Rebecca Yenawine

The Baltimore neighborhood of Reservoir Hill has not been the same since Rebecca Yenawine moved there in 1994. In an effort to become an active participant in the neighborhood, Rebecca invited young people she saw on the streets into her living room to play the piano, share food, have a warm conversation, and try their hand at painting and drawing. The kids felt encouraged and made a habit of returning, thus sparking the creation of Kids on the Hill, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing an outlet for young people to share their creative talents and realize their unique abilities.  The program creatively engages young people in artistic and educational experiences that enable them to explore their potential while confronting and diminishing barriers of race, class, gender and age.

In 1997 Kids on the Hill began beautifying a neighborhood vacant lot with the idea of transforming the broken glass-filled space into a place of sanctuary. In this safe space, young people have the opportunity to display their thoughts on the archways and mosaic walls as a means of inspiration to the community. As a way for young people to address issues of power and class, they studied castle life and architecture through books and field trips, ultimately creating a sculpture garden that includes welded metal towers, a mosaic throne, flower beds, and a mosaic wall.  They were empowered by imagining what they would change about their world to make it better if they were king or queen. Parents of the Kids on the Hill were also involved in creating the mosaic pieces of the space, thus involving the entire community.

Over the years children have played in the space, and maintained and nurtured it as their gift of beauty, play and sanctuary to their community. Most recently added to the space is a mosaic arch, designed and created by the members of Kids on the Hill, with the following message to the community:

“Don’t be ashamed of who you are; you only get to be you once.”

Learn more about Kids on the Hill