Dec 17, 2024
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Every Tuesday as part of our Greater Memphis on a Mission series, we highlight organizations making Memphis better. This week, we caught up with a group that believes in arts for a better way of life. Ayana Williams is the executive producer of Blues City Cultural Center, a non-profit organization founded by her parents that is dedicated to making positive change through the arts. "Using the arts to be able to show that it doesn't matter if you don't play sports, it doesn't matter if you are the worst kid in the classroom. Everybody is looking for someone to care about them. to see that there is somebody who will support them," said Williams. We caught up with Ayana at Hanley Academy. They're helping a group of fifth graders hone their writing skills as they write grants about showing kindness in their school and community. 📡 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South. 📧 Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. "They have some great ideas and they learned how to put a budget together. They learned what they needed to put in that grant -- write about kindness and what they thought kindness was," said Williams. They also have a "Sew Much Love" program that works with homeless and vulnerable women. "So many women a lot of times won't be able to get traditional jobs. We look at the arts as a way of making a difference by being able to tap into your own talent," Williams said. "Peace In The House" is another program created to prevent violence while promoting peace among youth. "Have a way to express what they're feeling, because I understand I cannot change your living situation, but what I can do is give you a way to cope with it. That's a discussion that is having an art form. It could be dance, It could be writing," said Williams. That is why Brown Missionary Baptist Church and the Mid-South Genesis CDC donated $1,000 to Blues City Cultural Center. Because the arts will always build a strong foundation in a community. ...read more read less
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