Why VIBE Arts?

As a part of my final year at Ryerson University's School of Early Childhood Studies, I was given the chance to select where to do my senior internship. My past placements have been in a classroom, daycare, and family drop-in centre, all providing me with different perspectives and potential career paths. Of these placements, what I have learned about myself as an aspiring educator is that I enjoyed connecting with the staff, children, and the families thus creating a harmonizing community. In addition, with all of the school projects, essays, volunteering, and stressful days at work, I turned to music & visual arts as an outlet for relief which began my grand interest in the arts.

When deciding where to go for my final internship, I wanted to follow my passion & interests. After cross-sectioning and researching sites that work within communities, the arts, and children, it led me to VIBE Arts For Children and Youth. What drew me in the most about this charity organization is that they connect authentic local artists to reach out into marginalized communities and provide that same outlet of relief that I found myself. I immediately knew that working with VIBE Arts would allow me to contribute to diverse communities and help them reach their potential in a comforting setting that traditional classroom cannot provide. What I admire most about VIBE Arts is that they advocate for social justice, innovation, and community building.

I believe that children possess extraordinary potential and are leaders of their own learning & development. That is why educators should allow children the freedom to express themselves and their thinking in multiple forms in order to encourage children's self-empowerment. Having the ability facilitate important discussions about social justice and providing children with a sense of self-empowerment is integral in order to create positive changes in their community. I believe that VIBE Arts does phenomenal work outreaching to marginalized communities all over Toronto and it gives me a grand honour to be a part of it.