Photo of us with Harrell (3rd from the left) and his Team

Earlier this month, Ayuda’s OKA house welcomed a visit from artist, Harrell Fletcher.  Mr. Fletcher was in Philadelphia to curate the PEOPLE’S BIENNIAL taking place at Haverford College and wanted to spend some time visiting local arts organizations in Philly.  Ayuda was mentioned regarding this visit here. We had a lovely time sharing about what we are doing through the arts in Hunting Park.  Thanks to Libbie and Matthew for setting up our visit!

Mosaic - bottom center, Fire Hydrant

Hello hello my fellow Americans!!!! Ok it’s me again :] I am hear to report that a great portion of the mosaic is complete! After sorting, breaking, cutting, and placing, the fire hydrant with “Phila” was finally complete and how happy I was to see it done! Never in all my short years of living did I ever imagine that I would be given the blessing to be able to be apart of such a life changing and inspiring experience.  I truly am very happy, over joyed even, to be able to be apart of this. Oh, and the wonderful, most important part was also completed and that would be…that’s right you guessed it!! It was the face! You want to hear more on it you say??? Well, to bad so sad but my lips will be sealed on that subject Well in the words of my crazy sister Alexis, catch you cool cats on the flip-flop!!

Ayuda Summer Camp in Hunting Park

Ayuda Summer Camp - Kickball

Game Over!

Hey guys I’m back and ready to fill you guys in about the past week. Since Michaelanne, our Community Arts Director, was in Oregon last week, we didn’t work at the OKA house. So instead we worked with the kids at the summer camp next door. I had a lot of fun with the kids but no one told me about how much energy they have. They were literally bouncing of the walls, but everything turned out fine and now we’re back at the OKA house and still working on the mosaic project. That’s pretty much it for the scoop on the OKA house, I hope to write again.  Yours Truly, Gustavo

Hello!! Its Nathalie Nunez here again to report to you about the latest hot gossip today!!! And here we have the whole gang talking about boyfriends and girlfriends in our lives! We also talked about family and relationships.We laughed and smiled our delicious lunch away and over all, we once again had the chance to get to know one another, in the funniest topics your grandmother can think of!! I’m Nathalie Nunez here reporting live from the Orange Korner Arts!!!!!!

We are excited to share the work of our Summer Journalist Intern, Alexis Wright-Whitley, age 18.  Over the past 4 years, Alexis has taken art classes at Ayuda including photography, drama, and drawing.  She has a gifted eye when it comes to photography and was one of our youth participants in our Annual Report Project as well as the Community Portrait Day in 2009.  This summer, Alexis chronicles the activities of the OKA House in four installments. She will be entering Temple University this fall and she hopes to study journalism.  She is very excited to have the opportunity to do all writing, photography and layout for these newsletters.  Feel free to comment on what you see and we’ll pass on your messages to Alexis. Enjoy our first installment! (Click on image below to read.)

(Click above to Read "We Are OKA")

Hello everyone it’s me Brittany again with my photo of the day that was actually taken by my awesome sister Alexis.  Ok so today we really got the party started because we were finally able to start the mosaic!!! While putting the huge picture together, a feeling of beauty filled the room as the colorful photo was exposed.  After putting the pieces of the photo puzzle together, it was time to make sure the mesh would fit over the picture.  While at first it seemed like all hope was lost because the picture might have been too big, that ended up not being the case and we were back in business!  After fitting the mesh-to-photo it was time to cover the 10×10 photo with plastic and what fun it was.  Then finally, after all the waiting and measuring and protecting the photo, it was FINALLY time to start putting the tile and broken plates and vases onto the mesh.  Even though we just started today, I can see how much potential this mosaic has and how amazing it is going to look when we finish.

Hey there it’s Gustavo here. Today wasn’t just any normal day. I got to do the most exciting job that you would never guess of. I got to mop a basement! I think I just accomplished my life goal. We also did inventory but moping is way better. This job is starting to sound better and better, I wonder what’s next? Maybe I’ll get to clean other things to. And that was pretty much it for me. It’s about time for me to get out of here. So bye.

Hi!!!! My name is Nathalie Nunez and this is the photo of the day! This is a mural that I am working on during this summer. The National Honors Society in my school told me that I had to do a service project that would serve the community in some way. So I went to the Orange Korner Arts and had the opportunity to create this colorful mural. Thanks to Michaelanne Harriman, I am able to paint an ocean and a bright sun in the center to show that there is life under the sun!!!! I am now working as a youth worker at the Orange Korner Arts and I’m going to do many murals over the summer!!! It is the most exciting job I ever had! Thanks to God I’m able to express myself through art everyday at the Orange Korner Arts!

Saturday, June 24th was our 2nd Tile Making Workshop.  We finished the 48 tiles needed for the mural!  Check out the photos here.

We are so happy to welcome our 2 summer volunteers.  Bryn Bergwell (left) is from Jenkintown and is currently an art student at Wheaton College.  Bryn has an interest in focusing on Community Arts at Wheaton and wanted to spend time at the OKA House to “get her feet wet.”  Janira Bremner (right) is from Jamaica and is currently pursuing her Masters in Dance Education at Temple University and is volunteering this summer through Gateway, a program of InterVarsity.  Both have brought so much to the house already with their enthusiasm and artistic interests. More from them later on…