American for the Arts guest blogger, Kayleigh Bryant-Greenwell, an Education Specialist at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American History and Culture, interviewed Capital City 6th grader, Lucia, for their #BecauseofArtsEd blog series. In the interview, Lucia reflected on her many experiences with the arts thanks to Capital City’s comprehensive program that offers classes, electives and after school clubs in music, drama and visual arts. Through acting, drawing, writing and more, Lucia shared how art has pushed her to grow saying, "art in general has challenged me to expand my horizons." In particular, art has shaped how Lucia sees the world. She shared, "I look at the world as a writer and an artist, like I see everyone as a character and I think about what motivates them... Understanding the range of a character is the same as understanding the people you meet, their perspectives."
In addition to her personal growth, Lucia discussed how "art is a way to explore social justice." Reflecting on her own experiences at Capital City, where learning is connected to the real-world and students are encouraged to have meaningful dialogues, Lucia noted, "Art is very important. All kids and adults should have access to art. It’s life changing… It’s a way to think about social justice and to work through how you think and feel about what’s happening in the world."
Read Lucia’s full interview here.
