The Maps to Manifest Program (M2M) supports young people through an artistic and leadership development based curriculum. Over the course of this 6 week in-person gateway offering, participants will create tangible results in areas of their lives that matter most to them by manifesting their goals. Serving as peer-to-peer diversion and/or an alternative to incarceration,participants develop their ability to think, react and tell their stories on their own terms while dismantling the dominant narratives of “criminality” through visual and performance art-based storytelling workshops. The holistic relationships formed in the context of this initial Assembly offering build toward an empowered sense of self within a thriving community.

Transitioning from our gateway cohort into longer term involvement, participants may choose to join the Peer Leadership cohort—a 40-week paid program that offers opportunities for young people ages 18 - 26 to build upon their artmaking, leadership, and advocacy skills. These paid elective opportunities offer deep engagement with Recess artists, skill building workshops in arts education, printmaking, photo & video, wellness and financial literacy, and advocacy and activism.

Launched in 2020, the Assembly Fellowship program serves as a window to deeper engagement with Recess and expanded creative fields. After having exhibited a passionate and deep commitment to Assembly, select Peer Leaders are invited to transition into the fellowship to experience a robust springboard towards their own personal definition of success and stability. Rooted in a “Purpose Path” developed by Rasu Jilani, this program clearly defines a trajectory tailored specifically to the narrative participants see for their future. The Assembly Fellowship program lasts for one full year with a commitment to 16 hours of Recess-related work each week throughout their tenure. Fellows are on Recess payroll and compensated at a staff level.

The Writing Workshop at Assembly is a series of experimental writing sessions expanding into open mics and performance. Participants learn from a variety of creative writing strategies and genres through deep readings and discussions. In each session participants develop and present their own writing for group conversation and critique. The program is co-facilitated by Assembly Fellows and Assembly educators.

These workshops build photo, video, podcasting, and editing skills. Participants learn how to use cameras to document artwork and events and to create their own art.

This financial literacy and education offering partners with multiple organizations such as Student Dream, who are dedicated to helping young people of color build wealth and achieve their dreams. The elective offers resources that empowers students to achieve their financial, investment, and entrepreneurial aspirations. Our aim is to equip assembly participants with the tools they need to transform their financial health and autonomy and make an impact on the larger community.

This Pratt Institute partnership offers a peer to peer mentorship opportunity for a Pratt Fine Arts second year MFA candidate. The selected Pratt student engages collaboratively with Assembly Fellows in the development of individual artistic practice and in building a portfolio. The process grows from an establishment of trust and mutual respect and the sharing of skills and experience. The collaboration consists of two days per week working directly with Fellows over the course of the semester, in which the student conducts regular one-on-one check-ins and group critiques.

Utilizing a youth-driven and developed curriculum, Assembly youth fellows conduct workshops consisting of a series of visualization and embodiment exercises that challenge preconceived notions, while developing a historical understanding of policing. The workshops invite outside community members to collectively imagine and learn solutions for conflict—creating a community that is able to establish safety without the use of coercion, policing and violence.

Participants learn how to safely handle, transport, hang, and dismantle art installation materials. Assisting our artists and professional art handlers in real time, our Assembly Art Handlers realize full scale exhibitions and projects.

This offering creates an intimate space for community care. Participants meet weekly to utilize group process and creative practice in the exploration of various salient topics in mental health and wellbeing. Themes have included understanding intergenerational legacies of trauma and healing, expanding insight and meaning in one’s intersectional identity and lived experiences, meditation, yoga, and somatic practices for healing racialized trauma.