Frida Kahlo Mural Enuf

Feb 27-28, 2015 Honoring Native Americans, Showcasing Art in California

I have been invited to display my artwork at the San Gorgonio Service Center Council 

EMLD Reception and Training. Riviera Resort in PalmSprings CA. California Teachers Association and National Education Association is hosting the event this Friday February 27th, 2015 . I have the privilege to share some knowledge and some of my artwork with the people attending the conference. I have much respect for Native people, culture and the arts. I believe that we need to learn about our past to know where we are going in the future. 

Invited to Opportunity Nation (2/26/2015) Washington DC. Vice President Joe Bidden will be speaking.

  I have been invited to attend Opportunity Nation 2015 in Washington DC Feb, 26 2015 with 

some of my colleagues from National Council of Young Leaders. Vice President Joe Bidden will
be speaking along with elected officials: judges, senators, governors, and executives from State 
Farm, Bank of America, Walmart and Starbucks. I will be attending the conference 

representing National Council of Young Leaders and participating in different sessions. I am looking 

forward in attending "Overcoming Barriers: Juvenile Justice and Youth Unemployment" session.
In the United States we have the highest number of incarcerations in the entire world. It's 
unbelievable that this country has more jails than educational institutions. Something is failing in the 
system and we need to change it, we can't sit back and watch. I believe it is our time to rise and stand 
up for the future now.

Mural painted for Opportunity Nation 2012 WA DC

Francisco Enuf Garcia

   This conference and session is fitting to the work that I am currently doing in Phoenix, AZ . I 
I am working with various organizations such as Cyphers, Cultural Arts Coalition and Releasing 
the Fear in my city. These organizations use arts and will help me to engage with youth in schools 
and that are incarcerated and are coming out of the juvenile justice system. 

One of my goals is to help provide alternative pathways and opportunity for the young people. 
There are 6.7 youth that are disconnected from education and work according to research that was 
made in 2012 and the numbers are rising. In the link below you can view the video where the 

White House launched a platform called Youth Summit 2012 for leaders to come together and have
dialogue on some of the nations biggest challenges. In June 4, 2012 I was invited and had the 
opportunity to speak in behalf of my community in Arizona. I felt the responsibility to address issues
 that were happening in the south west such as the need for the Dream Act ( Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors), immigration policy, the importance of arts and non-profit sectors. 
Hilda Solis whom was the Secretary of Labor at the time was speaking at White House Council 
on Community Solutions. I felt honored when she recognized me as a student from Rio Hondo 
College, and saluted me when she was speaking on stage at the White House Youth Summit.

White House Council on Community Solutions Summit:

At the House Summit on Community Solutions for Disconnected Youth, Council members and leaders from a range of local and national non-profit, philanthropic, business 

...https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KIo9j5felUtx0Amqn7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByZWc0dGJtBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMQ--?p=Youth+Summit+White+House+2012&vid=67ef99124c85d94c6f129a3c7cf147ac&l=1%3A07%3A03&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.607986070428781401%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7UTAL_W--Fk&tit=White+House+Council+on+Community+Solutions+Summit&c=0&sigr=11b5emi1g&sigt=11hcdo8ju&sigi=11rlu0lrr&age=1338843791&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&fr=spigot-chr-gcmac&tt=b


Opportunity Nation: Opportunity Nation is a bipartisan, national coalition of more than 300 businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions and community leaders working to expand economic opportunity. Opportunity Nation seeks to close the opportunity gap by amplifying the work of its coalition members, advocating policy and private sector actions, and releasing the annual Opportunity Index, a composite measure at the state and county levels of economic, educational and civic factors that foster opportunity. Opportunity Nation is a campaign of Be the Change, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
http://opportunitynation.org/who-we-are/

National Council of Young Leaders: is a diverse body of young leaders from across the United States who advise policy makers and funders on issues affecting low-income youth and their communities. From both urban and rural low-income areas, The National Council of Young Leaders reflects the enormous untapped intelligence and talent of our nation's young people. 
https://youthbuild.org/news/introducing-national-council-young-leaders

En Espanol:

