In Memory of Jill Parker

Upon the one-year anniversary of the tragic death of Jillian Parker, we wanted to share a bit about her passion for art and justice and how we’re using funds donated in her memory to expand more equitable access to the arts in our community.

We remember Jillian as a talented young photographer, illustrator, musician, and storyteller who cared deeply about justice and the arts.  In honor of her compassion and creativity, we’ve pursued several new partnerships and initiatives this year.  We’re so grateful for her friends and family who have donated over $15,200 in her memory, and as we use these funds to pursue social justice, equity, and community building through the arts, may her life continue to bless and inspire others.  Here are some of the ways we were able to honor Jill’s life this year:

We were honored to provide another summer of teaching for Trio Upward Bound at the campus of Hope College. This visual arts elective is geared toward first-generation college-bound high school students, and focused on the theme of Rising Up and resilience.  We were also delighted to provide art workshops again at both the north and south side Boys & Girls Clubs this spring after a long year of pandemic restrictions.

As tension surrounding issues of race continue to rise in our nation, we’ve increased our efforts to empower students and artists of color as we continue to learn, unlearn, and grow as a staff and organization.  We’ve been delighted to partner with I Am Academy, a new non-profit that invests in the personal and professional development of Black teens in Holland.  In a 4-hr Black Excellence Art Workshop this Spring with I Am Academy, students explored the rich history of Black excellence in the arts through dance, collage, and ceramics, and created artwork that connects their past, present, and future narratives.  I Am Academy students are also borrowing our cameras this year for a 9 month project around the theme of ‘Ubuntu’ which means “I am because we are.”  CultureWorks Photographer, Instructor, and Board President, Jack Burk, is helping with equipment, instruction, and evaluation.

The Ottawa County Migrant Program reached out to CultureWorks this Spring and asked if we could provide artistic leadership for their pk-8th grade students this summer, who meet at West Ottawa High School.  We responded with an enthusiastic “Yes!” We love saying “yes” to opportunities like these, and we’re grateful for a grant from the Wolff Family Foundation through the Greater Toledo Community Foundation which covered expenses for this outreach program.

In another new partnership this year, we’ve provided three 6-week virtual art courses (also at no cost) for the young women in the Ottawa County Juvenile Detention Center’s Lighthouse Treatment Program.  We’ve loved being with the young women in this transformative program, and hope to continue this program in person in the future as safety precautions become more relaxed.  We were also able to offer several workshops this summer at the Children’s Advocacy Center, which serves individuals and families recovering from the trauma of sexual abuse.

The Momentum Center, which works to eradicate stigma associated with addiction, mental illness, and disabilities reached out to us this fall, and we’re excited to offer workshops for them as they expand services into the Holland area. 

Erin Drews led the aforementioned Ottawa County migrant art program and followed up this fall with hands-on art activities at multi-lingual resource fair as well.  She was overjoyed to learn that we could offer these programs memory of Jillian.  “Each one of these outreach programs offer creative opportunities to young members of our community who might not have otherwise had the chance to have similar experiences,” says Erin, who knew Jillian well.  “Jillian had an outward-facing heart for service; a heart and talent that also extended to the arts.  There are so many young people whose talents and perspectives are vital assets to our community and our world, yet that potential goes untapped without the opportunity.  Nothing can EVER take the place of the light that Jillian was in this world, but I think extending these opportunities honors her legacy in a meaningful way.”

As a small nonprofit that specializes in mobile programming, we’re uniquely poised to engage with these exciting opportunities.  Our greatest expense is the cost of labor, followed closely by transportation and supplies, and these generous gifts allow us to offer this type of flexible programming for free.  In this time of increasing anxiety and isolation among teens, we believe that the arts are more important than ever, especially programs like ours that foster empathy and understanding across socio-economic, political, and racial divides.  Thank you to everyone who has given in Jillian’s memory –  your support helps us continue to make transformative art and design programs accessible and affordable to all teens in our community! These activities were funded in part by a grant from the William and Amy Wolff Family Charitable Fund of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, along with:

Douglas Arenberg * Valerie Carlson * Sue Collins * Kerri Fitzgerald * Mary Flanigan * William Frauenheim * Keith Burwell * Deb Kammeraad * Lisa Marie Maxson * Jack and Marcia McGinnis * Ellen Nelson * Mark and Sarah Parker * Rachel Paul * Quinn Vise * Anne rosa * Sara Sanchez-Timmer * Nan Schivone * Brenda Schloff * Lisa Schutter * Karen Solms * Michelle Tedford