ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis organization celebrated its 10-year anniversary Friday. Saint Louis Story Stitchers in the Grand Center Arts District uses art as an alternative for youth voices.
The milestone also marks 10 years since Michael Brown Jr. died. Brandon Lewis was a teenager when it happened.
"Watching it happen, looking at the riots, made me feel as an artist, I should say something, and I shouldn't be quiet in a time like this," Lewis said.
Two years later, Lewis found his voice and a home at Story Stitchers. Lewis explained the Ferguson unrest was one of the reasons Story Stitchers came alive.
A decade later, the nonprofit held a two-day youth empowerment summit to honor its work within the last 10 years.
There was hip hop, break dancing, graffiti making, and even a live podcast with a police officer and therapist.
The group also had a moment of silence for Michael Brown Jr. Lewis, as the youth artistic coordinator, made sure the date's significance played a role.
"When we were planning this event out, we were talking to 18 youth and talking about the Mike Brown incident as if they knew what happened and one said, 'Who is Mike Brown?' and another said, 'I don't know who that is' and others said they didn't know," Lewis explained, "Instead of assuming, we decided to take our knowledge portion to educate people on what happened."
The group mixed that vital information with the emotional magic of music.
"A lot of people underestimate how words have power," Lewis pointed out.
The youth recruitment and engagement specialist, Emeara Burns, was 16 years old a decade ago.
"When Mike Brown died it led me to create a poem. It was that poem that I performed for the first time when I came to Story Stitchers," Burns said. "It was a coping mechanism to understand myself and analyze my emotions."
This outlet became a plug for the pain.
This full circle moment is a reminder that there's always a home for every voice.
"Biggest message is you matter, that change happens with us and we can't give up," Burns said. "I think 16-year-old me would be very proud for being committed and sticking to it. This has been a goal to foster the next generation to give back what's been given to me."
On Saturday, Story Stitchers is having an album release party along with an award ceremony.