Youth Contribute to DC’s Refurbishment

Washington, DC is changing rapidly. This summer youth from the Latin American Youth Center’s Art + Media House explored the transformation of two DC neighborhoods: Columbia Heights and U Street.

Both communities are connected by 14th Street. Looking back a hundred years they were different neighborhoods. Columbia Heights was home to upper-middle class whites, a vibrant commercial area, and the nation’s first Hot Shoppes; U Street was a mecca for African Americans, home of Duke Ellington and the Lincoln Theatre.

On April 4, 1968, 14th Street burned in the wake of Dr. King’s assassination. Riots went on for the next twelve days and altered the future of the community for decades to come.

The opening of the Green Line Metro in 2001 ignited changes. Something new is emerging from the old. Quite literally, DC USA mall was built on the former site of the historic Arcade Market.

Dos Caras de Cambio/Two Faces of Change: This summer, 45 community artists age 14-18 from neighborhoods across D.C. worked at AMH as part of the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program. They created art that reflects what they learned as they researched, observed, and asked questions about Columbia Heights and U Street.

For ten weeks, youth worked in production teams that each made a creative contribution to the final installation. The teams included music, multimedia, graphic design, sculpture, and two mural painting groups. A member of each team represented their group at weekly installation planning sessions where youth updated each other on what their groups were creating, discussed designs, and debated possible titles for the installation. What are the many Faces of Change? The multi-media installation that resulted is on display at LAYC’s Art + Media House until October 10, 2008, 3035 15th Street Washington, 20009.

The focus on neighborhoods was inspired by two projects. AMH received the commission for Columbia Heights Art on Call, a citywide effort of Cultural Tourism DC to restore Washington’s abandoned police and fire call boxes as neighborhood art icons. These call boxes were installed throughout the capital in the 1860s. Although they became obsolete with the introduction of the 911 emergency call system in the 1970s, they have remained on the streets. During the summer, youth refurbished and added audio to the call boxes to allow people who view them to call a number and learn about the history of Columbia Heights.

AMH was also selected to participate in Murals DC, a project of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities created to replace illegal graffiti with artistic works and to revitalize communities. LAYC produced some of DC’s first murals in the late 1960s. Three new murals were created this summer: World of Columbia Heights, 1460 Irving Street, NW, depicts the diverse and changing neighborhood of Columbia Heights. Columbia Heights is…/Columbia Heights es, Kenyon Street NW, between 11th and 13th Streets, reflects community responses to the question: How would you describe Columbia Heights? Answers along with seven portraits of residents are depicted in vivid color on the mural. Evolution, 1344 U Street, NW, represents the changes that have taken place along this famous street.