FROM THE HARTNo Gimmicks, No Mirrors. No Tricks.
Just Life‑Changing Experiences
The Kentucky Gazette November 12, 2002
I'd like to tell you about a few talented, busy, involved Kentucky friends of mine. Last year, labels like helpless or hopeless, difficult or disruptive were hurtful. This year, they clearly are senseless. Thanks to simple lifestyle adjustments, Lexington's Charlie Clayton, Melissa Amaral and Clay Michael are not merely accepted. They're lauded. It's a miracle! A miracle that came from opportunities ‑ instead of meds, reprimands or further restrictions.
Take Charlie Clayton, who will be Artist in Residence at Transylvania University the last three weeks of the spring semester. For three weeks, Charlie will create his own work in a studio on campus. Meanwhile, he'll be associating with Transy professors, holding workshops to show Transy students what he does and how he does it. And finally he will exhibit the work created during his tenure in a one person exhibition. All while earning an excellent stipend!
Then there's tall, athletic, beautiful Melissa Amaral, who lately lived a very restrictive life due to a disabling event during college. Latitude, an Arts Plus project, has worked with Melissa to find appropriate technology and therapies to allow Melissa to attend college again via the internet, perhaps through Kentucky Virtual University. An excellent artist, Melissa has participated in three group shows during her year at Latitude; where she also practices movement, meditation and yoga.
Then there's tall, athletic, beautiful Melissa Amaral, who lately lived a very restrictive life due to a disabling event during college. Latitude, an Arts Plus project, has worked with Melissa to find appropriate technology and therapies to allow Melissa to attend college again via the internet, perhaps through Kentucky Virtual University. An excellent artist, Melissa has participated in three group shows during her year at Latitude; where she also practices movement, meditation and yoga.
On a recent Monday morning at 10 a.m., Clay Michael sat down to write a poem. At 10:30, his poem was finished. Next, via the Internet, he shared his new poem with 10,000 to 17,000 other poets and poetry lovers on the "Poetry Comer."
"Latitude is not just about technology" .Clay said, "After finishing a poem I can walk a block and add to a mural that Latitude, Third Street Stuff, local architects and others are creating. It's about being a part of a very real, active community."
Latitude, an arts‑based program in Lexington, has enabled these three people to step from the shadows, into a bright new world, By doing what they are good at, and love to do, they’ve become a vital part of their community.
"Latitude is not just about technology" .Clay said, "After finishing a poem I can walk a block and add to a mural that Latitude, Third Street Stuff, local architects and others are creating. It's about being a part of a very real, active community."
Latitude, an arts‑based program in Lexington, has enabled these three people to step from the shadows, into a bright new world, By doing what they are good at, and love to do, they’ve become a vital part of their community.
But that's only the beginning, folks! This fiscal year, Project ASSET‑11 (Advancing Supported Self Employment Techniques) will help five more Kentuckians with disabilities start, own and operate their own creative enterprises:
Tim Maynard's "Speedway Hobbies" shop in Pikeville is located on US 23, the route is used by many race fans on their way to NASCAR International Race Track in Bristol, Tenn. Tim will sell plastic race‑car models and supplies; radio‑controlled models: NASCAR hats, jackets and other inventory. Family and friends are helping Tim secure a business loan. Speedway Hobbies is approaching its Grand Opening,
Chris Heidgerd may soon be known as Lexington's “Community Garden Guy," the working title of his project. Latitude, Lexington Parks and Recreation, UHDI, and many other caring partners are working together to help Chris create and manage a downtown community garden. Anyone who wants to grow plants and agrees to maintain it regularly is welcome. Chris is also working on a for‑profit component to this in which Chris will be selling ~'green products" such as recycling units, green household cleansers, and the like.
Hannah ‑Harts "Office Lunch Express (OLE!!)" will pick up orders from five or six popular Frankfort restaurants and deliver them to staff and visitors of the state Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation services. OLE!'s business plan, preliminary marketing to customers and restaurants, and logo design are all completed. Since MH‑MR is only one of five different state agencies in the same building prospects for expansion look good.
It took 50 years to advance from "Please Hire the Handicapped" to Sheltered Workshops, decades more until Kentucky became one of ten states given federal grants to create a Supported Employment program in Kentucky called Project ASSET. ASSET hired and trained job coaches to prepare and support people in real jobs for real salaries. Though hampered by meager funding, Supported Employment has been a wonderful way for the limited number of lucky people it has touched to dive right into the mainstream.
