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Lee Van Roth's Feature Article: Ypsi library’s “Noise Permit” summer youth program to expand with added funding
Transcription:
Lee Van Roth: You're listening to 89.1 WEMU. I'm Lee Van Roth, and this is On the Ground Ypsi. The Ypsilanti District Library's mainstay summer youth program, Noise Permit, is getting a major upgrade this year following the receipt of additional grant funding from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. The additional $15,000 of support from MAC aims to give local youth aged 10 to 24 greater access to high-quality media production equipment and much more throughout the summer. To give us a breakdown of what Noise Permit is and how this funding will impact the program moving forward is YDL paraprofessional and one of Noise Permit's program coordinators, Shayla Card-Nowlin. Hi, Shay! Thanks so much for being here today!
Shayla Card-Nowlin: Hey! Good morning, y'all!
Lee Van Roth: So, for anyone who isn't aware of this program, can you describe what Noise Permit is?
Shayla Card-Nowlin: Yes! So, Noise Permit is when we have our youth ages 14 through 24. And what they do is they come in, and they make their own music, they're doing spoken word, they are making visuals this year. So, any type of storytelling is allowed because it is your story, and it's having a freedom of expression. So, actually, as you said in the intro, we have new equipment too, so they'll be able to have more accessibility to the creation. So, a lot of times people have schedules in the summer, or kids do work as well. A lot of times kids are the providers for the home. And this time, what we're doing is we made about like five to-go packs with some of our equipment where they'd be able to take it between the library and Ozone House, so that's pretty cool too! So, yeah, it's going to be on August 7th, and we're going to have spoken word, singing, dancing, visual artists, rap, and, of course, they're going to make their own beats too. So, it's going to be awesome!
Lee Van Roth: August 7th--that is the culmination event of the concert at the end of the program.
Shayla Card-Nowlin: Mm hmm.
Lee Van Roth: So, some of these changes that you've mentioned, the new equipment and this sort of adaptable schedule for the attendees, I have to assume that some of those kind of came around because of conversations with those attendees and what they wanted to see. How did you and the other program coordinators kind of decide on how and what to expand with Noise Permit this year?
Shayla Card-Nowlin: So, we've been having Noise Permit for a couple years now. We started to back up after COVID. This is my third year doing it. And this is the most involved I've been since I've been employed at YDL, which is like an honor to me as well, to be trusted with a vision like that. And you're trusted with multiple visions because it's multiple participants. But how it came about is we watched our youth from the previous years and see what they struggles with. So, a lot of times as adults we might like blame our youth like, "Oh, you didn't finish this. That means you have a problem with time." Well really, time of the issue with me. I need to be fit in for these opportunities because, a lot at times, you see somebody that is, quote-unquote, ahead or more into their art, and it's because they have been given the space and grace to explore. So, it's just seeing them somewhat not really struggle, but see a challenge with the time that we had in previous years. Son the sessions are like 30 minutes longer as well. And, of course, we're bringing in professionals, too, to talk to them and have a table talk and also address disparities, such as food. So, that's why we wanted to definitely have the dinner as well. So, if they're filled with food, they can create.
Lee Van Roth: And with some of these additions, you had mentioned the table talks, ensuring that all the participants are able to have a meal if they need. Were any of these new additions things that, within those these last three years you've been working on the program, something that you specifically were fighting for?
Shayla Card-Nowlin: I think it was a group of us that fights for it. I don't think I'm in this fight alone, in terms of having a youth voice heard and making things as accessible as possible, so, I definitely thank Steph for that. I also thank Dante and Joel because they're going to be our presenters throughout the summer as well. Dante is with Music Means More, and Joel is with Skyrap Productions. And Joel does more like a production standpoint of the visuals. And Dante does producing. And I also have to thank Kelly as well, who ran the workshops in the previous year.
Lee Van Roth: And just like you had mentioned, this is not the first time YDL is putting on Noise Permit. Noise Permit has been going on for, since around 2011 was when it first started. You mentioned taking a break because of COVID. As a current coordinator of the program, what do you think about it has allowed it to run as long as it has?
Shayla Card-Nowlin: What has allowed Noise Permit to run as long as it has is community and passion to express ourselves. A lot of times, we're in an environment sometimes or society that wants to suppress our feelings and how we want to share our stories. But our young people have their hunger. No matter what type of day they have, they're going to want to rap on like a beat. They're going to do a little table beat or something like that, and they're going to want to talk to us about their day. So, hearing what they deal with on the day-to-day gives us the passion to fight for them to have this program every year and get more funding.
