Share your YAC story on GreatNonprofits!

Dear Friends of YAC,

We need you to share your story about Youth Action Coalition! Help raise our profile and give us constructive feedback about your experience with us.

You can help us participate in the Arts Appreciation Campaign by posting a review of your experience with us. This is an exciting opportunity to help Youth Action Coalition make even more of a difference in our community. The GreatNonprofits campaign is designed to find the top-rated nonprofits enriching your community through the arts.

All reviews will be visible to potential donors and volunteers. It’s easy and only takes 3 minutes!
Go to THIS LINK NOW!

Be sure to choose "Arts Appreciation Campaign" from the drop down menu of campaigns in the review template.

For more details: 2010 GreatNonprofits Arts Appreciation Campaign

If you know and love our work then we hope you will tell the world!

Thank you!

Stacey Lennard
YAC Executive Director

PS: Deadline is FEB 28!!

MassMoCA Trip!

19 people from YAC journeyed up to North Adams for MassMoCA free day this past Saturday - it was an awesome trip! Check out the photos below:

Photos from the Video Vanguards screening!

Thanks to tk for the wonderful photos!



MC Noalanii introduces the videos

Screenshot from Savana's video

The illustrious media makers!

Go see Nothing's Perfect!

GirlsEyeView invites you to check out their exhibit, currently on view in the lobby at Amherst Regional Middle School (170 Chestnut St, Amherst).

See the original pages of the zine and original photographs!

The exhibit will be on view through this Friday, the 12th of February. It will then travel to Ware, where it will be up at the Ware Public Library from March 1st through March 12th. Join GEV for the opening in Ware on March 1st from 4-6pm!

Still haven't gotten your copy of the zine? You can buy one now at Food for Thought Books!

This week at YAC!

We've got a really exciting event coming up this week at YAC - we're taking a field trip to MassMoCA Free Day!

Saturday, February 13th two vans generously provided by the Hampshire College Office of Community Partnerships for Social Change and several cars driven by YAC staff and board members will head up to North Adams to visit the museum. It's a full day trip! It's going to be a great time!

If you are currently involved with YAC and would like to join us on the field trip, please get in touch with Hannah - contact info is available on the YAC website.

Photos from the Pizza Party!

A great time was had by all at the YAC Pizza Party/Art Share on the 14th! Everyone enjoyed delicious pizza from Antonio's and Bertucci's, cupcakes, and really cool art.

Thanks to Alisa and Jacob for sharing their portfolios (you can see them here and here)...

...to the GEV Amherst participants for bringing their prints and zine pages...

...and to the GEV Ware participants for showing their digital photos!

Upcoming events at YAC!

There's lots going on here at YAC as we prepare to share all our hard work with the wider community in the next couple weeks!

First up is the Youth Legislative Forum!

As you may or may not know, I, Hannah, am an AmeriCorps member with YouthServe AmeriCorps. Every year YouthServe hosts the Youth Legislative Forum at the end of January in Greenfield. This event gives youth a chance to voice their opinions, ask questions and raise concerns directly to the legislators that represent them in local and state government.

The Forum is next Friday, January 29th, from 3-5pm! All youth are invited to attend.


That same night is the first Video Vanguards screening and cabaret of the year!

Friday, January 29th 2010
6:30-8:30pm in the Amherst College Freidman Room

Join Video Vanguards youth for an evening of brand new video, poetry, dance, music, and education.

mis⋅un⋅der⋅stood[mis-uhn-der-stood]
–adjective
1. improperly understood or interpreted.
2. unappreciated.

How and why we are we MISUNDERSTOOD?
What does it mean and how does it feel to be MISUNDERSTOOD?

Videos explores issues of identity, stereotypes, music, education, access, and teen depression.

Our cabarets feature local artists from the community! If you're a performer, or know of someone locally, we'd love to have you be a part of our cabaret! Poetry, music, dance, anything we'd love to hear what you have to say! The theme is based around what it means to be "misunderstood."



Finally, GirlsEyeView is proud to announce their first show of the year!

GEV Amherst and Ware together invite the community to attend a traveling exhibition of original photography, writing and collage by the GirlsEyeView participants. Called “Nothing’s Perfect”, the project is a homemade zine exploring issues such as feminine beauty in the media, suicide, the environment, and love and relationships. Copies of the completed zine will be available for the public.

The show will happen both in Amherst and Ware, with the schedule as follows:

Amherst:
February 2 – February 12, 2010
Amherst Regional Middle School, 170 Chestnut St., Amherst, MA
Reception: Tuesday, February 2, 5:30-7pm

Ware:
March 1 – March 12, 2010
Ware Public Library, 37 Main St., Ware, MA
Reception: Monday, March 1, 4-6pm