The National Youth Art Movement Against Gun Violence (NYAM) was founded in 2016 by Janice Tisha Samuels, a doctoral student studying educational technology. Her passion for the arts and history of working with young people led her to examine ways in which interactive technology and creativity could change the conversation around gun violence.
In mobilizing her first efforts of gathering a youth cohort and defining the mission, Janice quickly saw the bigger impact it could have as an active movement. Before the work even began, her idea was recognized by the Nobel Peace Prize Forum and she was invited to bring her students to the event. She then kicked off the program with art on 16 commercial billboards across Chicago. Each was built with an augmented reality component, which creates layers and motion when viewed in the app, deepening the experience of each piece. The youth have brought their work on tour to workshops, conferences and have had them displayed on various platforms online.
Janice’s particular approach positions young people as thought leaders, giving them a seat at the table to influence decision-makers and to also be their own agents of change. NYAM has since participated in the 2018 March for Our Lives rally and has helped move legislation forward with the governor of Illinois. NYAM plans to make this interactive, outdoor art tour an annual event in Chicago and, like charter schools, each year add a cohort of new youth artists in another city suffering from the epidemic of gun violence to work together locally and nationally as a connected youth movement.
For more information, videos and photos, visit www.nationalyouthartmovement.org. To purchase this limited edition hat (only 100 available) or a selection of art prints, visit shop.nationalyouthartmovement.org.
