City Spotlights: A Program That Unites Art and Leadership

Photo by Deja Vu Designs via Freepik

The Boch Center in Boston has announced that its youth leadership development program, "City Spotlights," will restart this summer. In a press release published on July 15 and obtained by Más Latino, Boch Center leaders explained the importance of this program and offered a sneak peek into the types of activities these young people will engage in over the next six weeks: 

“I am constantly inspired by the passion and potential our young leaders bring to this program. This year’s cohort is already demonstrating a strong commitment to using art as a tool for social change. I’m excited to see how they channel their creativity and leadership to strengthen their communities and build a brighter future.” – Corey Evans, vice president and senior director of Education at the Boch Center.

The Boch Center is a nonprofit arts organization. In addition to hosting concerts, events, and festivals, the Boch Center focuses on social programs that use the transformative power of art to educate, train, and prepare members of the Boston community. One of these programs is the City Spotlights Teen Leadership Program. 

City Spotlights

City Spotlights is a highly award-winning leadership program, Focused on developing creatively talented teens around Boston. The program welcomes these teens and teaches them how to apply their talents to become leaders in their schools, neighborhoods, or communities:

“Key components of this paid, six-week program include leadership training, community outreach, and job readiness, each of which helps young people develop the skills needed to navigate the changing 21st century” – Boch Center.

The program received the Ann Ward Multicultural Award in 2016 and continues to be considered one of the most recognized youth leadership programs in the country. This year, the program includes youth from 12 Boston neighborhoods, drawn from 21 schools across the city.

Lawyers' Day

The first activity City Spotlights youth participated in was Advocacy Day on July 16. During this event, youth went to the State House to advocate for protection, support, and respect for the immigrant community. 

This event focused on debunking xenophobia and harmful stereotypes surrounding the immigrant community. Young people also had the opportunity to present historical events that honor and celebrate the role of these communities in Boston.

City Spotlights represents an avenue for young artists to expand these talents and transform them into leadership initiatives that nourish their communities. The next public event in this program will be an art exhibition at the Shubert Theatre on August 13.

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