Youth from CornerStone Community and Youth Center in Frazee Attend Arts Advocacy Day
On March 5, a group of passionate and energized teenagers from Frazee’s CornerStone Community and Youth Center, accompanied by Center Director Mackenzie Hamm and Founder Kaen Pifher, traveled to the Citizens for the Arts Rally at the Minnesota State Capitol. The group was there to testify about the impact of art and the Legacy funds, presenting moving and meaningful testimony to a large group arts supporters and meeting individually with their legislators.
The event was part of Arts Action Week at the capitol, sponsored by Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. The organization estimated that about 400 individuals participated in the day’s activities.
Emma Ketter, an 11th grade student in Frazee, helped design the mural the Frazee delegation displayed at the capitol, and also wrote a personal testimony to share at the rally. She expressed:
“It isn’t every day you see an organization so focused on the well-being and development of youth as CornerStone, and this has been apparent since the beginning. In the past, I was an extremely isolated individual with few opportunities to practice my passion for the arts in a communal setting. Nonetheless, the opportunities provided by CornerStone were instrumental in breaking me out of my comfort zone, allowing me to practice my passions in a way that is both practical and impactful.
“In the years since the organization’s founding, CornerStone has reached out to me numerous times to participate in and lead community-focused projects, and through this, I have had the privilege of connecting with individuals of all ages with similar interests and goals. Not only does this allow me to exhibit my passions throughout the community, but it also shows me that my efforts and interests are valued and supported within my small town. The support, recognition, and praise I have received have been truly eye-opening, and it is freeing to know that I can impact my community by sharing the joys of art and illustrating the experiences of youth without worrying about the technicalities and financial aspects involved.
“Furthermore, I am continually amazed by the opportunities provided by CornerStone, not just in visual arts but in all forms of creative expression. Similarly, as I grow closer to adulthood, I hope to carry the lessons and skills CornerStone has taught me out into the world to motivate and inspire the next generation of artists, embracing a new age of creativity and preserving art’s place in our ever-changing world.”
“Thank you for asking me to share my experience!”
CornerStone Community and Youth Center is a great example of how a community can use the arts to address multiple community needs. To learn CornerStone’s story and how the Center came to be, visit their website at https://www.cornerstonefrazee.org/#/.
