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The Creative Underclass: Youth, Race and the Gentrifying City - Chillaxing

Although both readings provided much to think about, this chapter resonated deeply with me and my experiences navigating the art world as a young artist. It made me reflect on how youth programs, even when designed with good intentions, must continually ask the question, 'Are we serving our youth/participants in the best way possible?' As someone who has been part of the arts world and experienced its intensity, I believe we should never pressure students into thinking they must constantly be productive to be successful. We can encourage young people to be creative while also reminding them that the world is ahead of them—they don’t need to have everything figured out as artists by the age of 20. It wasn’t until my sophomore or junior year of undergrad that I realized it’s possible to be an artist without struggling to make ends meet or being the best at everything to succeed.

Tyler Denmead made a powerful point about blaming young people for not meeting 'unrealistic, compressed, and socially produced expectations for young creatives.' Many programs, driven by the desire for more funding or longevity, lose sight of their purpose and focus solely on outcomes. In arts institutions, while the work produced is important, when youth are involved, their well-being, passion for their craft, and comfort must take precedence. If we taught young artists the realities of sustaining themselves through adulthood, we’d see more confident and successful individuals making meaningful strides in their disciplines.

Creating space for students to simply be—to reflect and process—is vital. The stories in the reading offered glimpses into the realities of today’s youth: their joys, hardships, wonders, hopes, and fears. For kids of color especially, the freedom to wander, sit, and talk without judgment is crucial. Every day, they are forced to live on high alert, whether consciously or unconsciously, so giving them the space to converse, debate, collaborate, and create on their terms is profoundly healing. The reading also highlighted how students of color are often seen as lazy or unproductive when they’re 'chillaxing,' labeled as members of the underclass who are not doing the work to lift themselves up by their bootstraps.

Teaching students that stillness and rest are necessary for their health and well-being can prevent them from waiting until adulthood to realize the importance of slowing down. Society often tells people of color that they must constantly grind and work ten or fifteen times harder than others (which is true in some cases), and the arts world perpetuates the idea that success only comes through sacrificing everything. None of this is fair—or necessary. Yes, drive is important, but never at the cost of one’s health. So, how do we teach students to embrace rest and balance while still navigating the pressures placed upon them, particularly students of color? Though I don't have a solution to this question yet, it is one I will take me as I continue my work in youth development and out-of-school time programming.