By:Natalie Godinez

The Youth Artivism Internship is an opportunity for artists ages 18-24 who have an interest in advocacy, activism, and the arts, with a special interest in housing justice and ties to the Eastside of Los Angeles. It provides three participants with the experience of using art as a tool for social action and addresses issues set by Eastside LEADS. The interns work closely with SHG’s Community Engagement Manager and Eastside LEADS’ Coalition Manager to inform and help develop art projects, activations, and/or exhibitions responding to the issues of displacement and gentrification. The program is on its second term and the current interns have been in the program since October 2021. They are Kimby Ruiz (she/her), Samantha Nieves (she/they), and Josiah O’Balles (he/him), artists with a breadth of experience and with various ties to the Self Help Community. Learn more about them below! 

How old are you and how did you become involved with Self Help Graphics? 

Kimby: I'm 24 years old. I first became involved with Self Help Graphics very recently in 2021 after they accepted a piece of mine in a youth exhibition. It was a great honor! After that, I heard about the opportunity to work as an intern for SHG and the rest is history! 

Josiah:  I am 20 years old. Around 2 years ago through the SHG Youth Committee. I became a participatory member of the SHG community but have always been an admirer and supporter. My dad has been involved in the Self Help community for a long time and has curated an exhibition for the space. 

Samantha: I am 21 years old. I first became involved with Self Help Graphics in 2019 where I attended the Annual Print Fair/Exhibition and became a part of the first Youth Committee Cohort.

Where did you grow up? Where do you live now? 

Kimby: I grew up all over East LA starting with my childhood in Boyle Heights then continuing my adolescence in El Sereno, then finally ending up in SELA living in Huntington Park. I currently live in Fullerton in the dorms at Cal State Fullerton, but visit LA often to see my family.  

Josiah: I grew up in Monrovia, CA, and currently go between East LA and Pasadena

Samantha: Born, raised, and thriving in East Los Angeles.

Why did you decide to apply to the Youth Artivism Internship? What is something you’ve learned so far? 

Kimby: I saw a friend of mine post about the opportunity on Instagram. After SHG had displayed my piece I knew I had to take the opportunity to work with them. So far, I've learned a lot! A lot about the work that has been done for the community and ways I can use my art to make a difference. 

Josiah: I believe in the mission of Eastside LEADS and Self Help Graphics and want to use my artistic passion to help the cause. So far, I’ve learned about some of the resources out there for tenants and ways to receive help and combat unjust treatment.

Samantha:  I have a passion for civic engagement through the arts. Since the start of this internship, I have learned the importance of empowering and sustaining the cultural value our community members resonate with. I have also discovered empowerment in reclaiming how our stories are told. 

What are you excited to learn moving forward?

Kimby: I'm excited to learn how the medium of video can be used for advocacy and make a real difference for people in our communities. 

Josiah: I’d like to learn more about the legal rights tenants have access to in order to further my knowledge and be able to share with people in need of it.

Sam: Moving forward, I am so excited to uplift and document the experiences of community members who still see themselves in the greater Eastside. Many people have been priced/pushed out, but with artivism, we have the potential to create media that advocates for our greater community. We will discover stories, have a dialogue with time, and reclaim our rights to fight for our cultural values.  

What projects is the cohort currently working on? How are you involved? 

Sam: A project we are beginning is a collaborative series about uplifting the testimonies of tenants who have been displaced, harassed, or lived/living in hazardous environments. We plan to continue the narrative of reclaiming our community and strengthen solidarity by uplifting tenant voices.  

Kimby: My role in this will be to assist in the filming process and make animated digital collages as visuals for our videos. I am a digital artist that has a passion for the possibility of animation and activism, my life's goal is to find a way to make animations for a cause.

What is something you’d like to share about yourself? Any special projects you’re currently working on outside the internship?

Kimby: I am involved with the Prison Arts Collective. A collective of teaching artists and organizers teaching art to incarcerated peoples to decrease recidivism in the criminal justice system. It is rewarding work and it makes me hopeful for the intersection of art and activism!

Sam: I have a website, Spacedoutarts.com where I invite artists of any level to explore their space of creativity or find ways to get involved with movements relevant to the Los Angeles community. I also write blogs with the perspective of art as it relates to my experience in the ELA community. 

Josiah: Not much I’m just happy to be in spaces where I can utilize my passion and practice to create positive change in the lives who need it the most. I’m currently flushing out the ideas for a new body of work and paintings that I can’t wait to share with the community once it’s finished, so keep an eye out for that!

To learn more about the projects the Youth Artivists are working on please follow @shgyouth and @eastsideleads on Instagram!

Natalie M Godinez is an artist, mother, educator, and Self Help Graphics & Art’s Community Engagement Manager.