Are you the first in your family to...
Grow up in this country? Graduate high school? Be openly LGBTQ+?
Go to college? Speak English? Be an activist? Be incarcerated?
Be drug free? Break a silence? Be a feminist? Be an artist?
Are you First Generation?
ARTS AND COMMUNITY
Artistic training includes workshops in theater, dance, karate, voice, creative writing, and more.
As part of our artistic training, First Gen members also attend theater and dance performances, and cultural events all over New England and New York.
As part of our community building process, First Gen members share meals and go on adventures together: we climb mountains, go apple picking, attend festivals, go swimming, visit cities, and so much more. We also go on 3-day community building and leadership development retreats.
Some participants join the ensemble to create and tour original performances inspired by their experiences and those of their families and communities.
First Generation ensembles create powerful performances that engage audiences in dialogues about social, cultural, and generational issues. The youth then take these performances to schools, colleges, theaters, community centers, youth programs, festivals, and social justice conferences.
INTERGENERATIONAL MENTORING
First Gen members participate in mentor training, and then become mentors for their peers and children ages 6-12 in our Ubuntu Arts Community.
LEADERSHIP AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
First Gen youth participate in community building, leadership training, and social justice workshops on a wide range of subjects, including– communication, group facilitation, identifying oppression, decolonization, hypermasculinity, gender-based violence, local and global social justice movements, trauma, conflict de-escalation, and bystander awareness.
YOUTH SUPPORT: EDUCATION AND HEALTH
First Gen members develop the confidence and courage to dream and reach for ambitious futures. We strive to give them all the tools, resources and support to achieve their goals.
We connect First Gen participants with academic support when needed, communicate with teachers and guidance counselors, and work with parents on advocating for them in the school system. We also help with the college application process, including identifying scholarships. We remain connected throughout college to support our members through graduation and beyond.
We mentor our members in advocating for themselves in the medical and mental health systems, communicating with families and to support their decision-making. We also help with transportation to appointments when needed.
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS
Four times a year First Generation youth host Family and Community Celebrations— gatherings with live music, dance, spoken word, poetry, theater and food. Family and Community Celebrations include performances by First Generation youth and Ubuntu Arts Community gems, and an all ages open mic for family members, professional artists, and community members.