I’m delighted to share a report from Christopher LaSala on Community-Word Project (CWP), a truly inspiring organization we are proud to support:
About ten years ago, I attended a children’s creative workshop in Brooklyn with my kids. There, I met Michele Kotler, executive director of a wonderful organization called Community Word Project (CWP). I learned that in founding CWP, her mission was to enrich kids’ lives through the arts and to give them a voice.
Michele explained to me that she had learned the importance of creative expression through the arts when poetry had given her a voice. She only wished she’d made this discovery when she was younger. She started CWP to open opportunities for expression to young people, particularly those in “under-resourced” schools throughout New York City, by integrating creative and critical thinking skills through creative writing and art. CWP envisions a world where all artists and learners work together to recognize and celebrate the power of their creative voices to manifest a more equitable future. Through the use of visiting instructors (called “Teaching Artists”), CWP is doing just that.
The mission of education through the arts is important to the architectural community. It is why NYARC continues to support CWP and organizations like it. Coincidentally, both NYARC and CWP will be celebrating their 25th anniversaries in 2025.
See more at: communitywordproject.org
Chris introduced the idea of supporting CWP to the Regatta board a few years ago, and we quickly agreed that they aligned with our mission—where our support can truly make a difference. As we look ahead to a fantastic 2025 Regatta, part of what makes this event so meaningful is knowing that it enables us to support incredible organizations like Community-Word Project.
Charles Prettyman
President, New York Architects Regatta Foundation