See Me

Blackbird Arts’ program gives voice and visual expression to local LGBTQ+ youth — and the kids are showing up to show their true selves

By Ross Boissoneau | Feb. 5, 2018

Some see the world in black and white — you’re this or you’re that. For teens in the Grand Traverse area and their parents who appreciate the shades and contours, there’s Grayscale. The story-based advocacy program for LGBTQ+ students 13–17 years old is hosted at Blackbird Arts in Traverse City.

“I thought it would be cool,” said Rea Pettengill, one of the students who signed up for the program. Sure enough, she and the others enjoyed working with Johamy Morales, a visiting artist, on a theatre project this past fall. The four-day workshop touched on a number of areas, from voice to movement to improv, and at the end the students presented a series of skits and tableaus. “We were getting in touch with ourselves,” Pettengill said.

That was the goal, according to Melissa Johnson, the executive director of Blackbird Arts and founder of the program. “They work with artists to communicate things about their lives and experiences through the arts,” Johnson said. Blackbird Arts is a proponent for creating a studio that is safe and affirms young adults’ gender identity and sexual orientation. In addition to the Grayscale exhibition, youth will work to create a lending library, public outreach and education, and a listing of resources for LGBTQ+ youth.

The program was initially supported by a grant from the Michigan Council for the Arts. That funding was to support a program running from May through September, but Johnson said the studio was not able to generate enough student interest over the summer to initiate a program before school began in the fall. The studio was able to get an extension to the end of December — a good thing, because as more kids got wind of it, there was more interest than anticipated.

“We got three times the number of applications we expected,” Johnson said. She said there are about ten core members, including her son, Eamonn McGonigle, representing five different schools from the area.

Bianca Temple said she wasn’t sure what the program would offer, but she decided to try it out, and she’s glad she did. “When I first joined I didn’t know what it was. I thought I’d show up,” she said. Temple said she enjoys different art forms, though she said the theatrical prep and performance was not something she was familiar with. “What I like is that I’m quite artistic and like different media, (but) theatre got me out of my comfort zone. I met people, formed friends and relationships.”

Which is exactly what Johnson was hoping would happen. “The whole program is about visibility for LGBT youth to build support,” she said. “It’s very powerful to share their stories. It’s empowering.”

While the initial grant provided funding for the theatre project, this second phase is being supported by a grant from Rotary Club Good Works Committee. It involves photography, including using 35-millimeter cameras and film, creating cyanotypes, all with the goal of having the students create an exhibit that will reflect who they are. “The whole point of the program is to gather our own story and background and share it with others, using different methods,” said Temple. 

“We’re taking pictures of our vision, what we want to portray to others,” said Pettengill. And it finds them working in areas, like theatre, that they’ve not experienced previously. For Temple, it was theatre, while most of the students are unfamiliar with 35 millimeter cameras and producing photos from film. “I’ve never done darkroom and negatives,” said Pettengill.

While pleased with what has been accomplished thus far and what is on the happening with the planned photography exhibit, scheduled for April 6, Johnson isn’t satisfied. She hopes to continue and build the program in the years to come. “I think we need to build a youth connection program. One size does not fit all — [we need to] try to figure out what the community needs. I think the arts are an incredibly powerful way to do that.”

Pettengill agrees. “It boosts my self esteem. Confidence is a good thing,” she said. And at the same time, she and the others are busying enjoying themselves. “I’m having a ton of fun.”