Natasha Diggs & Darlene Munoz
Natasha Diggs graduated in 2016, and Darlene Munoz is graduating in 2017. Both were students in Deb Smith-Arthur’s Juvenile Justice Capstone; Darlene also took a second Capstone with Smith-Arthur: Metamorphosis: Creating Positive Futures/Inside Out at MYCF.
They continued volunteering at Donald E. Long juvenile detention after their community-based learning /Juvenile Justice Capstone ended. They created a curriculum to work with a diverse group of incarcerated female youth, and are doing outstanding work there.
Natasha Diggs and Darlene Munoz, alumnae of the Summer 2016 Juvenile Justice Capstone course were recently featured as long-term volunteers during National Volunteer Week celebrated by Multnomah County Department of Community Justice. Stephanie Bolson, CVA, volunteer, and intern coordinator, describes their engagement in work at Donald E. Long:
Natasha began volunteering at Donald E. Long in the Summer of 2016 through Portland State University’s Juvenile Justice Capstone class. During the three month placement, leading workshops with youth using The Beat Within the curriculum, Natasha developed a desire to continue her service. Following the completion of the Capstone, Natasha connected with her professor, and staff at DCJ, and began leading her own art classes on Friday evenings on the girl’s unit.
Initially, Natasha wanted to progressively build on classes and provide on-going instruction on larger projects. “I had to let go of my ego and wanting to create masterpieces. My goal isn’t to change someone’s ideas about art. If they don’t make anything – that’s ok. It’s the conversations they have with us. It’s asking a lot of a teenager to get them to open up to you at all. I feel like when we leave, the things we look back on are the connections and conversations.”
Soon, another PSU student, Darlene Munoz, joined Natasha. The two women act as role models for the girls. “We’re exposing them to caring adults who are there voluntarily. I hope that they realize that a stranger can be genuinely kind.”
“My goal for the future is to extend the classes to other units. I would love to have more volunteers with lots of different backgrounds. So many people have so many great ideas about creativity.”
Natasha will be starting graduate school this summer and plans on continuing the groups. “Every Friday is completely different from the one before it. It’s fun. I started the group wanting to gain experience with high schoolers. But, I think the thing that keeps me coming back is that I learn a lot from them.”