March is here, and that means Youth Art Month! What began in 1961 as Children’s Art Month has grown into a celebration of creativity for artists of all ages. This year’s theme, “The World Needs Art,” couldn’t be more true. Art can heal, inspire, and empower young voices to shape the world around them. 

For one of our partners, Elevated Thought (ET), an art and social justice organization that provides creative access, exposure, and opportunity for youth and artists of color, Youth Art Month is more than a moment on the calendar. It’s a year-round commitment to empowering youth through artistic expression, social engagement, and community transformation. 

Focused on alternative models of art-based education and economic opportunity, ET believes in the power of creativity to fuel both individual growth and social progress. Every mural painted, workshop led, and program launched is a step toward empowering youth, amplifying their voices, and transforming communities. 

Elevated Thought (ET) was founded through conversation, creativity, and collaboration. In March 2008 Marquis Victor was writing a poem, inspired by a mural from Alex J. Brien, a local graffiti artist.  

On one side of the mural, there was a loose depiction of a saxophonist. Music notes flowed in and out of a rendering of Lawrence, MA, a city they both grew up around. Shadows engulfed the city; it was dark, gritty and ominous, with glimmers of hope sprayed with pale yellow and ivory white streaks and spots. The music notes continued throughout, appearing far off and then bursting off the 8 x 8ft wooden panels.  

The notes eventually reached a young woman opposite the musician. She was crying and one of the tears formed the word ‘why’. She was asking: Why does social injustice seem cyclic and unceasing? Why isn't the beauty in the city more forcefully brought forth? Why aren't youth and their creativity put more frequently at the forefront of change? 

Marquis said, "This is elevated thought right here." With creativity and youth, the possibilities for creating something new are endless. What youth are able to bring to the table is definitive, systematic, social change that can create a domino effect. The idea and the name stuck. 

What started with workshops in public schools and small-scale murals dotted throughout the city, has grown into year-long youth and workforce development programming with wide-ranging public projects such as murals, billboards, a youth bill of rights, short films, and more.  

Additionally, through its public art initiative, Elevated Spaces, ET continues to expand Lawrence’s creative economy while honoring Lawrence’s heritage and engaging Lawrence residents in the process.   

ET also houses After Hours, programs for older youth participants such as RWRK, a sustainable fashion design program; the Artist Evolution Camp for emerging artist development; and Artist Mixers, which provides networking and professional growth opportunities.  

In its ongoing pursuit of increasing access for youth, ET is currently developing a dual enrollment program for high school students, giving them opportunities to explore higher-level arts education while still in school. 

Growing up in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Michelle Collado found a creative home at Elevated Thought. She joined as a teenager, drawn to ET’s workshops and its focus on social justice. “It became like a third space for me, a place where I could just create and be myself,” she says. 

At ET, Michelle dove into painting, murals, video, photography, and collaborative projects that stretched her creatively and personally. “It’s about being around people with similar goals and working together,” she says. She also got hands-on experience in civic engagement through the Lawrence Youth Council, learning how art can intersect with social change. 

Now a creative producer at ET, Michelle mentors young people, helping them find their voice and express themselves through art. “From a high school student looking for a creative outlet to a professional guiding the next generation, ET has taught me how to teach in my own way,” she says. 

Michelle’s story shows the power of access, mentorship, and creative freedom—how a supportive space can turn curiosity into confidence and talent into impact. 

Elevated Thought demonstrates the transformative power of youth creativity. By putting young people at the forefront of artistic and social innovation, ET proves that art is not only a form of expression; it’s a catalyst for change. Youth Art Month reminds us that when young people are given space to create, their ideas can uplift and transform a community.