Interview with Assata Shakur on Project Row Houses
Project Row Houses and the Young Mothers Program
Introduction to Project Row Houses
Project Row Houses addresses community needs by providing direct social services.
The Young Mothers Program supports single mothers, who represent half the births in the community, by helping them complete their education and develop professionally.
Deborah Grotfeldt, former managing director of DiverseWorks Art Space, started the Young Mothers Program after joining Project Row Houses in 1993 as executive director.
Rick Lowe remained the founding director.
Young Mothers Residential Program (YMRP)
Established in February 1996, YMRP offers one-year renewable residency contracts.
Provides free housing for young, single mothers and their children.
Requires mothers to work part-time and further their education.
Includes twice-weekly formal programming: individual and group counseling, job/life skill training, and parenting programs.
Goal: To help single mothers and children achieve independent, self-sufficient lives within a supportive community.
Integrates young mothers into Project Row Houses' artistic activities, but initial challenges included the young mothers feeling like they were on display.
Privacy concerns were addressed while maintaining the public art aspect of their homes.
Assata Shakur's Experience
Initial Contact and Application
Heard about Project Row Houses through the original "mentor mom" in her apartment complex, who recommended the program.
Lived in Houston’s Third Ward at the time.
Application process involved writing an essay about personal goals and plans, focusing on educational and personal objectives.
The selection process was competitive due to high publicity.
Program Requirements
Mandatory school enrollment and part-time work.
Attendance at twice-weekly workshops and volunteer work at specific houses.
Behavioral requirements included a 12 a.m. curfew on weeknights and 2 a.m. on weekends.
Support System
On-site day care center available in the backyard courtyard.
Play area for children, creating a comprehensive support environment.
Personal Background and Challenges
Had previously attended college but stopped due to financial problems.
Joined Americorps, earning approximately a month, which was insufficient to cover expenses.
Lived in a substandard apartment before joining Project Row Houses.
Experienced financial instability due to the decision to return to school, leaving a better-paying job.
Emotional Impact
Coming to Project Row Houses was impactful due to encountering poverty as an adult.
Balancing full-time work and academic pursuits while raising a child was challenging.
Project Row Houses supported women finishing their education at different stages.
Academic Pursuits and Support
Used the program to resume full-time college studies.
Completed her Americorp project and used the scholarship to pay off school debts.
Attended the University of Houston.
Received significant support from Project Row Houses, including academic assistance from Rick Lowe and a supportive community.
The support system allowed her to focus on school, with other young mothers helping with childcare.
Continued Involvement
Lived at Project Row Houses for a year and a half officially but remained connected afterward.
Worked in the after-school program and later volunteered in the arts program, despite initially not being interested in art.
Recognized Project Row Houses' transformative impact on her life and the community.
Conducted tours and witnessed the project's impact on visitors from across the country.
Relationships and Support
Maintained contact with other young mothers from the program.
The program was nurturing but strict, with curfews and rules.
Classes on spirituality, sexuality, and wellness, led by Dr. Nelda Lewis (a Third Ward native with a Ph.D. in psychology), helped build character.
Leaving the Program
Left after maximizing the benefits the program offered, having gained essential life skills like goal setting and personal discipline.
The experience was like being part of a family, sharing experiences and supporting each other's growth.
Post-Program Support and Achievements
Continued attending school and faced financial challenges to keep her son in private school.
Received a scholarship from the Project Row Houses board for her son, alleviating financial strain.
Finished school in a year and a summer and is now studying sociology and social movements in a Ph.D. program at Penn State.
Credits Project Row Houses for her achievements, emphasizing their comprehensive support.
Recognizes the communal nature of Project Row Houses and its role in fostering relationships and community support.
Interchange Among Different Parts of Project Row Houses
Acknowledges the interchange between the Young Mothers Program, art exhibitions, and after-school programs.
Initially, the Young Mothers Program was somewhat isolated to provide privacy and security for the residents.
The program has become more integrated, with artists creating projects related to the Young Mothers Program.
