Cambridge combines art and social justice to give teens their own space

By Laura Haefeli

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    CAMBRIDGE (WBZ) — A new program is combining social justice, art, and shade, giving Cambridge teens a place to hang out in the hot summer months.

“It’s really nice to have a place we can just sit and talk in the shade. And normally, there’s, like, food and stuff over there,” said Cole Shiavo.

In spaces called Shade – structures designed by a local youth committee with the same name – teens can find hammocks, beanbag chairs, and even outdoor movies.

“They’re going through the same stuff we are, so, like, they know what we need more than people just sitting in City Hall,” said Shiavo.

The committee is spearheading the city’s Shade is a social justice program funded by grants and support from the city’s Public Health and Community Development departments.

“We are looking at how to bring more shade into the city of Cambridge … in partnership with artists and creatives,” said Claudia Zarazua, the Arts and Culture planning director for the city of Cambridge.

“There are some hotter areas. If you overlay that with historic maps of redlining, you can really see the correlation of where discriminatory policies have led to an increase of heat exposure,” said Zarazua

Zarazuaworks closely with Cambridge non-profit Buildingsway founder Jeff Goldenson, who says he hopes this helps teens’ mental health.

“Teen mental health is in a crisis… creating a space for teens by teens is public health and is creating something teens need and having the money to back it up is what made this project transformative,” said Goldson.

The organizations put teens in charge of deciding what’s best for them.

“I just like working in the community and helping kids,” said Giancarlo, the co-director of the program, who helped design and build the structures, including the one at Donnelly Field. “I remember when I was in high school, there wasn’t a place for me to hang out with my friends besides on the side of the street. Sometimes, people complain for loitering kids. This gives a place for them to come. Kids know OK, Shade, so next year, if we have it again, they’ll want to come.”

There are structures at Jill Brown-Rhone Park, Donnelly Field and Russell Field. The structures come down in September, but organizers hope to bring the program back next summer.

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