We recently sat down to talk to some of our participants about their experience in our new virtual programs. Justin is a second-year participant in our Youth Justice Program. As a returning participant, he helped to adapt our programs from in-person to virtual and from writing and performing a musical live on stage to creating, filming, and editing a web series online.
Q: What has your experience been like so far in our program? What has your favorite part of it been?
A: The connection between the cast is still there, even though we are now doing the program virtually. I really did want to be in person with everybody else and have those same moments—you know, get my three hugs after rehearsal, play circle improv, and whatnot—but I still feel like I am able to build those same connections. And the connections feel extremely genuine to me. It’s good for us to be meeting other young, talented people who care about the world, and just to be meeting people in general.
I like learning about music and film and the software used to edit them. I like working on a bunch of different scenes that come from completely weird, different places. Some scenes are completely outrageous and then others are really deep and serious—just being able to have that range and experience with a bunch of different people, those are my favorite parts.
Q: What are you most excited to see/do in this program?
A: We are creating a web series based on our experiences and how we think things can change, and I am excited to begin working on it. I feel like it is a huge project that will resonate with a lot of people. It’s so interesting how everybody can develop creative work, even when we feel like we have nothing to work with, something just clicks, and we build off each other’s ideas.
Q: Why do you think this project will resonate with people?
A: Its overall message of “you’re not alone” will resonate, especially now with the lack of interaction. This is the first time anybody, at least most people I know, have gone through anything like this. We are all going through it, and we can all help each other get through.
Q: What has it been like working with your peers virtually?
A: Even though there’s no physical interaction, it’s still that same fun, joking, kind of getaway. But then also, it’s a place where you don’t have to just escape, you can actually dive into whatever problems you have going on. Working with everybody is really fun, we start off doing activities or games.
There’s a lot of care in the atmosphere. When we write scenes and talk about our different experiences, we see that there’s a lot that we have in common. It helps build a real sense of connection because it doesn’t seem like we are from completely different worlds, even if we are.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for you and your peers to be around like-minded people right now?
A: I am getting ready to go to college and things are looking extremely different than I expected or dreamed of. I think it’s important for people to be around like-minded people because then you know you are not alone. It reminds you to take it one step at a time and that there are people you can reach out to, you don’t have to just keep it all in.
Q: What was your experience writing “I Need Hope?” How do you feel about the finished product?
A: Writing it was really, really fun. I liked getting to know everybody that was on the project. I always wanted to produce something with this group of people, and when we did, it was really fun. Everybody really cared about it and helped make something I think is going to spread a big message.