The Young Masters, Inc.
The Young Masters, Inc. is an extended family of intergenerational Art in motion.
Our mission is to nurture and empower 21st Century Artists. This begins from the womb and continues through the afterlife.
Our village is lit up with the magic of Art. From my own five children who were grounded and grown in this buoyant and passionate art experience to the heroes and sheroes they recognized and recruited into the family—our circle is solid and only growing bigger.
The best rule of The Young Masters, Inc. is no stress allowed. This gives each member of this program a “stress-free-zone.” It gives our Art a chance to be the healing balm we have shared.
Our Young Masters can become Gold Stars but on the upper level they have moved into Platinum to Bei Black. Their works and reputations include the mastery of Luis Peralta who went from graffiti to pro muralist with important commissions in his international reputation. Janali Thompson is our own video master working professionally in the field while leading the film quest and still producing the sculptures that he began at Duke Ellington. His younger brother, Jajaf Thompson picked up the stylus as well as the brush and is leading our cyberspace graphic illustration and design force. Kamala Subramanian, fellow Ellington / WCA alum helped us begin our 501c3 but also shares the ideals of public and fine art excellence.
Interns have kept the YM growing stronger as they have progressed from high school through college.
Our Recreation vs. Re-creation program has combined tennis with art. Lead by Enoch Thompson and fortified by H'cone Thompson, they have helped us bring more than art to uplift and empower the lives of our youth.
Many of our earliest Young Masters are soaring into their doctorates and giving back to the Young Masters in powerful ways. Folami Ford is doing just that—her last quest produced the traditional Rites of Passage for yet another generation. Hakiba Thompson joins his sister and other dedicated Young Master board members in a new generation that understands the responsibility of a non-profit while appreciating our dream quests. Their generosity as this organization, still powered by volunteer efforts continues after 35 years of extended family activities and programs.
Truly the Rites of Passage program is only one of the signature pieces of The Young Masters. The Homecoming (Brookland/Monroe Street) Bridge Public Art, Body Canvas (Art In Motion), Mask-R-Aid Balls, and Recreation vs. Re-Creation—Young Masters Tennis are all projects that have helped fortify our mission.
The Mamas and the Babas (The Founding Mothers and the awesome Fathers) have kept the organization as a village family using Art as a way to connect and cure as well as to create joy, beauty, and a better community.
To learn more about The Young Masters, Inc. go to www.youngmastersinc.org or visit them on FaceBook.
PEACE WARS
Peace Wars ‘99 began with a classroom lesson on how to teach children how to fight for what they believe in nonviolently using ART. I taught them to unleash their ART-illary to paint the bomb and consequently we planned to blow up a bridge with Art. During the experience we enjoyed all kinds of lessons. My studio was conquered and became Fort Brookland. Our Art Army engineered “Mama Julee’s War Bucks,” planted “green-aides” (gardens), and changed the language of battle.
Alas, though the concept was great, the idea of using Art and fighting for Peace nonviolently got lost. In our determination to go straight for Peace we crossed out the Wars in ’99 and went straight for Peace in Peace 2000.
It was quite a journey! In 2001 A Peace Odyssey, we were finally able to blow up our bridge. The Army of Artists brought me through my own journey to a new world vision realizing that war is actually obsolete. To find out more about the Peace War Chronicles check out www.youngmastersinc.org.