The Colorado Springs Gazette final

Using art as a catalyst for change

Nonprofit founded by Colorado Springs resident aims to heal divisions, ‘sow peace’

BY LIBBY KINDER

There’s a new nonprofit in town: Awaken Creative Institute, created and founded by Colorado Springs resident Lesa Brown.

“I feel like my calling is to use what I’ve been given to sow peace, and help my community flourish,” Brown said.

She has spent her adult life moving toward developing her considerable artistic talents, and into a place where she is making her dreams a reality.

Brown grew up in Kansas, and although she was going to attend Northwestern University in Chicago, she feels God had other plans for her. She headed to Sterling College in Sterling, Kansas, where she wrote her own degree program in Interdisciplinary Arts. She met her husband, Andy, got married, and after she

finished her Bachelor’s degree, they moved to Denver.

While living in Denver, Brown dove into her love of the arts teaching music, art and drama at the alternative high school, Denver Street School. Several moves around the United States followed, where she was the music director in a variety of churches.

In 2007, Brown, her husband, and their three children, moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where Andy Brown was working a documentary film maker. She taught drama, theater and vocal music to international students at Rosslyn Academy, also directing theater productions while fulfilling her interest and skills in the arts.

“I was able to finally live my dream,” Brown said.

She also completed an online Master of Arts program in Theatre Education through the University of Northern Colorado.

While in Kenya, Brown was introduced to two theater concepts that led to the eventual birth of Awaken Creative Institute. “Devised Theatre” is a collaborative theater method where a group creates organized drama together through a process. This opened a door for Brown to create pieces by processing individual experiences.

The second key concept she embraced was “Forum Theatre,” an interactive form of theatre where the audience participates in community problem-solving on different issues. Brown used both theater concepts while teaching in Kenya, wrote her master’s thesis on this topic, and incorporated

it into her ongoing passion for theater.

In 2014, Brown and her family settled on the northeast side of Colorado Springs. She became involved in the local nonprofit Village Arts of Colorado Springs as music director, artistic director and board member. It was here that the ideas for her nonprofit started blossoming.

In 2018, Brown created a performance group called GhostLight Ensemble that focused on understanding emotions and the impact of suicide. The group presented workshops in theater classes at several Colorado Springs schools. Major building blocks and ideas were cultivated that would form the foundation of ACI. As Brown puts it: “My brain would not turn off!”

In the summer of 2020, Brown observed division coming to a head in the United States due to the pandemic, racial tensions, political unrest, and as she puts it, “people treating each other badly.”

She realized she had the tools to address these different issues in different ways. “The arts were not an accident. I believe they were God’s idea to benefit us in a myriad of ways. Since I started teaching in Kenya, I began curating a list of all the ways the arts benefit us. I’m still adding to it,” Brown said.

Brown began putting her ideas together to harness artforms in intentional ways that would equip artists and community members around the world to address difficult issues combining fine arts and art therapies.

In August 2020, Brown incorporated ACI, and in May 2021, ACI received nonprofit status. The doors were open for Brown’s team to move forward. Key participants are Executive Assistant Karis Dougherty and GhostLight Assistant Director Kellyn Waters. Corporate sponsors are being pursued, and grants will be written as time allows.

Tiered programs will begin with pop-up productions by GhostLight Ensemble from July through November, to be held at Third Space Coffee, 5670 N. Academy Boulevard. The group will pursue divisive questions that have no simple answers, and will present ways to gain perspective of other’s experiences. Brown describes the performances as fun, interactive and meaningful.

A second tier involves Fusion Workshops, led by Brown, for developing empathy, community collaboration and transformation through arts-centered relationships. The third tier will be Forum Theatre where workshop participants, as non-actors, become involved in theatrical performances.

Brown emphasizes that under her leadership, Awaken Creative Institute is comprised of a team effort. Originating with her vision and courage, baby steps are being taken on a local level that will with time have a global influence. These steps toward Brown’s ultimate goal begin with creative explorations toward addressing the theme for ACI: “Barriers and gateways to unity and reconciliation.”

FRONT PAGE

en-us

2021-06-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.gazette.com/article/281573768646894

The Gazette, Colorado Springs