By: JessiebrMonsivais Photos by:brRachel Benavides
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Special Hearts in the Artsbris a nonprofit organization that promotes art, music, dance, and theater forbrpeople with special needs. Sherri Davis, the woman behind the program, sharesbrhow the idea came to her.
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“It was a dream of abrbutterfly princess and a frog on stage. The frog, who was chasing the princess,brwas a young boy in a wheelchair with frog legs on the wheels that made it lookbras if he were hopping on stage.”
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Sherri says she woke up withbra newfound sense of purpose. After sharing her idea with everyone she knows,brSpecial Hearts in the Arts has grown with support from the community, family,brfriends, and students. “It’s a need in the community. We didn’t realize howbrmuch a need it was. I’ve just always wanted to do it because I have abr42-year-old nephew that has Down syndrome. When he was born, I fell in love,brand it just continued from my love from that.”
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In December 2016, SpecialbrHearts in the Arts came to be a place where individuals with special needsbrexplore the fine arts through classes led by trained professionals, culminatingbrin live performances for the community.
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Malai Riley, a 20-year-oldbrwoman who participates in the program, loves Special Hearts in the Arts. “Ibrthink it’s pretty cool! I love art, and I love to draw horses,” says Malai. Herbrmother tells of the day she brought Malai to Special Hearts in the Art’s secondbrclass and found everything to be so perfect that she thought the organizationbrhad been running for years.
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“This is not ‘me run;’ it’sbrmy volunteers. The volunteers that have walked through the door are tremendousbrpeople. People that walk in and stay are family,” says Sherri. The support frombrother organizations in the community, including Harbor Playhouse, Del MarbrCollege, John Paul II High School, and many more, have played an integral rolebrin the organization’s success.
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Six months ago, thebrorganization acquired their building. The Special Hearts community camebrtogether to clean, paint, and plant, making their new space warm and inviting. Today,brmore than 25 students enroll in every class. Special Hearts in the Arts plansbrto expand by offering afternoon classes and using the areas upstairs.
brbrAs an educator for over 40 years, Sherri saysbrshe hopes the program grows to be more than just classes for special hearts.br“My goal is that these kids run this place. I’ll open the door, and they’re inbrcharge. I want them to be directors, the performers, everything.”
