La Plata Youth Services’ “Youth of Culture” spring celebration returned Saturday after a four-year hiatus brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Families and groups such as The Hive DGO, The Chill Spot Barbershop, Durango School District 9-R, TRIO tutoring program, Durango High School’s Native American Club and a local artist came together at La Plata Youth Services’ facility at the La Plata County Fairgrounds to celebrate the diverse community of Durango’s youth.
La Plata Youth Services administrative assistant Jennifer Maestes said the purpose was to do just that and make art together under the sun.
“We have Tatiana Trujillo, she came from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and she does street artwork. She’ll be doing artwork on the shed back there. And we have our community sign in the back that she prepped up for our youth that’s ready to paint,” she said.
Trujillo was working on a mural of marigolds, known by some North, Central and South American Indigenous cultures as “cemooalxochiyl.” She said marigolds are often referenced on holidays such as Día de Muertos, meaning “Day of the Dead,” for their vibrant colors and ability to make spaces come alive.
She also set up a blank slate for youth to get artsy with. She said she’d steer them toward a mountain landscape featuring wildflowers to represent a part of Durango’s natural beauty.
“It's a very beautiful outdoor-centered community. So just getting vibrancy or color and really beautiful beings to this really beautiful courtyard here at La Plata Youth Services,” she said.
Trujillo has been with La Plata Youth Services the past five years or so. She was waiting tables when a colleague mentioned a group would paint murals, and they were seeking artists to join.
“I did a stenciling workshop with some of the youth back in 2019, pre-pandemic. I really fell in love with the youth they serve here,” she said.
Youth Services is what’s keeping Trujillo from returning home to Albuquerque, she said.
“I come from lower income. I'm a person of color I represent as Chicana Latina. I was really close to services like this growing up at community centers and just really bonded with community in that way,” she said. “I know how important and impactful it is, especially for youth of color whose parents are more than likely working more than one job and are trying to give them as much opportunity as they can.”
The Hive members were ready to help children make custom shirts.
The Chill Spot Barbershop’s Gilbert Shawcroft and barber Sean Weaver were there to give the youth free haircuts.
La Plata Youth Services’ executive director, Jason St. Mary, said the organization focuses on diversion, collaborative management and restorative justice work for about 600 kids annually.
“All of us come from diverse backgrounds, so being able to promote and harness and really bolster that is super important,” he said. “We do live in a world of division oftentimes these days. To be able to celebrate the diversity of this community is a cool thing.”
St. Mary said early intervention of youth before they end up in the juvenile justice system or other punitive systems is important because once they get in, it’s difficult to get out.
The program offers school-based therapy in partnership with 9-R and Ignacio School District, and he hopes to loop Bayfield School District into the program next year.
“When youth are charged with a smaller misdemeanor, we’re able to keep them out of that system through individualized case management, treatment plans and then getting them connected to communities,” he said of diversion management.
Youth Services’ therapeutic mentoring program “Radical Possibilities” matches youth with mentors. Many of the mentors are interns paid on monthly stipends, and they are often members of marginalized communities themselves, St. Mary said.
“We really want to alleviate as many barriers (as we can),” he said.
cburney@durangoherald.com