And now ASSET-11 will help jobless people make their own jobs. Like ASSET (Kentucky's supported employment project), ASSET-11 is coordinated by Carol Estes, for the Dept of Vocational Rehabilitation in the Cabinet for Work Force Development.
Co-sponsored and partially funded by KY Developmental Disabilities Council ASSET-11 is guided by Supported Employment agencies. Consultant's from Kentucky's Small Business Development Centers have played a key role in developing the business plans, while UK's Human Development Institute, families and friends are helping the new business entrepreneurs get started. Everyone is united to assist in the birth arid growth of Kentucky's first five, self‑employment ventures, as well as others conceived in the coming years. (More details about these and other projects as they develop.)
By Jane Hart: Jane is a parent of an adult with disabilities and is chairwoman emeritus of the Kentucky Disabilities Coalition
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Published Tuesday, February 5, 2002, in the The Kentucky Gazette
By Jane Hart
By Jane Hart: Jane is a parent of an adult with disabilities and is chairwoman emeritus of the Kentucky Disabilities Coalition
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Published Tuesday, February 5, 2002, in the The Kentucky Gazette
By Jane Hart
A Mecca for artists, other creative people
Three months ago, no one knew what to do with 20-year old Charlie Clayton. All Charlie wanted to do was draw. Instead of watching TV. Instead of learning about money. Instead of games. Last October, Charlie started coming to Latitude. This is an art-based program for people whom "some other people consider disabled," as artist and Latitude co-director Bruce Burris puts it. "When Charlie's here, he's the most gifted person in these three buildings."
Last month, Charlie showed a series of his skeleton drawings at Transylvania University's student gallery.
"They're cartoonish, but sophisticated," Burris says. "They have a brilliance that anyone with an art background recognizes immediately. If Charlie keeps coming here twice a week, he'll gain more recognition for his art and find more opportunities to contribute to the community.
"This happens at Latitude time and time again," Burris says. "Everyone is involved in connecting to the community. Beverly Baker is getting ready for a show of her wonderful marking-pen drawings at the Singletary Center. UK professor Arturo Sandoval collects Beverly's drawings. Many professional artists would love to be in her place. When she has exhibits and people admire her work, Beverly is thrilled. Her parents are thrilled that she is giving to the community.
Last month, Charlie showed a series of his skeleton drawings at Transylvania University's student gallery.
"They're cartoonish, but sophisticated," Burris says. "They have a brilliance that anyone with an art background recognizes immediately. If Charlie keeps coming here twice a week, he'll gain more recognition for his art and find more opportunities to contribute to the community.
"This happens at Latitude time and time again," Burris says. "Everyone is involved in connecting to the community. Beverly Baker is getting ready for a show of her wonderful marking-pen drawings at the Singletary Center. UK professor Arturo Sandoval collects Beverly's drawings. Many professional artists would love to be in her place. When she has exhibits and people admire her work, Beverly is thrilled. Her parents are thrilled that she is giving to the community.
"We want to see what interests people," Burris continues. "What they want to do, what they can contribute. When we agree what that is, we figure out ways they can merge into the larger culture. We don't use art as a craft to keep people busy. We use it as a way to open up their world, to explore and connect however they can. Everybody is creative. I believe Latitude artists are more creative than most people."
Crystal Bader, Latitudes other co-director, is a 27-year-old therapeutic recreation specialist. Caught up in Burris enthusiasm about the potential of people with disabilities, she joined him as assistant director of the Lexington art program he founded, Minds Wide Open.
A year ago Bader and Burris left Minds Wide Open to form Latitude. Bader wants Latitude artists to "experience spontaneity, not a usual factor, in their lives."
Burris calls her "a critical thinker, who is kind and works like a horse."
A year ago Bader and Burris left Minds Wide Open to form Latitude. Bader wants Latitude artists to "experience spontaneity, not a usual factor, in their lives."
Burris calls her "a critical thinker, who is kind and works like a horse."
Since last October, Latitude has been based at Mecca, a dance studio and community arts center in downtown Lexington. Latitude also offers a day of enriched programming at an adult day-center in Frankfort and in Lexington. At Mecca, people are offered supported employment based on their interests and those of the businesses within a five-block radius of Mecca.
Chris Heidgerd of Lexington came to Latitude interested in trash and finding a job, not in art. He drew houses quite well. "We knew a great gift store two blocks from us, Third Street Stuff," Burris says. "So we suggested to Chris that he might make some greeting cards. He did. When they sold out, we took more up (to the store). Now he has a contract with Third Street Stuff to sell his cards, and he's started drawing garbage trucks. He's out in the community; working and using his interest, trash.
