“From a Space to a Place” at Agape – Mind-mapping

This week in our “From a Space to a Place” program at Agape Development, the teens began mind-mapping their ideas for positive change in the community. First, they needed to learn the importance of having a clear vision of the future, and, to their surprise, we brought in renowned graffiti artist and muralist, Sebastien “Mr. D” Boileau and his film maker friend, Thomas Granovsky. Having seen the “Biggest Mural in Houston” in person, the teens were full of questions for Mr. D. He revealed to them that he had started as a “street kid” in France, with big dreams of going to America to be a graffiti artist. Mr. D, now French-American, has made his dreams come true with Eyeful Art Murals & Designs, but with big dreams comes a lot of planning; if you don’t have a clear path, you can easily get lost.

Planning for the future is important on both a personal and communal level. We asked the teens to think about and answer the question, “How can I make a positive impact in my community?” Through this brainstorming session, they were able to start seeing the individual ideas of their peers while working towards a collective goal. Next week, the students will collaborate to define a clearer vision of how they want to create lasting positive change in their community through an urban outreach project. Stay tuned!