Storyteller Sunday - Artist

Within the landscape of the DMV area, we as it's inhabitants put a lot of people's worth into what they do. Conversations tend to jump from "Hello" to "So what do you do", in only a few seconds of engagement. We put a lot of weight in a person's hobby or profession, as if to gauge the importance of the person in front of us and most times, that person's depth is far deeper than what they do.

For example, there is a man that goes simply by Artist that sits at lefant plaza almost everyday and paints around the time that school lets out. On the surface, many would only take from the aforementioned engagement that his passion is painting but the appeal for Artist is a little more important than that. He uses his passion for art as a means of enlightening the youth, showing kids that there is more out there in order to keep them out of trouble. He understands that the power is with the youth; the power to change circumstances, the power to elevate mentalities, the power to extend beyond what they have been told is possible for years and that work is important. So what does he do? Artist runs a charity that collects art and school supplies for kids to help push that goal of empowering them. With the help of the DC police department, he hopes to at least influence a few because once you grab a couple, the ability to get more is all in the experience.

The power to change our society lies in the hands of this younger generation. We have the ability to take and hold the attention of so many with the help of entertainment and social media. So I guess the better question to ask next time you're meeting someone new should be, what are you doing with your influence?

~Life & Love

Written by Yogi, Photo by David Harty (@ofphotography)