Chris Heidgerd of Lexington came to Latitude interested in trash and finding a job, not in art. He drew houses quite well. "We knew a great gift store two blocks from us, Third Street Stuff," Burris says. "So we suggested to Chris that he might make some greeting cards. He did. When they sold out, we took more up (to the store). Now he has a contract with Third Street Stuff to sell his cards, and he's started drawing garbage trucks. He's out in the community; working and using his interest, trash.
"Latitude is helping Chris with research into ecology and recycling, helping him define his point of view on trash. We're learning what he can do. If he wants to, we'll find ways for Chris to share his opinions on these issues in a letter to the editor, a poem, his art to have some give and take with the wider community. How can he go farther? His limits are out of sight."
Latitude artists have contributed to three poetry festivals, numerous performances, radio readings, community wall murals, parades, festivals, solo and group public art exhibits.
Bader talks about Tim, whose pleasant campus bike ride was interrupted by a collision with a car. Tim went through many surgeries to make his physical impairments more manageable. But his brain injury made it harder to manage an independent life. In and out of institutions, Tim was socially marginalized. He began brushing up on social skills when he came to Latitude nine months ago.
Latitude artists have contributed to three poetry festivals, numerous performances, radio readings, community wall murals, parades, festivals, solo and group public art exhibits.
Bader talks about Tim, whose pleasant campus bike ride was interrupted by a collision with a car. Tim went through many surgeries to make his physical impairments more manageable. But his brain injury made it harder to manage an independent life. In and out of institutions, Tim was socially marginalized. He began brushing up on social skills when he came to Latitude nine months ago.
In nine months, Tim has formed friendships during regular visits to local coffeehouses and has volunteered at a local arts agency. He took ceramics classes and showed his work in a group exhibition. He's had a photograph and an editorial published in a local newspaper. He visits art galleries and attends receptions.
"I feel honored to be in this field," Bader told a Lexington Herald-Leader reporter. "Its hard work ... that really has a reward. We're giving people what they need, community exposure and self-esteem. We believe in the potential of all people."
"Crystal and I believe that every single person at Latitude can contribute in an amazing and real way, can give more than they take," Burris agreed. "That's why we made Latitude for-profit, to get away from the charity thinking. How can we find and where can we place the small but brilliant thing this person can give to the larger community. These folks are outside-the-box thinkers. Who's going to benefit from this thing she does so well? Someone who has a high-tech or an architectural firm? A gift shop? We know there's someone out there who would thank us for the discovery. They don't know how to look for it. But we do.
"We want to train staff when they first come into the field, before their minds are made up," Burris continues. "Have them spend a week with Latitude before they go into a job. We want to provide that shock of recognition, then guide them through the steps. Folks in Latitude write a novel. And we get to read it as they write it. If they lead us to a tree, we have to find the reason. What does this tree represent to them? Growth? Timber? Carving? Writing on paper made from wood? Of all the things that this tree represents, what interests you most?
"They take us on a journey. They're guiding us, if only we'll listen. It's like reading a novel or looking at a painting. This does not take a genius. We believe that everyone can learn to figure this out. Whether they will or not is up to them. Then, when they are placed at an agency, they can call fellow Latitude alumni to share resources and support each other. That's how we can change things. That's a way to go. I'm not talking about now, but maybe sometime in the future."
"They take us on a journey. They're guiding us, if only we'll listen. It's like reading a novel or looking at a painting. This does not take a genius. We believe that everyone can learn to figure this out. Whether they will or not is up to them. Then, when they are placed at an agency, they can call fellow Latitude alumni to share resources and support each other. That's how we can change things. That's a way to go. I'm not talking about now, but maybe sometime in the future."
Bader and Burris encourage people to call and visit Latitude, at 209 North Limestone St. in Lexington, within five blocks of eight restaurants, two coffeehouses, five art galleries, City Hall and the Lexington Public Library. Reach them at (859) 806-0195 or bru41@msn.com.
Jane Hart of Frankfort is the parent of an adult with disabilities and is chairwoman emeritus of the Kentucky Disabilities Coalition, which she chaired for eight years.
Jane Hart of Frankfort is the parent of an adult with disabilities and is chairwoman emeritus of the Kentucky Disabilities Coalition, which she chaired for eight years.
