We’re so excited to be partnering with the Monarch School for our Youth & Family Day event! On Tuesday, June 13th, we will be at The Chrysalis enjoying dance classes, performances, and food with you all. This event is a part of our second annual Queer Mvmnt Fest and aims to connect a community of LGBTQIA+ families, youth, and educators. We spoke to Erika Malone, known as Ms. Cricket, about the event and the Monarch School. She is the Director of Creative Youth Development and Community Engagement at The Chrysalis, and is leading our Youth & Family Day event!
Tell us more about the Monarch School. What are the goals of the Monarch School?
Monarch School Project nurtures resilience in unhoused youth and their families. We empower students to influence their own growth in the areas of academic success and social emotional learning and we reinforce the existing strength of families so that students can thrive in school and in life. Monarch School is a K-12 public school providing more than 300 students daily with a WASC-accredited education, mental health support, social engagement opportunities, college and career preparation as well as basic necessities. Monarch School is a public-private partnership between the San Diego County Office of Education and the nonprofit, Monarch Schools Project (MSP), a 501(3) corporation. For more information, please visit www.monarchschools.org.
What is the community of students like at the Monarch School?
Monarch students love their artist identity. They have a deep love for music, singing, acting, visual art, and definitely dancing! They are strong leaders and love to say yes to opportunities to take the lead in planning and visioning programs.
What events will be a part of the Festival’s Youth and Family Day?
- We will have a taco truck and shave ice truck throughout the afternoon – all food is free!
- We will have community workshops for all ages in dance, visual art, and fashion design.
- There will be performances (all ages) on the hour, every hour @ 4pm, 5pm, and 6pm.
- There will be educational and interactive stations around LGBTQIA+ issues.
- There will be a fashion show, puppet show, face painting, and fun activities for 0-5 age group.
- There will be a place to get your portrait done (as a queer family), and a selfie station with polaroid cameras.
- There will be a flash mob that the whole community can learn and dance together at the end.
What is the main goal of Youth and Family Day?
The main goal is to create a safe and celebratory environment for queer youth and families in San Diego.
What else is important to share about the Chrysalis and the Monarch School?
The Chrysalis: Monarch School Center for the Arts is a Creative Youth Development “hub”, a vibrant and versatile space that offers visual and performing arts opportunities to Monarch students and families, as well as Barrio Logan residents and the regional community of San Diego. The Chrysalis also serves as an affordable space that community arts partners and organizations can rent out for their own community programming, expanding our network and creating mutually beneficial partnerships that serve the community.
If you are interested in partnering with the Monarch School to create youth or family programs for the community of Barrio Logan or San Diego, they want to connect with you! Please contact the Director of Creative Youth Development, Erika Malone, to learn more and set up a meeting about collaborative opportunities. Email Erika at emalone@monarchschools.org to set up a meeting.
You can RSVP for all Queer Mvmnt Fest events, including Youth & Family Day, with the link below! We have some more blogs coming throughout this week, so keep an eye out for more interviews from our Queer Mvmnt Fest participants!