Good day, everyone! My name is Satuna Mowrin and I am currently a senior at Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences. I am super excited to be part of the 2019-2020 Teen Advisory Council. Growing up, art has been a huge part of my life, and it still is! To me, art is a coping mechanism; whether I am sad or happy, excited or heartbroken: painting, drawing, taking pictures, and doing makeup has been an efficient way to express my emotions. What I love about art is the diverse form it comes in; it is everywhere around us and is not just limited to putting colors on to a blank canvas! 

I got the wonderful opportunity to be part of this year’s Teen Advisory Council because of my previous affiliation with the Student Art Program at ArtsConnection. In order to be a TAC Teen, one is required to previously participate in one of the several programs that are offered by ArtsConnection. I have partaken in the Student Art Program two times; once in 2013 and another time in 2019. It felt surreal to have my art chosen to be exhibited. Participating in the Student Art Program has been a huge moment in my life and I am extremely thankful for it. In my exhibition for “Brave Is” (2019), I was able to to express what it means to be an immigrant in the United States. You can see my artwork above. Having it exhibited to the public’s eyes, I couldn’t feel more proud that I was able to tell my story through my art! The Student Art Program at ArtsConnection has encouraged me to take chances, seize every opportunity, and to keep painting!

Looking at the prodigious impact that ArtsConnection has had on me, I decided to reciprocate that positive impact back onto ArtsConnection by becoming a TAC Teen and taking initiatives to turn ArtsConnection’s teen visions into reality. For the weeks that I have been part of TAC, I had the chance to plan some potential project ideas for the 2019-2020 year, learn more about the different programs offered by ArtsConnection, build my teamwork and leadership skills, and to meet some awesome people! At TAC, I am allowed to voice my opinions and ideas, while also collaborating with others ideas which has helped me work more efficiently within groups. It is my goal to use the platform that the TAC Program has given me and fulfill my goal of having a positive impact everywhere I go. I have already made huge plans on hosting art events for students in NYC that are less fortunate. I want to encourage them to grasp the abstract concept of art and its significance in our modern day. By being part of TAC, I am certain that my vision to create an equitable society for all students will be fulfilled, because my peers at TAC are an amazing support system, and willing to watch me, others, and ArtsConnection flourish!