RAW Chiefs
RAW Art Works, Inc.

RAW Art Works got its start in 1988 as Massachusetts' first statewide art therapy program for incarcerated youth. The power of the work with juvenile offenders inspired the founders to build a creative refuge where youth on the edge of risky urban street life could find shelter and creative nourishment. With the motto "There are no mistakes-just ART," RAW Space opened in 1994 in Lynn, Massachusetts, a small city struggling to cope with big economic challenges but also blessed with an ever-increasing diversity of cultures and languages.

Over the past six years, young artists, known as the RAW Kids, have created a studio, RAW Space, jam-packed with brightly painted chairs, sofas, floor coverings, and wall-to-wall art. In RAW's vehicle, Van-Go, nearly a hundred youngsters are transported to RAW Space each week. All staff are professional artists and master's level art therapists who are able to provide a safe haven where kids can dig deeply and reach as high as they dare through the language of the arts.

RAW Chiefs are the soul of RAW's services. This paid leadership development program was inspired by the demands of the teens for a more significant role in helping RAW Space to thrive. Through a rigorous interview process, each year 11 teens who demonstrate both commitment and leadership qualities are honored with the respons-ibility of becoming a Chief.

The Chiefs undertake three main tasks: self-care, self-expression, and care of the community. They learn their lessons through the arts. For example, during their weekly studio time, Chiefs may be asked to take a pair of old shoes and transform them by painting, attaching mirrors and other found objects to describe their "uniqueness." In the end they complete the sentence, "Nobody can fill my shoes because I am..." Then, they face the challenge of presenting this exact same concept to children half their ages in a group they co-lead with RAW staff.

The Chiefs often make strong connections with the youngsters involved in RAW's programs. Not surprisingly, many of these youngsters now aspire to being RAW Chiefs someday, thus furthering the cycle of art making and mentoring.