Celeste and Jessica

Staff Updates

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A March Hare and Thin Mints

Featured AfA Staff Members

Article written by Becca Hannigan

If you haven’t been able to spend time with and get to know either Celeste Seiler or Jessica Jarrard, I’m here to recommend doing so. They were kind enough to take some time out of their workday in the AfA office to chat and tell me about themselves (and each other at some points in the discussion) and their new positions within the organization. Here’s a brief rundown of some things I learned about their work at AfA and lives otherwise:

Celeste Seiler (Michele Skye on social media): Agency Administrator
From: San Antonio, Texas
Celeste is married to a CMT and RN and is the mother of two girls, age three and five.
Journey at AfA: Celeste began by volunteering, then worked as an intern last January. She moved into a position as Agency Administrator/Program Manager in April 2018.
Excited about: “A lot of new things that we (AfA) are establishing: new relationships, coming up with plans to generate more funds, and getting out in the community even more.”
Character from Alice in Wonderland she’s most like: “White Rabbit. I always have a sense of urgency about me. I can’t be late.”
Takes her tea: “Plain.”
Loves (other than AfA): “To cook. It’s my thing that makes the stress melt away. I love southern comfort food. Mexican food is my favorite. I make an awesome enchilada casserole.” (check out her [old] blog, featuring delicious vegan recipes: compassionatetummies.blog
Olive oil or butter? “I’ve been a vegan for seven years this month. So probably olive oil.”
Other info she wants to share about AfA: “We became members of the Art District on Santa Fe last year, which means we have the opportunity to be part of ‘The Art of Brunch.’ It will be once a month, on the last Sunday of March, April, and May, from 11-3pm each day. It’s basically like an open house for art, poetry and music.
“I signed up to do the Colfax Marathon. We need more people to sign up!” [just put Art from Ashes in as your charity when registering: www.runcolfax.org/runner-info/run-for-a-nonprofit ]
“AfA’s 2019 calendars have been printed! We’ve been asking for a $50, but since we have about a dozen left and it’s well into the year, we’re asking for $20. It’s full of beautiful youth artwork and poetry!” [donate here and request the calendar in your note: bit.ly/donateafa]
Other badges she wears (We’re guessing she needs a sash for all these badges): President of the PTA and Girl Scout Cookie Sales Manager “I’m way too involved in everything. I keep busy.”
Favorite Girl Scout cookie: “Thin Mints are the only vegan ones. Before I was vegan, I really liked the Trefoils.”

Jessica Jarrard: Director of Operations
From: North Carolina, in a small town near Winston, Salem
Journey at AfA: Jessica started as a volunteer in 2014, working in communications and grant writing. She was on the Board of Directors for several years and is now the Director of Operations. As D of O, she oversees volunteers, FUNdevelopment, HR, and community collaborations, AKA making sure that everyone knows about us.
Excited about: “We’re just really excited to look at new ways to develop funds and new opportunities for serving more young people, along with increasing volunteer engagement—because it’s all so connected. You get more people involved, then new things start to happen, which means you have more to communicate and thus need more people to help communicate, and on and on.”
“Denver’s changing. There are many new organizations out there, and a lot going on, which means we have more opportunities for collaborating. AfA also recently won the Denver Mayor’s Award, which is helping us boost our potential partnerships and collaborations.”
Character from Alice in Wonderland she’s most like: (after much discussion/contemplation) “I guess you could say I’m the March Hare, because it’s always tea time. I do love tea parties…but I’m not crazy! Much.”
On the subject of tea: “I love all tea.”
Loves (other than AfA and tea): “I like to be outside. To hike. I’ve done 35 of the Colorado 14ers. The Wetterhorn is my favorite.”
Favorite local trail: “The Chicago Lakes trail.”
Pets: Jessica is the mother of “an adorable husky mix, Bernie.”
Favorite Girl Scout cookie: “Thin mints in the freezer. Tagalongs, too.”

