Senseless acts of racism and violence in our country continue to devastate, threaten and cut short the lives of our peoples and our communities. In this open letter, DreamYard's Board of Directors responds to the recent murder of two African Americans at a Kroger's grocery store and the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. And we remember the poignant words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that "In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there 'is' such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.” As a community committed to anti-racism, we hold fast to these words and invite you to join us in acting upon the “fierce urgency of now."

Dear Friends,

During the month of October 2018 amid continued anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric, our nation suffered a tragic loss of human lives. In one solitary week, two African Americans were shot to death at a Kroger’s grocery store near Louisville, Kentucky. The man and woman were both in their late sixties and the gentleman was apparently with his twelve-year-old grandson. The 51-year old white supremacist accused of the murders tried to enter a predominantly black church nearby minutes before the shootings. Later the same week, in an event the Anti-Defamation League calls the largest attack on the Jewish community in U.S. history, eleven people were murdered and six injured at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh by a man armed with an AR-15 and three handguns. Upon his arrest, he reportedly told authorities he was seeking to kill Jews.

Creative Arts Therapy Team

This year the Art Center will be instituting an expanded Creative Arts Therapy initiative for all of the students and families of the Center. This initiative will provide therapy services through creative practices as an alternative to traditional talk psychotherapy. Students and families are welcome to create during our time together through visual arts, dance and other forms of creative expression that can function as therapeutic catalysts for personal and interpersonal development, self exploration and mental health maintenance.

Of course, our therapists are happy to provide traditional psychotherapy or talk therapy, but we like to operate outside the box and encourage our students and families to do the same.

The team is comprised of one full-time therapist, Sandralis Gines Gonzalez, and one part-time therapist, Yelimara Concepcion.

If you or your family need more resources please reach out to Sandralis Gines Gonzalez at sgines-gonzalez@dreamyard.com.

The Class of 2018 at DreamYard Prep High School and the DreamYard Art Center were accepted to over 100 colleges and universities across the country. We congratulate them on their commitment to their educational journey and are excited to watch as they continue to grow and serve as leaders in their communities!