He sido invitado a asistir Opportunity Nation (Oportunidad Nación 2015) en Washington DC 
febrero, 26 de 2015 con algunos de mis colegas de National Council of Young Leaders, (Consejo 
Nacional de Jóvenes Líderes). El Vicepresidente Joe Bidden voluntad estar hablando junto a funcionarios electos: jueces, senadores, gobernadores y ejecutivos 
de State Farm, Bank of America, Walmart y Starbucks. Voy a asistir a la conferencia
en representación del National Council of Young Leaders  y participar en diferentes sesiones. 
Busco hacia adelante en la atención "Superando Barreras: Justicia de Menores y el desempleo juvenil" sesión. En los Estados Unidos tenemos el mayor número
de encarcelamientos en el mundo entero. Es increíble que este país tiene más cárceles que las
instituciones educativas. Algo está fallando en el sistema y tenemos que cambiarlo, no puede sentarse y ver. Creo que es nuestra hora de levantarse y pararse
uno y mirar el futuro de nuestro pueblo ser destruido.
   Esta conferencia y sesión es apropiado para el trabajo que estoy haciendo actualmente en Phoenix,
 AZ. Yo Estoy trabajando con varias organizaciones como Cyphers, Cultural Arts Coalition, y 
Release the Fear en mi ciudad. Estas organizaciones utilizan artes y me ayudarán a participar
con los jóvenes en las escuelas y que están encarcelados y están saliendo del sistema de justicia
juvenil. Uno de mis objetivos es ayudar a proporcionar vías alternativas y oportunidades para los
 jóvenes. Hay 6.7 a los jóvenes que están desconectados de la educación y el trabajo de acuerdo a la 
investigación que se hizo en 2012 y los números están aumentando. En el siguiente enlace se puede 
ver el vídeo en el que el Casa Blanca lanzó una plataforma llamada Youth Summit 2012 (Cumbre 
de la Juventud 2012) para que los líderes se reúnan y tener diálogo sobre algunas de las naciones más
 grandes desafíos. En 04 de junio 2012 fui invitado y tuvo la oportunidad de hablar en nombre de 
mi comunidad en Arizona. Sentí responsable para abordar las cuestiones que estaban ocurriendo
 en el al sur oeste, como la necesidad de que el Dream Act (Desarrollo, Alivio y Educación para 
Menores Extranjeros), la política de inmigración, la importancia de las artes y los sectores sin fines
 de lucro. Hilda Solis quien fue el Secretario del Trabajo en el momento estaba hablando en el 
White Consejo de la Casa de la Comunidad Soluciones. Me sentí honrado cuando me reconoció a 
cabo la carga y saludé cuando era hablando en el escenario en la Cumbre de la Juventud de la Casa 
Blanca.

Community Arts

I am really excited for some of the projects I will be working on the next few months. I am creating a blog about the work that I do in the community and would like to also share updates and the art. My goal is to inspire and motivate people to do their purpose in life. Thank you for checking out my blog and art, hope you have a blessed day!- Enuf

Release the Fear:  http://releasethefear.org/about.asp
Next month I will have the opportunity to work with an Arts Organization that mentors youth in different areas: such as character building, using art, and group activities to help overcome obstacles. Some obstacles in life can range from insecurities, experiences and set backs. This organization will allow me to go into some of the facilities were the youth are incarcerated and also work with youth that want a second chance. This has been one of my dreams, and now I will be part of the team.

Cyphers: 

This is the 2nd semester working with Cyphers (Phoenix Center of the Arts). It has been a huge blessing teaching classes at the center and workshops at schools. I believe that I been growing as an artist, educator, and individual.

Murals for schools:
I will be working with local schools in creating murals with the students. We will be going through the process of gathering ideas, research, team building and painting a message that will promote a positive message that may impact the community.

Zion Journey Mural

I have been working with Nikkitta Smith Dennis in creating a mural project that would bring awareness to Chiari Malformation. Her 2 year old daughter is affected by the Chiari Malformation. I wanted to be able to share their story through a mural. We found a location at Buster's Market, in the Historical area of Phoenix, AZ. It is a great location and is next to the "Jesus Saves" mural that was painted in 2011. As I was painting this art project I couldn't help to think of my little daughter going through a trial like this. I believe that God can do great miracles and wonders and maybe the artwork can help spread hope to others as well!
http://www.zionsjourney.com/about-zion
The journey continued on February 21, 2013 when Zion was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation Type 1 (a brain abnormality that causes the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls coordination and muscle movement, to adjust into the space normally used by the spinal cord, causing pressure on the brain stem and fluid on the brain), and developmental delays.  We received her last diagnoses, Right Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy, on May 1, 2013.  The doctors originally gave a good prognosis regarding her Chiari Malformation. They thought they could remove some fluid, relieve pressure on the back of the skull so the brain would be able to grow normally.  This procedure is successful on 99% of the patients. On August 09, 2013 Zion had her first brain surgery due the Chiari Malformation. The surgery was successful and Zion was on the road to recovery, so we thought.  

Unfortunately, after six months of relief Zion began to experience headaches, and a trip to the doctor for more tests revealed the cause:  the Chiari Malformation returned.  Though the procedure is successful for 99% of the people receiving this complicated surgery, there is one percent (1%) of the children who must repeatedly have the surgery as they grow.   Zion is in that one percent population.