Photo of founderJim Darling

Catherine O’Neill Thorn Honored As A Westword Colorado Creative

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100 Colorado Creatives are chosen by journalist and artist Susan Froyd for the Westword honor and published on their site (below). You can read the Executive Director of AfA’s thoughtful and often irreverant ideas on the state of the arts in Colorado and her personal motivations and inspiration for her work. Susan’s Facebook post is also linked below.

Click here for the story in Westword

Click here for the Facebook post

2018 Westword Article

Catherine O'Neill Thorn is a Colorado Creatives in all the best ways, as an eloquent writer, speaker and poet, as well…

Posted by Susan Froyd on Monday, December 3, 2018

ROTG Recap

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Running of the Gays flyerby Boone Riddle

High heels and high spirits, open hearts and open bar tabs, tears and twerking, performance and passion. At the intersection of activism and celebration, where vulnerable expression and raunchy comedy are served up in spades, where dedicated warriors pour out their souls as they pour another cocktail—THIS is Running of the Gays. 

The 9th Annual Running of the Gays once again put on this faux marathon in heels to highlight the brilliance of our youth. A silly event with the serious purpose of supporting empowerment workshops for queer youth.  

Our 2018 event was both a familiar family reunion, and a leap forward for our organization. Our incredible youth poets captivated the audience with open, raw, and frequently hilarious expressions of their struggles and their victories. Other performers threw down sultry musical performances as the crowd cheered and tipped and begged for more. However they chose to express themselves, the showcase of talent from our youth performers was a powerful, tangible display of their hearts—and AfA’s work to facilitate their transformation.

Running of the Gays continues to gain visibility with local media, community, and supporters. Many new faces joined the team and gave their all to make this event happen. Running of the Gays was even featured on the FOX31 network! Our incredible network of staff, volunteers, and donors is stronger than ever. Planning for next year’s Running of the Gays is already underway! This is all made possible by your support for Art from Ashes. Thank you. We’ll see you at the 10th Annual Running of the Gays next year!

Thank you to our 2018 sponsors!

Ace Eat Serve

Steubens

Outfront

Fleur Salon

X Bar

The Bank of Denver

Charlie's Nightclub Denver

Pizzeria Locale

For some hilarious photos and videos of the event, check out our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/RunningOfTheGays/

Writing Prompt-I am a poet

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Set a timer for three minutes and write without thinking or editing until the time is up! Here’s a prompt to help you get started…

Read more

Youth Interview-Desmond

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An interview with 20-year-old Desmond Dukes, AfA workshop participant and guest poet 

by Anna Ingraham

Anna: How did you first get involved with AfA?

Desmond: Well, that’s a funny, mysterious story. My friend and I were riding the H-train to 16th street downtown, when we noticed an RTD guy walking up the isle scanning train passes. We didn’t pay for passes! So we hurried and exited at the next stop, which happened to be 10th and Osage. I walked around for a little and was drawn in by the Art from Ashes poster. Then, I found out about the weekly art workshops, and have been popping up there ever since. I like to think the universe guided me there that day.

Anna: So it sounds like you’ve mostly been to the drop-in workshops. What has been your experience with those? 

Desmond: Well, it’s really nice having a community of people to come spend time with. All of my family is back in Texas, so having a group of people to create with really helps me to not feel lonely. I love all of the different things we create! I have magnets and banners and paintings throughout my house now that all remind me of AfA. I try to go to both (the poetry and art workshops) as often as possible. 

Anna: I’m glad it’s been such a good experience for you! Were you an artist and writer before AfA? 

Desmond: I was an artist and writer before AfA. I was writing stories in English class and looking up words in the thesaurus to find words that better fit the picture I was trying to paint. This translated into my music skills later. Around my freshman year, a friend asked me to freestyle with him, and I found I was actually pretty good! So I went from story writing to eventually poetry and rapping and singing over beats I found on Soundcloud and Youtube. Being in choir and percussion taught me rhythm and helped me to find my distinct sound. 

