Help me reach the finish line

I’m thrilled to announce that I am running in the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon and raising money for Studio in a School! Studio brings vital arts education programming to NYC public school students, who otherwise would not have access.

I knew I was an artist when I was just seven years old. I have a vivid memory of walking into the kitchen on a Saturday morning and announcing this to my parents while they were drinking coffee. I remember the floral pattern on the curtains, the color of my mom’s pajamas, and the way the light was streaming through the window onto the table. This realization set the course for my life at an early age.

As both an artist and an arts educator, I had the privilege of teaching with Studio in a School for fifteen years. I am now a NYC public school art teacher and I know firsthand that art has the ability to heal and transform the lives of young people. I have seen students in crisis find a sense of purpose and gain self-confidence through art making. Art creates a safe space for exploration and discovery, where we take risks and become critical thinkers and problem solvers. Art allows students to make meaning out of the world around them. Art is a form of activism, it fosters social and emotional wellbeing, and it helps create empathetic individuals that care about others and our society at large.

My mom was always supportive and encouraged my creativity in different ways throughout my childhood, from painting lessons to attending my art openings. One of my favorite memories as a little girl, is looking up at the clouds together and describing the different images that we saw pass by.

Sadly, my mom died recently, and I need to turn my grief into something meaningful in her memory. I have always wanted to run the NYC marathon, and just like art, running has been healing for me. In November, I am running not just for my mom, but also for the tens of thousands of students that Studio in a School serves annually. Every child deserves access to arts education.

Any amount you can give is greatly appreciated. Let’s do this! Together we can help make a difference in the lives of young people!