Our final post highlighting the amazing guests we have had this summer. The following facilitators led workshops for all youth this summer on topics from self-care to marketing their summer projects. Thank you again to everyone who spent time with the Studio Apprentices this summer and providing resources to youth!
Special thank you to Brady Wheeler of the Choice Program for teaching our weekly job readiness class and Devin Wilkins for facilitating weekly dialogue circles
Dr. Rachel Singer
Dr. Rachel Singer is a licensed psychologist who specializes in treating anxiety, depression, and trauma. She completed her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College, and her postdoctoral fellowship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Singer also conducts asylum evaluations for refugees and engages in mental health outreach with immigrant communities in the DC and Baltimore regions.
Dr. Singer led two self-care workshops with youth and staff, teaching various practices that we can employ when dealing with stress and anxiety.
Photo credit: Schaun Champion
Joyell Arvella
Joyell Arvella (ella/she/elle) is an adjunct law professor, racial and gender justice strategist, and organizer by day. Creatively, she is a womanist writer and birth keeper who tethers her garden to her apothecary & dining table. She is a multicultural cis-woman, raced as Black, who grew up in the United States, Europe, and Egypt. Joyell's professional background consists of 13 years in education, womanism, international human rights law, race and equity, and transitional justice. She has worked with the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, United Nations Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Stanford University, government agencies, nonprofits, and tech companies to disrupt rape culture, terrorism, and state sanctioned violence against Black and Brown people. Additionally, Joyell serves as a board member for FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture in Baltimore, Maryland and Parity Baltimore Inc.
Joyell led a Black August Writing workshop with youth this summer where youth learned the history of Black August and followed writing prompts.
Christina Figueroa
Christina Figueroa, from Cash Campaign, facilitated a money management workshop for youth. Youth learned what their money personality is, how to earn and save money, financial literacy, information about banking and more.
Gisell Paula
Gisell Paula is BYA’s Business and Product Development Facilitator and oversees BYA’s online store, community events and product development. This summer Gisell facilitated a marketing workshop with both our Publications and Games Group on how they can market their products to sell to a wider audience.