Inaugural poem in sync with Leaders of Today

There was no greater display of the power of the arts than first National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman reading her "The Hill We Climb" inaugural poem at the 59th Presidential Inauguration held last week at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Even though Leaders of Today founder and CEO Marsalis Hammons wasn't necessarily seeking validation of his Lorain County-based nonprofit's effort to raise awareness centered on racial equity, nonviolence, unity and positive mental health through the power of art, the connection was undeniable. "It's not only a great inspiration, but I believe there is a true connection," said Hammons, a 2013 Elyria High School graduate. "It's no coincidence that the youngest person to ever give an inaugural speech happened at a time when we're kicking off this new public art and culture program, which gives high school students an opportunity to learn about the history and the importance of civic service, and to understand their art can go beyond just a piece of paper. It really can impact the lives and people within their community." Created in 2018, Leaders of Today boasts a mission to provide high school students with tools and resources that promote positive leadership in the classroom, locker room and community. The organization offers three different types of leadership development programming — youth leadership (which is currently virtual), community-engagement volunteer series "Summer of Change" and the public art and culture program. The latter is in partnership with the Elyria Arts Council and funded through the Community Foundation of Lorain County's Racial Equity Fund. "The purpose of the program is really to utilize the power of art to increase awareness around many of the socioeconomic factors and challenges that are faced in Elyria and Lorain," Hammons said. "A lot of the data and the purpose behind what we're doing is included in Lorain County's 2019 Community Health Assessment, which highlighted how Elyria and Lorain youth and adults are heavily impacted by mental health and staggering disinvestment." Noting that nearly 50 percent of high school seniors in Lorain County admitted to feeling sad or hopeless for two weeks or more, Hammons said this led to the creation of the Leaders Of Today's Public Art & Culture Scholarship. Last month, the program solicited different types of artwork — poems, statues, paintings and photography — from teenage artists inspired by and/or commenting on the nonprofit's tenets. Each selected student was awarded a $250 scholarship. The list includes Ayden Po (Elyria High School), Abigail Clayton (Elyria High School), Chloe Torres (Lorain High School), Jacob Robinson (Marion L. Steele High School), Ja'Rayia Warner (Lorain High School), Emese Toth (Elyria High School), Priscilla Yrad (Elyria High School) and Sylvia Lyons (Elyria High School). "We're letting these artists know their passion and skills have value," Hammons said. "A lot of times people don't look at creative art or racial equity as a pathway for careers but we really wanted to let them know their value. That they can use their gifts and talents to make a difference. "My hope is to do this annually. Being our first year, I believe we're just setting a foundation of what we can do with this program. Honestly, the goal would be to scale this larger where we could put up a mural on a wall." For now, the Public Art & Culture Scholarship winners will be collaborating with Elyria Arts Council artists transforming their paintings, photography and poems into 4-foot-by-8-foot murals that this summer will be placed around the area, including at the downtown Lorain Public Library branch and United Way of Greater Lorain County. Kicking off the collaboration between Leaders Of Today and the Elyria Arts Council is a Black History Month celebration — reserved for the artists and their families — set for Feb. 5 at the Broad Street venue, which is showing work by appointment. "When Marsalis reached out to us, we were thrilled," Elyria Arts Council founder Clint Rohrbacher said. "It's an opportunity to build a bridge into yet another part of the community. It was clear he had a vision. He wanted to access our resources as a community art and education center to exhibit the students' work, discuss ideas and provide mentorship for the students in creating the mural. "This is community-building through the arts. We love it. It's why we're here. The Early Arts Council doesn't exist to create all of Elyria's art. We exist to support and encourage any way we can and to anyone who creates it. This is a powerful way for Elyria to bond and grow." For more information, visit leadersoftoday.org. Contact John Benson at NDiffrence@att.net.