Anna: How has being a guest poet for AfA been for you?

Desmond: I really like the experience of being impactful to high school kids, because I remember when I was in high school, and I just know how influential a message can be. It’s very rare that people can be influential these days, and I know that I can be a positive impact. I want youth to know that they don’t have to give in to the social norm. It’s okay to love yourself! You can just be yourself, and everything’s going to be okay. You don’t have to fit in just to get more followers. When you don’t have a lot of followers because you’re being yourself, those who are following you are doing so because they genuinely like you and care about your work.

Anna: That is such an important message! Do you think that you’re going to continue being a guest poet?

Desmond: I definitely think that I will as long as I’m in Colorado. I really like the AfA community, and anything that I can do to be a part of it, I’m more than willing. 

Anna: Do you feel like creating art, writing, and music has helped you embrace yourself more fully?

Desmond: I feel like creation is a way for us to see what our minds look like, and to hear what our thoughts sound like. You don’t have to try, everyone just exists in a different way. Creating is a very good way to find yourself as an individual. 

Anna: What do you see yourself doing in the future?

Desmond: Eventually, I want to go to school to become a counselor of some sort. I think that I’m very good at talking to people and observing their problems objectively. I feel like I would be good at helpingkids to see what’s causing their problems. A lot of methods these days, instead of finding the root of the problem, kind of just suppress it. I want them to be aware that everything they experience has a reason behind it. 

Anna: It sounds like you’re really passionate about this work. Do you think that the arts will continue to be a part of your life as you move towards a counseling career?

Desmond: I feel as if when I do help people with counseling, I’ll probably sing to them and help them to bring out their inner voice. I believe that everyone can sing, you just have to find out where your range is. I’ll help people to draw, because it’s not about if it looks cool, it’s about learning about yourself. I think I’ll be that kind of counselor and I really feel like I’ll effect peoples daily lives. 

Anna: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me! We are lucky to have you involved with us at AfA! 

Recently I bought a synthesizer(basically a piano) and a looper pedal, and I’ve been practicing adding layers on eachother. Eventually I want to get to a point where I perform live with it. I hope you enjoy this recording I did on my phone of a song I’m in the works of orchestrating. Never forget to shine your light☀️

???? sʜɪɴᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ????

Poem written by Desmond in three minutes:

A SPIRIT OF ONE

In this time day and age of a government suppression
many minds are confused, many people conjure questions
and though they tell you the answer’s simple, small, flat, and green
i’m here to share with you it’s not as simple as it seems
shoving products in your face to keep you always wanting more
keep you always wanting money, keep you knocking at their door
no it’s not a fucking want, its a motherfuckin’ NEED
their method of control is individuality and greed
and you think im fuckin’ crazy, don’t think i know just how i sound?
but if you look a little closer, then these words will be profound
there’s no need for feeling empty and no need for feeling down
everything possesses beauty if you take a look around
for the primary function of the universe is love
from the atoms made within us to the galaxies above
all the legs, fins, wings, plants, underneath the sun
all are infinite in unity, all a spirit of one

To Need Or Not To Need

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To need or not to need?

(download or view as a pdf: here)

I haven’t used the word “need” in a direct request in 15 years, since the inception of Art from Ashes. At that time, I was convinced that because our process and our results were so amazing and innovative (which they are), as we shared our work with people, we would soon have enough funds to spread our programs of connection and power through creative expression all over the world within a few years!! (In my defense, it wasn’t so much naiveté as a sincere combination of trust and faith…which, now that I think of it, could be considered naiveté. ????????‍♀️)

Turns out, although our unique creative process sets us apart, like all the other nonprofits doing awesome work, we have indeed had to—and continue to—spend countless hours of agency time and tons of resources writing grants and grant reports, seeking donations, doing statistical analysis, managing a database, communicating in a way that inspires and engages people, holding events, recruiting and nurturing volunteers—not to mention paying the bills and of course paying the lovely and hardworking people who must pay their bills.

