THE SHIFTING NEEDS OF ITS STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES IT SERVICES. IN AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR, COLORADO'S CREATIVE INDUSTRIES HAD TO REINVENT THEIR BUSINESS MODELS TO SUSTAIN FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL GROWTH AND PIVOT TO PROVIDE VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES DURING THE COVID19 PANDEMIC. WITH THESE CHALLENGES, YOR LEVERAGED ITS CREATIVITY AND RESILIENCE TO UNCOVER SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATION AND NEW VIRTUAL PROGRAM OFFERINGS. THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES STRATEGY OF YOR CONTINUES TO PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO DISRUPT CYCLES OF INEQUITY BY CREATING SPACES WHERE THEIR ARTISTIC INSIGHT, UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND VOICE ENTERS MAINSTREAM DISCOURSE. LINKING IDENTITY AND POWER THROUGH MUSIC AND WORK CENTERS THE VOICE OF THE NEXT GENERATION. THIS YEAR, YOR CONTINUED ITS WORK TO DISRUPT HISTORIC INEQUITIES BY BUILDING NEW CREATIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS, CENTERED BY THE VOICE OF THE YOUTH.AS SCHOOLS MOVED TO VIRTUAL PROGRAMING, AND AS YOR'S PROGRAM PLANS AND IMPLEMENTATION APPROACHES SHIFTED, YOUTH WERE CONSULTED ALONG THE WAY TO ENSURE RECOMMENDED APPROACHES STILL RESULTED IN ACCESSIBLE AND BENEFICIAL PROGRAMMING FOR PARTICIPANTS. THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, YOR FORCREDIT PROGRAMMING CONTINUED VIRTUALLY USING SCHOOLOGY OR GOOGLE CLASSROOM, AND ALL TEACHING ARTISTS AND PARTNER ARTISTS WERE TRAINED IN EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO MAINTAIN STUDENT ENGAGEMENT THROUGH ONLINE TEACHING. ADDITIONALLY, ALL YOR TEACHING ARTISTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO PRERECOR LESSONS TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS, AND TO HOST VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS TO ENSURE THE SOCIALEMOTIONAL NEEDS OF PARTICIPANTS WERE ALSO BEING MET. YOR'S ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES STRATEGY CONTINUES TO PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO DISRUPT CYCLES OF INEQUITY BY CREATING SPACES WHERE THEIR ARTISTIC INSIGHT, UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND VOICE ENTERS MAINSTREAM DISCOURSE.FURTHERMORE, YOR'S COMMUNITY ACTIVATION EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE ANNUAL YOUTHLED BLOCK PARTY AND MUSIC RESIDENCY PROGRAMS, HAVE HAD TO PIVOT DUE TO COVID19 AND THE HEALTH RISK FACTORS POSED BY CLIENT CHANGE.FINALLY, OVER THE COURSE OF THREE MONTHS IN 2021, DENVER EXPERIENCED THE WORST AIR QUALITY OF ANY MAJOR CITY IN THE WORLD. FACING THESE DEVASTATING REALITIES YOR HAS CANCELED FIVE OUTDOOR SHOWS, PUTTING THE HEALTH OF STAFF, YOUTH AND LOCAL MUSICIANS FIRST. THE COVID19 PANDEMIC, SOCIAL UNREST AND IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE HAVE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES. AS SUCH THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTENTIONAL SUPPORT SPACES FOR BIPOC ARTISTS IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. YOR'S WORK ADDRESSES SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION AND SEEKS TO PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL TOOLS TO BOTH NAVIGATE AND ULTIMATELY DISMANTLE SYSTEMS OF INEQUITY, WHILE ACHIEVING CREATIVE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. TO BUILD THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, YOR IS DEDICATED TO CREATING SAFE SPACES AND PROVIDING TRAUMAINFORMED, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT. THIS APPROACH REQUIRES ADDITIONAL OVERHEAD TO SUPPORT CURRENT AND INCOMING STAFF WITH GUIDANCE AND ONGOING TRAINING.