The story of Jasmine Blanks Jones and B4 Youth TheatreFor African-American artist Jasmine L. Blanks Jones, her dedication to training Liberian youth in the performing arts comes naturally. A few days after arriving in the country, Jones opened Liberia’s first postwar performing arts school, B4 Youth Theater, starting with a student count of less than 20. With a school slogan of ‘Burning Barriers, Building Bridges’ the students are taught to embrace the arts as a tool for community empowerment, peace-building and problem solving that gives a voice to the marginalized and promotes positive change. “I and my team established this art school to empower young people to become educated citizens through the arts,” Jones told LIB Life in an interview. She added: “Our teaching model blends arts education with public achievement to create a unique means of community change through live performances and student-led projects.

Source: Daily Observer February 01, 2018 02:15 UTC