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New programs bring music, mentorship, and business skills to King County's detained youth
News release - June 18, 2024
SEATTLE — The end of May and early June marked the beginning of three new youth programs at the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center (CCFJC) in King County, expanding services to youth in custody and allowing even more opportunities for residents to spend time participating in group activities together with their peers.
“We are so excited to welcome these new programs into CCFJC. We are grateful for every opportunity our youth have to engage in prosocial and positive interactions,” said Juvenile Director Jeneva Cotton.
Cocreative Culture
On May 18, Providence Kamana and Grady Mukanya of Cocreative Culture visited each of the housing units at the CCFJC, presenting information to the youth about their organization, introducing themselves, and showcasing their musical talents. They describe Cocreative Culture as focusing on a mission to “improve, economic and environmental conditions for young people from historically marginalized backgrounds through our holistic approaches.”
The pair returned on May 24 and worked directly in the studio with four young people, teaching the techniques of both producing and recording music.
Providence shared the African philosophy of “Ubuntu,” a word that derives from the Zulu language and refers to the interconnectedness of humanity. The young people talked in a circle about what community meant to them, stating their names and the Ubuntu phrase, “I am because we are.”
Even while reviewing lyrics, Grady and Providence encouraged participants to select songs rooted in the concepts of interconnectedness and humanity; an idea that, at the end of the day, we aren't so different from one another after all.
Youth who have demonstrated good behavior while in the facility will be invited to participate in this “studio" experience in future weeks, where they will be introduced to, or will build upon, their songwriting, producing, or recording skills on Friday evenings.
Youth will participate in groups of four during their sessions. To allow as many young people as possible to participate, there will be a two-week rotation for program attendance. Anyone who is eligible and nearing their eighteenth birthday or who will be leaving the facility soon will be prioritized. Youth struggling with behavioral issues have shown a desire to work on their actions, eager to improve their status with the hope of participating in future weeks. Participants get to keep their work and take their recordings when they leave the facility. They can also upload their music to their mp3 players while at CCFJC.
Pro Se Potential
On May 19, De’Vonte’ Parson, executive director of Pro Se Potential, visited the CCFJC, and spoke to youth in two residential units about his upcoming programming: Building a Brand and a Business 101.
He told the story of his incarceration and the troubles he faced within the legal system, creating an instant connection with the youth. Hearing about De’Vonte’s past, his ability to overcome hardship following his time in custody, and his success in building a profit from telling his story was very impactful for the teens.
De'Vonte' shared that, through his program, he would help these young people learn how to shift their mindset and develop vision boards as a blueprint for success in life. He let them know that they too, could follow in his footsteps to leverage their stories in building a personal brand that ties into their future businesses and, if they chose to make the change, they could alter the trajectory of their lives.
DAJD Director Allen Nance stopped by to meet De’Vonte’, learn more about the new programming, and to engage in conversation with the youth.
De’Vonte’ began working on June 8 with youth from two housing units. He is scheduled to work with the units each Saturday for four consecutive weeks before rotating to additional units.
Pro Se Potential also offers programs to young people in the community, including the “Alternative Path Program.”
The Alternative Path Program serves youth who have been impacted by the justice system and need to complete diversion and/or probation requirements, or a stipulation for part of sentencing. It includes mentorship, a therapy program that rewards participants with incentives, resource navigation, and socio-emotional learning.
The Silent Task Force
A third organization, The Silent Task Force, visited the youth four times between the end of May and early June to share information about their programs and to introduce an abundance of programming their staff will be offering the youth.
Mona Chapman, Fayth Njenga, Malachi Crenshaw, and DaWan Dubois will be rotating shifts four times per week, offering young people programming in: Alternatives to Violence, Healthy Relationships, Artistic Expression, Independent Living Skills, Positive Personal Identity, Social Skills, Supporting Those Impacted by Community Violence, and more.
During their introductions the youth shared information about what they like to do in their free time with Fayth, Mona, Malachi, and DaWan. Their responses ranged anywhere from “chilling,” and playing video games to “soccer,” and “birdwatching.”
Many of the young people expressed an interest in learning more about developing healthy relationships in their lives and finding alternative ways to respond to violence.
Many residents were intrigued by DaWan’s story of his past incarceration and his ability to rise above and build a successful career through a construction apprenticeship program. There was quite a bit of interest from youth in further exploring potential career paths. The youth have since started working with The Silent Task Force and are looking forward to future sessions.
Mona Chapman is a community advocate with The Silent Task Force.
In addition to the above new programs, youth have access to the following programs, among others:
- Progress Pushers – Using the Credible Messenger framework to connect youth to mentors and much-needed skills and opportunities. Five times per week.
- Pongo Poetry – Trauma-informed poetry writing workshops that use personal poetry to facilitate healing for youth coping with traumas, such as abuse, neglect, racism, and exposure to violence. Available weekly.
- Project Canine – Volunteer therapy dog teams provide youth with much- needed care and affection. Three times weekly.
- Apoyo Program – Consejo Counseling and Referral Service’s trauma-informed treatment and care provide constructive alternatives to alcohol use, gang involvement, and community violence including skill-building and youth development activities. Three times per week.
- First Sight Productions – Provides media literacy services to the youth. Once per week throughout the summer.
DAJD is working toward finalizing contracts with organizations that will teach creative writing, career exploration, and financial wellness beginning in the summer months. Additional programs are on break for the summer months and will resume in the fall.
Residents also have access to weekly programs for pickleball, chess, a movie club, arts and crafts, yoga, and other constructive, pro-social activities, including time in the library.
Youth attend school each weekday in a classroom setting with instruction provided by teachers from Seattle Public Schools. During the school year, instruction is full-time and shifts to part-time during the summer.