Over the past 15 months, Art from Ashes also had to face the challenge of my cancer diagnosis. Although I have worked the entire time I’ve been fighting cancer, staying as financially stable as in previous years has been demanding, and hope has sometimes seemed elusive. Yet hope and empowerment are exactly what AfA provides. They are as vital to existence as more tangible things like food and clothing—just ask anyone who is fighting for their life. Donating to AfA provides hope to a population that may otherwise not be served. So, yes. We need you. The youth need you. 

What we do STILL works like magic. What we do is still changing the world for thousands of youth, as well as improving the landscape of our communities. And what we do is still unique and special—just like the young people we serve (544 to date in 2018, plus another 100+ who signed in but didn’t fill out intake forms).

Our amazing results have won us numerous awards, and we hope you’ll join us in our continued success, so we can accomplish even more. Art from Ashes needs $20,000 in financial support by year’s end to help us increase the number of youth served in 2019 to 750 and to add transformational dance and movement to our program offerings!

There are at least five ways you can support AfA during this Season of Light and time of generosity and thanksgiving. We hope you will consider one or more:

  1. #GivingTuesday! This Tuesday, November 27, Facebook has teamed up with Paypal to MATCH ALL DONATIONS through Facebook fundraisers. You can either start a fundraiser (instructions here) and select Art from Ashes (look for our logo) or give to an existing one (link to ours!). Please do one or maybe even both!
  2. PayPal Gives Back! If you want to donate directly through PayPal with your account, they’ll be increasing all holiday giving by 1% through PayPal’s donate page and the PayPal app from November 27 through December 31. That’s sweet! No fees, either! Any size donation this holiday will be worth that little bit extra.
  3. Colorado Gives Day! Every year, Community First Foundation and FirstBank present a statewide movement that celebrates and increases philanthropy in Colorado. There is a $1 million incentive fund and we get a little piece of it depending on how much is donated during the 24 hours starting at 12:01am on December 4th. HOWEVER, you can plan ahead and give now, allocating the donation to CO Gives Day! We hope you will include us when you give this year.
  4. Celebration of Light! Each year on Colorado Gives Day, we invite all of our past, present and future partners, volunteers, guest artists and poets, youth participants, donors and grantors to a holiday party that celebrates this season of light. Our events team has been hard at work planning this wonderful event. We would love to see you and show you what we’re up to in our beautiful space at 10th and Navajo.
  5. Volunteer! Most of our volunteers also work full-time jobs, and while we ask only 6 hours a month, that can be difficult for many. If you have six hours a month to give, we would love board members, interns and people skilled in communications, events planning, grant writing, FunDevelopment, database management, office work, and anything else essential to running a business. We also provide training for facilitation if you’d like to work directly with our young people. Apply here!

Well, there, I did it. To need or not to need? The answer is we need you now more than ever. And because giving is a blessing, we hope you will consider blessing yourself and the youth we serve before the end of the year.

With trust and faith (still),  

Catherine

PS. Pre-order our 2019 Art from Ashes youth art/poetry calendar! Just be sure to request the calendar when you make a $50 donation.

Also, check out our holiday letter and read about my cancer treatment update.

2018 Colorado Gives Day

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Colorado Gives Day is December 4th this year, and your donation carries even more weight because of a FirstBank incentive fund. We would love you to consider Art from Ashes youth as the beneficiaries of your generosity.

We’re also having a Celebration of Light Holiday Party at our location on 10th and Navajo between 7 and 9 pm to celebrate our donors and youth and staff and board and volunteers and… well, everyone who has made AfA possible for the past 15 years!

And if you would rather give early, you can do that, too, by selecting the CO GIVES DAY button when donating .

