{"id":17851,"date":"2022-12-05T06:08:50","date_gmt":"2022-12-05T13:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/?p=17851"},"modified":"2022-12-27T13:38:57","modified_gmt":"2022-12-27T20:38:57","slug":"2022-annual-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/2022-annual-letter\/","title":{"rendered":"2022 Annual Letter"},"content":{"rendered":"<div  class='flex_column av-20uoyor-de7d9bef66974052447bdd29126e92b7 av_one_full  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_one_full  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div  '     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-lbaqt8qv-628fc8085cdbc06f817d2f482f537e30\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-lbaqt8qv-628fc8085cdbc06f817d2f482f537e30{\npadding-bottom:10px;\ncolor:#f16a26;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-lbaqt8qv-628fc8085cdbc06f817d2f482f537e30 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-lbaqt8qv-628fc8085cdbc06f817d2f482f537e30 .special-heading-inner-border{\nborder-color:#f16a26;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-lbaqt8qv-628fc8085cdbc06f817d2f482f537e30 .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-lbaqt8qv-628fc8085cdbc06f817d2f482f537e30 av-special-heading-h3 custom-color-heading  avia-builder-el-1  el_before_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-first '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag'  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Art from Ashes Annual Letter<\/h3><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-lbasujlz-f782d1eebd34f96ccbfd8e3f1b46406f '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>Mid-November every year we mail out our annual letter, which contains an appeal, and also youth poems, testimonials and inspirational stories. Because we&#8217;re environmentalists, the only mailing we send are the annual letter and our thank you notes. If you&#8217;d like to be included, please fill out your address below, and <em>many blessings for all the ways you celebrate the light of the holiday season.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div  class='flex_column av-1kkhkgr-9f01128186e7c44284fd0ac6548f8e81 av_one_full  avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_one_full  el_before_av_one_full  first no_margin flex_column_div  column-top-margin'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-lbaqm06m-25ec24d533fe1ccf07f32cdf573f8465 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3><span style=\"color: f16a26;\"><em><b>Celebrating 19 years of Hope and Magic<\/b><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4>One of the phrases we most often hear from adult stakeholders is <i>&#8220;I wish Art from Ashes was around when I was growing up.\u201d<\/i><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2019-Serenity-Endeavor-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-17852 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2019-Serenity-Endeavor-sm-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"207\" height=\"276\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2019-Serenity-Endeavor-sm-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2019-Serenity-Endeavor-sm.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 207px) 100vw, 207px\" \/><\/a>We all remember those times as adolescents and young adults when we were achingly lonely, often misunderstood, silenced in one way or another, lost in the wake of emotional or mental turmoil\u2014some of us lived in those places and carry the pain with us still. When you add the additional impact of poverty, racism, and abuse that many of our youth face, our purpose becomes clear:<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: f16a26;\"><em>To ensure young people are heard and empowered to share their creative genius, and to help them recognize how profoundly valuable they are both in themselves and to their communities.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The direct impact of our work can be measured in our amazing stats, witnessed when the youth share their creativity which we share with you, and experienced at public performances where young people reveal their courage and vulnerability through poems written in only 3 minutes. This is <b>WHAT<\/b> we do.<\/p>\n<p>We train volunteers and facilitators to deliver our life-changing curriculum, meet with partners in the community to identify needs and build coalitions of support, provide a brave and sacred space for young people to share their stories, find their genius, and imagine new paths forward, all using poetry and art. That\u2019s <b>HOW<\/b> we do it.<\/p>\n<p><b>The WHY is truly magic.<\/b><em>Why<\/em>\u00a0does AfA exist? Because <em>we don&#8217;t want young people struggling with dangerous and discouraging circumstances to believe they are alone, misunderstood, silenced, or lost.\u00a0<\/em>We want them to know without a doubt that they are the authors of their stories, the heroes of their lives, the creators of their dreams, the keepers of their hopes. We want them to know that <em>they<\/em>, in fact,\u00a0<em>are<\/em>\u00a0the WHY.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div  class='flex_column av-16vzsuz-9e37557e27bdffe76951b0e98a137560 av_one_full  avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_one_full  el_before_av_one_full  first no_margin flex_column_div  column-top-margin'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-lbau0bqi-d84ba7c5c51e28d3fa5da3b17da48fa4 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><a href=\"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2020-02-World-Denver-workshop-Laura.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-17853\" src=\"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2020-02-World-Denver-workshop-Laura-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Laura Pe\u00f1a-World Denver workshop\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2020-02-World-Denver-workshop-Laura-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2020-02-World-Denver-workshop-Laura-1030x773.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2020-02-World-Denver-workshop-Laura-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2020-02-World-Denver-workshop-Laura-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2020-02-World-Denver-workshop-Laura-1500x1125.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2020-02-World-Denver-workshop-Laura-705x529.jpg 705w, https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2020-02-World-Denver-workshop-Laura.jpg 1650w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Youth are struggling today in ways we could never have imagined even five years ago, let alone 20. The dangers that have always existed are now exacerbated by what&#8217;s happening on local and global levels. