The Color Run was this past weekend and, for a split second, I never thought my hair, nose, or ears were going to be the same. My q-tips were green, my hair was dry and orange, and once, when I blew my nose, it was literally blue. BUT! You know what else I got out of the Color Run?!
I got $1800 to start an Art fund at my high school.
I cannot express to each and every one of you how truly appreciative I am of your generosity and support. Your selflessness and desire to help children you don't even know is heart-warming, inspirational, and immensely appreciated. While there is still a lot of money to be raised, this is the boost I needed to get fundraising off the ground. I am very excited for the future and I can't wait to see what other great things can be accomplished during my time here with the support of all the wonderful people that surround me.
Thank you.
Now, in case you were wondering exactly what happened during the Color Run, don't worry - I have photos. But first - the details and observations of the day: Good news! The "paint" being thrown at us was actually colored corn starch. I was relieved to find out that the powdery substance being thrown at my face in the middle of a run wasn't toxic. Secondly, there was no surprise paint attack. The funniest part of the whole race was seeing the cloud of color up ahead. Lastly, people were going CRAAAAZY over this paint. Seriously - there were people rolling in the paint on the ground. It was bizarre. Funny, but bizarre.
All in all, I was a little skeptical, but it was REALLY fun.
This was our team before the race - all clean! (From L: Jillian, Stacy, Sharon, and me)
Aaaaand this is after the race. HOT MESS.
Can we all please take note of my paint mustache? In my defense, Jillian had one too and Sharon's tongue was blue.
I really had mixed emotions about this whole experience.
After the race, there are several times where everyone throws packets of paint into the air together. There is loud music, lots of dancing, and a lot of colors. It is kind of like a rave without the drugs.
Alright people...I need your money. I also need you to appreciate the Olivia Newton-John-inspired title. If "Let's Get Physical" is now stuck in your head, I apologize. Anyway...
The high school where I work currently has no art program. There are about 75 kids in Theater/Performing Arts because that is one of their two options (the other being band) to fulfill their art requirement and graduate. We have A LOT of talented kids in the school, but they don't have the resources to display their abilities. On the other end of the spectrum, we also have kids that have never been exposed to anything artistic. For example, they aren't familiar with scissors or glue sticks.
That's right, folks. I work in a high school with 14-19 year olds that don't know how to cut or glue. I am not lying.
Not being able to cut or glue isn't only going to prevent these kids from being super scrapbookers, but their lack of exposure to the Arts takes away from their overall education. Arts education improves academic achievement, aids in social and emotional development, and, in a culture such as the one where I work, it serves as an outlet for the students to positively express their mental and emotional struggles. This is especially important in a town with no athletic facilities (literally none), few after school programs, and a lack of role models to teach these kids how to properly handle stressful situations or altercations from a young age.
With that said, I am working hard to find ways to bring an art program to the school. I have literally spent nearly 2 months just searching for funding. Unfortunately, a lot (and by "a lot" I mean "every single one") of the organizations don't actually fund art classes. They fund large projects proposed by art classes, but that doesn't help me. I don't even have a class to propose a project. Even if I found a grant that would fund a class, it would likely be for supplies. A lot of organizations aren't really fond of funding salaries. Understandable. Kind of.
[The cost of a first year Art teacher (salary and benefits) is around $50,000. In this school district, people laugh at you if you say you need $500. There is absolutely no extra money.]
So, here is what I have done. I have paid $54 to run 3 miles on October 13th and have powdery paint thrown at me (see above pictures). What better way to show my support for the Arts, right? I know what you're thinking - "That is $54 well spent!" - but it really will be. I paid the money to run, so now I am asking all of you to make donations and act as my sponsors. After months of searching, I have decided that if we want Arts in these schools, we are just going to have to raise the funds ourselves. Every last cent will go back to my high school and will go to start a fund to eventually buy paints and pencils and a teacher, oh my!
If you find yourself searching for other terms for the landmass between NOLA and Mobile, I like to call it The Time Machine. Crossing the state line into Mississippi is like traveling back a few decades, both in terms of stuff and people. The town where I work has no red lights. Zero. None. Nothing but a few four-way stops. That is to be expected with any small town, but there are also numerous dirt roads, the main roads have no shoulder, no street lights, and many of the houses you pass look like they should be condemned. Correction - look like they should've been condemned years ago. It truly puts things in perspective. I get annoyed because I have a leak in my sink and I'm not entirely sure all these houses have running water. The schools recently (as in within the last year) got rid of window units and had central heat and air installed. Welcome to the 21st century, everyone!
Abandon house in Oxford, MS
The houses in MS are really eye-opening. You see a lot with aluminum or plastic windows, sinking roofs, and crumbling foundations. In the event that a house finally gets too dilapidated to live in, it is just left. Things don't get torn down in Mississippi. They get left and time does its work on them. While this is startling at first, it is actually a little cool because you can see reminders of the past all around you. You can see what houses looked like in the 40s, 50s, or 60s, if not earlier, and you can only speculate about who lived in them and the history that took place there.
Houses in Crenshaw, MS
Buildings aren't the only things old and in need of renovation in this town. Many of the mindsets of people that live here are similar to what people were thinking in the 50s or 60s. The racial divide that remains in this county, and the entire state, is something that you wouldn't think existed anymore. You see it everywhere. You see it in the upkeep of the towns, the structure of the school systems, the attitudes of the citizens. There is a clear understanding that many people's paths will never cross.
Don't get me wrong, there are some AMAZING people of both races here (I say "both" races because MS is pretty much only black and white). As I have said before, I have met some of the most wonderful and selfless people in this town, but it can't be overlooked how often race comes up in conversation. When projects are discussed, or the issues in the county are brought to the table, the racial divide among the citizens can't be ignored. It is almost 2013 (assuming the world doesn't end) and we are still having conversations about the color of someone's skin and how that influences their way of living, opportunities, abilities, etc. We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of integration at Ole Miss, but there are still questions about the amount of diversity seen in postsecondary education and concerns about educated the student body is on the history of the institution.
A friend sent me a picture of this article from USA Today.
People always have to find something negative in the positive
Is Mississippi ever going to get to a point where race isn't on the forefront of nearly every discussion, or at least a thought in the back of almost everyone's mind? Over this next year, am I going to be able to propose a project or idea without having to consider that populations of people involved? If Ole Miss integrated 50 years ago and we are still dealing with the same issues, just on a smaller, less violent scale, how freaking long is it going to take to just be people working together to better their communities?
The Other Good Stuff...
Music: In case you were wondering - and I know you were - this song gets me pumped for work every morning.
Sean Hayes - "Miss Her When I'm Gone"
Life Lessons: Something I've learned recently - don't surround yourself with people that don't know how to support what you're passionate about. If you are lucky enough to find something you genuinely love doing every single day, go with it. If the people that love you don't support it, they're just silly.
Day Brightener:
Yours truly. Ridiculous from birth.
Quote of the Day:
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it" -Aristotle