We could really use the support, this year in particular. Please help out with however much you are able! http://bit.ly/afacogivesday

You can schedule your COGivesDay donation early! Here’s how (really, just click the little box that says CO Gives Day when donating):

2018 Holiday Letter

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Thank you for taking the time to read the news of AfA! This holiday season, we hope you will be blessed with love, health, and hope, in the same way that we reach out to bless the most vulnerable in our community through poetry and art and a belief in their value.

Hopefully you can join us for the holiday party on the 4th (invitation below)!

Meanwhile, here’s what we have to share during this wonderful season of light:

(read the pdf of our 2018-Annual Request Letter or read text below)

Happy Holidays from Kumi!  

My name is Kumi, and I am 18 years old. This holiday season, I’d like to share my story of transformation with you.

Before Art from Ashes, I was just an empty shell named Kumi, and I had a degree in making bad decisions. Now I’m getting a different kind of degree at CCD, thanks in large part to Art from Ashes! 

I was full of creativity, hidden behind a door barred shut by my enemy Bipolar Disorder. I was frustrated, depressed, ecstatic, and powerless. Imagine trying to defeat a monster with only a bottle of pills, the wrong kind of friends, and bad love relationships. Doesn’t make much sense, right? 

But then Art from Ashes came to our Creative Writing class at Endeavor Academy. I was so excited about how easy it was to let out my creativity in the form of poetry. I didn’t really ever do much poetry before, so it was new and interesting…and soon it became my favorite thing to do. 

I finally had something new to fight my monster with and you better believe I felt empowered! I felt strong with my new weapon and confident in my new skills. I learned the power of my voice as I read my poetry to the people willing to listen, and I learned how to conquer my fears. And with Art from Ashes, I learned to help empower others, as well.

Art from Ashes was able to come to Endeavor Academy because of generous donations from community members just like you. I’d like to thank you for your support and ask that you please consider financially supporting Art from Ashes this holiday season so that more youth can experience empowerment and transformation through art and poetry.

—Kumi Avila, Youth Representative to the Art from Ashes Board of Directors

Here’s what your generous donation provides:

  • At Art from Ashes, we believe in paying artists! Your donation of $50 provides an honorarium for a guest poet or artist to inspire and motivate the young people in our workshops.
  • We spend more than $1000 a year providing an honorarium to youth who perform their poetry for the community! Any amount you designate can support that goal!
  • We believe in healthy food and LOTS of water for youth. Your donation of $50 will provide enough food and water for one 2-hour workshop for up to 20 young people! How many workshops would you like to support?
  • A monthly donation of $100 will provide writing and art materials for four of our weekly drop-in workshops, held every Wednesday (Phoenix Rising) and Thursday (Drawing on Air Creative Time).
  • A one-time gift of $2000 will support a year’s worth of weekly workshops for a struggling youth. 
  • A one-time gift of $5000 will provide the cost of an 8-workshop program for 20 youth ($15/hr. per youth), which would include operating costs as well as program expenses.
  • Of course, we would very much appreciate any amount you’re willing to donate!

Does your employer match your donation? Please let us know!

And we hope you’ll come to our Annual Celebration of Light Party on Colorado Gives Day, Dec 4th from 7 to 9 pm at Art from Ashes, 1310 west 10th ave, denver

Happy Season of Light from the board and staff of AfA! 

We hope you enjoyed Kumi’s powerful story of transformation. Stories like Kumi’s, and the stories we’ve heard from countless other young people over the years, remind us why we exist and inspire us to continue this important work. Colorado Gives Day is Tuesday, December 4th—a day that allows our generous donors to contribute towards that beautiful goal. During that 24-hour period your donation counts more than any other time.

Speaking of years…on October 10, Art from Ashes celebrated its 15th anniversary! That’s 15 years of young people discovering their creative genius through our unique and innovative programs. At Art from Ashes, we believe that by discovering their creativity, young people are empowered through art and poetry to find their voice, change their stories, and transform their lives. And as numerous studies and our own surveys have shown, it works.