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 44% of American teens report they feel &#8220;persistently sad or hopeless.&#8221; Teen suicide and drug overdoses are on the rise, and gun violence is currently the leading cause of death for Denver youth.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>While it might seem clear what the word &#8220;struggling&#8221; means in our mission statement, to us it points toward hope. <strong>Despair gives up, hope reaches for the light. And that&#8217;s what young people in our program are doing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Their\u00a0<em>struggle<\/em>\u00a0toward the light is brave, their willingness to become vulnerable through their poetry is brave, taking the opportunity to share with their community is brave.\u00a0<strong>Will you give what you can to support their courage?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div  class='flex_column av-11md8or-133dac914725bf5ee961da7f3350376e av_one_full  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_one_full  el_before_av_three_fourth  first no_margin flex_column_div  column-top-margin'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-lbaswvrt-d8d16d4a304516c5814f038f43188f3b '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>Your gifts matter. Your generosity empowers youth to connect to their voice and transform their story. Let&#8217;s make sure our youth know they are not alone in their struggle. <b>Please <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/AfA-cogivesday\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">donate<\/a> now.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><em>May this season of light find you at peace within yourself and may any struggles you are experiencing draw you toward the light of hope.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><b>Art from Ashes staff, facilitators, board members, and volunteers<\/b><\/p>\n<p>PS. You can put your gift to work immediately here at <a href=\"http:\/\/ArtfromAshes.org\/donate\"><span class=\"s3\">ArtfromAshes.org\/donate<\/span><\/a> or through the Colorado Gives Day portal: <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/AfA-cogivesday\"><span class=\"s3\">bit.ly\/AfA-cogivesday<\/span><\/a>. If you have a Paypal account, they do not charge any fees at all: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/fundraiser\/charity\/73381\">Donate with PayPal Giving Fund<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Please <a href=\"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/2022-willows-letter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">click here<\/a> for the youth letter by Willow, they\/them, 17<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div  class='flex_column av-lbaxb6z7-d031f15c9fbe4eeb292495d1ef3ad838 av_three_fourth  avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_one_full  el_before_av_one_full  first no_margin flex_column_div  column-top-margin'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-lbaszyry-f53f674e5948ede88d88f6c8eaa1961a\">\n#top .avia-testimonial-wrapper.av-lbaszyry-f53f674e5948ede88d88f6c8eaa1961a .avia-testimonial-content{\nfont-size:18px;\n}\n#top .avia-testimonial-wrapper.av-lbaszyry-f53f674e5948ede88d88f6c8eaa1961a .avia-testimonial-name{\nfont-size:16px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-testimonial-wrapper av-lbaszyry-f53f674e5948ede88d88f6c8eaa1961a avia-grid-testimonials avia-grid-1-testimonials avia_animate_when_almost_visible' >\n<section class=\"avia-testimonial-row\"><div class='avia-testimonial av-lbasygh4-063badcd7f13f7e19a3d774f1f1ebaea avia-testimonial-row-1 avia-first-testimonial flex_column no_margin av_one_full'><div class='avia-testimonial_inner'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia-testimonial-image'  itemprop=\"image\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\" src=\"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2022-08-23-Alex-S-sm-e1670244358712-180x180.jpg\" class=\"attachment-square size-square\" alt=\"Alex Susman\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2022-08-23-Alex-S-sm-e1670244358712-180x180.jpg 180w, https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2022-08-23-Alex-S-sm-e1670244358712-80x80.jpg 80w, https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2022-08-23-Alex-S-sm-e1670244358712-36x36.jpg 36w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 180px) 100vw, 180px\" \/><\/div><div class='avia-testimonial-content '><div class='avia-testimonial-markup-entry-content'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>&#8220;Art from Ashes fell into my lap unexpectedly last <i>spring and I will be eternally grateful that it did. Through my work with the agency, I have found not only community, but friendships, many laughs, and most importantly, a second family.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"avia-testimonial-meta\"><div class=\"avia-testimonial-arrow-wrap\"><div class=\"avia-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><div class='avia-testimonial-meta-mini'  itemprop=\"author\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Person\" ><strong  class='avia-testimonial-name'  itemprop=\"name\" >Alex Susman, he\/him, 18<\/strong><span  class='avia-testimonial-subtitle '  itemprop=\"jobTitle\" >AfA Youth Intern<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-o7c9ln-1013bd518f56a7e60689cb691eddbcd6\">\n.flex_column.av-o7c9ln-1013bd518f56a7e60689cb691eddbcd6{\npadding:0 0 0 0;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-o7c9ln-1013bd518f56a7e60689cb691eddbcd6 av_one_full  avia-builder-el-11  el_after_av_three_fourth  avia-builder-el-last  first no_margin flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding  column-top-margin'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-lbat4nqo-b0a87dc2accfce6895b373361a4bc381 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>[vfb id=79]<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>May this season draw you toward the light of hope; read on for inspiration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[156,39,9],"tags":[234,14,19,124,115,56,22,21,94],"class_list":["post-17851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-creativity","category-news","tag-annual-letter","tag-art","tag-art-from-ashes","tag-art-from-ashes-news","tag-creative","tag-funding","tag-fundraiser","tag-youth","tag-youth-poetry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17851"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19318,"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17851\/revisions\/19318"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artfromashes.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}