Shannon- Tupac- Day Two

Today started volunteering at the Tupac center. We met the volunteer coordinator who told us a little about the programs as a whole. The Tupac center puts on summer programs for kids interested in the arts as well as holding after school programs on Fridays and Saturday classes. They keep Tupac’s legacy alive by exposing children to the arts and never turning away a student who cannot pay. We took a tour of the facility that includes a studio, a warehouse that they hope to turn into a stage, and a peace garden. Throughout the property, there are numerous Tupac artifacts donated by his family. We also met some of the people who teach classes there that started out as students in the program. They did some exercises with us that demonstrated what goes on during the camps as well as talking a little about where they started and how the program helped them each as individuals. After learning about the program, we got to work and divided into groups. One group stayed inside and painted the walls in the hallway while the other group swept the warehouse. While we were working, the volunteer coordinator and the teachers stayed around and chatted with us. They were very thankful of our help and told us so numerous times. After learning about the program, I felt that my work was worthwhile if I was able to help such a noble cause. Tupac’s life had been changed by his exposure to the arts just as the people who worked at the center. Everyone in my group had a connection to the arts as well, so we all felt the relevance of the issue. The Tupac center does not have much funding, so we all felt that anything we could do to help was worth our time.