Lee Van Roth: And speaking of that funding, like we mentioned, there is this additional $15,000 that has gone into the program, which is not an insignificant amount of money at all, can you tell us a little bit more about what exactly that's going toward?
Shayla Card-Nowlin: Yes! So, it is going towards the equipment, which I can actually read out for you. And then also, they're going to be paid as creatives at the end of this.
Lee Van Roth: The participants?
Shayla Card-Nowlin: Yeah. So it's not an incentive. It is like you had a thing to do this summer, and you were paid to do it. It's important that we reinforce the ideas of us being creatives. And also our place in the world is knowing that it has a value to it. And sometimes, we also have our values that are emotions, values that are our friendships and our connections, but also that value is sometimes a dollar sign on this is the work I did, and I'm able to take that and go hang out with my friends or go provide at home. So, letting our youth know that this is a real job, a lot of times, especially me growing up and sometimes to this very day, people tell are fellow creators like, "That's not a real job. Like, you're going to be a writer or singer or a rapper or whatever, that is not a real job." But this reinforces that these are real roles in real life, which also brings into the guests that we have as well. Because they're also adults who are doing this in real life and are able to do this as a full-time job or a side hustle or as a passion. So, having different types of careers present is like so many examples of what route that I can take. And so, back to the equipment part. So, we have the MIDI pads, computers, mics, and a recording camera. And we have many of those things, so they're going to be placed in like to-go packs--and also, of course, the food and everything.
Lee Van Roth: This is WEMU's On The Ground Ypsi. I'm Lee Van Roth talking with YDL paraprofessional Shayla Card-Nowlin about the Library's Summer Noise Permit program. So, Shay, as we mentioned a bit toward the beginning, Noise Permit, it culminates at the end of the summer with a concert for all of the participants to share what they've been working on at each of these workshops. And with these new added pieces of learning about video production and editing all of these things, how does everyone have their voice heard at this event?
Shayla Card-Nowlin: So, how everybody has their voice heard at this event is we honor all type of art. We have all types of art disciplines there. So, rather, you are a playwright, we're going to get together doing some workshops, and let's flesh out your skit and let's see who wants to be inside your skit. If you're doing spoken word, okay! Let's get into the writer's room and get it going. If you want to make a beat and you don't want to be on stage, that's perfectly fine. If you want to make a video, go ahead. We're going to honor that as well. So, whatever you want to do, you're gonna be allowed to do it. It's not going to be a barrier or, "Oh, this is not the art that we do here, or we're not doing it." No, we are doing it all!
Lee Van Roth: And from the library's perspective, given that Noise Permit has run for as long as it has and has been so well-attended over the last several years, why is it so important to bolster and improve this program in particular?
Shayla Card-Nowlin: Why it's so important to improve this program in particular is the group of youth that we work with, in particular, face a lot of disparity. We also have to account for that access to food but also what ways can they learn more outside of school, what ways can they learn more about themselves, what ways can they create bonds with people that they share a space with. So, that's why it was so important because we look at the stats of how much money is in a household and what school they go to and also their background and how that can really make a difference on the lifestyle that you have and what is a resource for you. So, that's why it's so important to improve this program because it is a research to a lot of our youth in our area.
Lee Van Roth: I'll wrap things up by asking what I hope some listeners are wondering. How do young people get involved in Noise Permit this year? And why would you encourage them to?
Shayla Card-Nowlin: Yes! So, how to get involved with Noise Permit this year, if you want to come by the library, 229 West Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti Library, or you can also give us a call. And Noise Permit is going to be on August 7th at 6 PM.
Lee Van Roth: All right! Well, Shay, thank you so much for joining me here today! It is always great catching up with YDL. I know that there's always a whole lot going on over at the library over the summer, and I'm looking forward to seeing what these young people have to share at the end of it!
Shayla Card-Nowlin: Thank you so much for having me!
Lee Van Roth: For more information on today's topic and links to the full article, visit our website at WEMU.org. On the Ground Ypsi is brought to you in partnership with Concentrate Media. I'm Lee Van Roth, and this is your community NPR station, 89.1 WEMU, Ypsilanti.
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