In 2018, Art from Ashes experienced a few transformations as well:

  • AfA won the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Arts and Culture! This prestigious award is given to organizations that make significant and lasting contributions in the City and County of Denver. What a great way to celebrate our 15th anniversary!
  • AfA merged with Violet Hive’s Art As Healing youth program, a nonprofit organization that shares our belief that art facilitates empowerment and healing. Founder of Violet Hive, Amy Leiter, joined the AfA staff; Bridget Hofstadter of Violet Hive is now our volunteer coordinator; and both are trained Phoenix Rising facilitators who have expanded our weekly Creative Time drop-in workshops!
  • Our programs and the work we do with youth in the community were highlighted on CBS4 and Fox Network, helping to send our message of hope and transformation to thousands of people.
  • AfA hosted and facilitated a workshop for the World Denver Iraqi Youth Delegation.
  • AfA has now partnered with more than 180 organizations to serve nearly 13,000 young people! 

In addition to our ongoing workshops in the community and weekly on-site workshops, young people have shared their stories and their voices at a number of events in 2018. Some of these events include monthly First Friday performances at AfA, the Mercury Café’s 30th Annual Poetry Rodeo, the Youth Voices in Recovery poetry performance, and AfA’s 9th Annual Running of the Gays. Additionally, two of our youth poets were featured at the 2018 Denver Women’s March, where they performed in front of thousands of people! 

Seeing the magic happen in workshops and watching the transformation of both youth and community members during performances and art shows re-ignites our passion for the work we do and leaves us energized for a groundbreaking future:

  • Next year Violet Hive artists and AfA staff will expand the Drawing on Air curriculum, which is built on the foundation of our award-winning Phoenix Rising program.
  • Of our existing trained facilitators, two are professional dancers interested in expanding and facilitating our Wingspan program, which we hope to launch by the end of 2019.

Our programs are magical, but we can’t soar without you. We hope you will help us meet our goal to serve even more youth in 2019. Please consider making a holiday contribution to provide creative empowerment workshops to the young people in our community.

With gratitude and joy,

The Art from Ashes staff, board, facilitators, contractors and volunteers

Catherine O’Neill Thorn, Celeste Seiler, Bridget Hofstadter, Sarah Lanzarotta, Samantha Albala, Savannah Arterburn, Tiffany Bowden, Amy Leiter, Marie Verrett, Carolyn Klier, Lewis Lease, Jessica Jarrard, Susie Martin, Johnnie Thorn, Kumi Avila, plus 63 interns, volunteers, and guest poets/artists!

PS. For those of you who have been supporting, praying for, and thinking of Catherine as she has journeyed through this difficult past year, you can find her medical update on our website here: www.artfromashes.org/category/news

Mayor’s Award for Arts and Culture

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Art from Ashes is the 2018 winner of the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Arts & Culture: Youth Award

The award is presented to an organization that has significantly impacted the lives of youth in the City and County of Denver through the arts.

[popup_trigger id=”8113″ tag=”button”]En Español[/popup_trigger]

Thank you to the selection committee for the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts & Culture (including Erika Righter of Hope Tank), who honored Art from Ashes with the Youth Award!

Also honored were Dorothy Tanner (Innovation Award), Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center (Global Award), Colorado Ballet/Keya Clairmont (IMAGINE 2020 Award), and René Heredia Flamenco Fantasy Dance Theatre (Impact Award). Thank you to Mayor Hancock, and Denver Arts & Venues, particularly Tariana Navas-Nieves, Becky Grupe and Brooke Dilling who set up the whole event!

Thank you also to Indigenous artist Jonathan Nelson for the beautiful journals, desserts from woman-owned Sugar Bakeshop and Coffee House, awards from Access Gallery, and event photography from veteran photographers, TASK FORCE ISO.

Thank you to emcees Suzi Q. Smith and Rachel Bayse, and for the great music by David Ochoa!

And we are so grateful for the wonderful work of Zerosun for this most amazing video!