The Teen Art Show

When COVID began limiting everyone’s ability to gather in person, Walnut Avenue’s youth advocates reached out to local Santa Cruz classroom teachers about online learning with workshops about teen dating violence, consent, safer social media use, personal development, and other subjects related to healthy relationship skills. Many teachers welcomed us into their virtual classrooms!

Students are invited to create art, using whatever materials they like, expressing something related to teen dating violence: a new tidbit of understanding, something that brought out strong emotion for them, a message for other teens and survivors out there.

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM)

Every year, Walnut Avenue honors February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM), represented by an orange ribbon. For more information on TDVAM and ideas for getting involved, please visit our Awareness Month page.

The Ageism in Unheard Voices

Teens live in an in-between space of childhood and adulthood that’s confusing not only for them but also for the adults around them. Many of our teens have expressed how they feel unheard: they’re treated like children when it’s convenient but then scolded or shamed for not acting like adults. This inconsistency in how they’re treated, and the ways in which their personal lived experiences get dismissed, all contribute to alienation between generations within families and social groups:

  • “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

  • “It only feels like a big deal right now because you’re still young.”

  • “You think that’s hard? Wait until you’re an adult and have to worry about bills.”

With these kinds of messages being so common for teens to hear, and when adults rely on control and invasion of privacy rather than healthy communication and opportunities to demonstrate trust, many teens learn to expect these things from the adults around them and eventually stop reaching out for support.

Seeing What Teens See

With the students’ consent, Walnut Avenue offers these virtual galleries for adults and teens alike to see how local youth express their thoughts and emotions regarding relationships.

Galleries

Are you a teacher or youth program supervisor? We’d love to invite your teens to participate!

Are you a parent, guardian, or caretaker of teens? We have a parenting support program, and our youth advocates are also available to support you as well as supporting teens.

Our youth advocates can be reached through the main office at (831) 426-3062, M-F, 9am-5pm.