Examples of Integration
An artist created an installation on African hairstyles and conducted workshops, leading to a young mother interning and working with the artist.
Another young mother, who was an artist, expanded her artistic opportunities through the program.
Project Row Houses as Art
Considers herself a product of Rick Lowe’s art, emphasizing that Project Row Houses was essential for her personal and academic growth.
Views Project Row Houses as a form of living art that transforms lives.
Learned that creativity extends beyond traditional art forms and that her academic pursuits are also a form of creative expression.
Community Impact
Project Row Houses is accessible to people who might not visit traditional art museums, bringing art to the community in a nonthreatening way.
Highlights the pioneering effort of bringing art to the community rather than bringing the community to a museum.
Project Row Houses addresses community needs by providing direct social services. The Young Mothers Program supports single mothers, who represent half the births in the community, by helping them complete their education and develop professionally. Deborah Grotfeldt, former managing director of DiverseWorks Art Space, started the Young Mothers Program after joining Project Row Houses in 1993 as executive director, with Rick Lowe remaining the founding director.
Established in February 1996, the Young Mothers Residential Program (YMRP) offers one-year renewable residency contracts and provides free housing for young, single mothers and their children. Mothers are required to work part-time and further their education while participating in twice-weekly formal programming that includes individual and group counseling, job/life skill training, and parenting programs. The program aims to help single mothers and children achieve independent, self-sufficient lives within a supportive community, integrating young mothers into Project Row Houses' artistic activities, although initial challenges included the young mothers feeling like they were on display. Privacy concerns were effectively addressed while maintaining the public art aspect of their homes.
Assata Shakur first learned about Project Row Houses through the original "mentor mom" in her apartment complex, who recommended the program while she lived in Houston’s Third Ward. The application process involved writing an essay about personal goals and plans, focusing on educational and personal objectives, and was competitive due to the high publicity surrounding the program. Program requirements included mandatory school enrollment and part-time work, attendance at twice-weekly workshops, and volunteer work at specific houses. Behavioral requirements also stipulated a 12 a.m. curfew on weeknights and 2 a.m. on weekends.
The program offered a comprehensive support system, featuring an on-site day care center available in the backyard courtyard and a play area for children. Assata had previously attended college but had to stop due to financial issues. To support herself, she joined Americorps, earning approximately $600 a month, which was insufficient to cover her expenses. Prior to joining Project Row Houses, she had lived in a substandard apartment and faced financial instability due to her decision to return to school, which required leaving a better-paying job. The experience of coming to Project Row Houses was impactful for Assata, as she encountered poverty as an adult, and managing full-time work alongside academic pursuits while raising a child proved to be challenging. Nevertheless, Project Row Houses supported women finishing their education at different stages, which was essential for her journey.
She used the program as an opportunity to resume her full-time college studies, completed her Americorps project, and utilized the $5,000 scholarship to pay off school debts. Assata attended the University of Houston and received substantial support from Project Row Houses, including academic assistance from Rick Lowe and a nurturing community that allowed her to focus on school while other young mothers helped with childcare. Although she lived at Project Row Houses for a year and a half officially, she maintained connections with the community afterward, working in the after-school program and later volunteering in the arts program, despite her initial disinterest in art. Assata recognized Project Row Houses' transformative impact on her life and the community, conducting tours for visitors and witnessing the project's effects.
She maintained contact with other young mothers from the program, describing it as nurturing yet strict, with rules and curfews in place. Classes focusing on spirituality, sexuality, and wellness, led by Dr. Nelda Lewis (a Third Ward native with a Ph.D. in psychology), helped build character among participants. Assata left the program after maximizing its benefits, having gained crucial life skills such as goal setting and personal discipline, feeling as though she had become part of a family, sharing experiences, and supporting each other's growth.
Post-program, she continued attending school despite facing financial challenges to keep her son in private school. However, she received a scholarship from the Project Row Houses board, alleviating some of the financial strain, and she ultimately finished her degree within a year and a summer. Currently, Assata is studying sociology and social movements in a Ph.D. program at Penn State, crediting Project Row Houses for her achievements and emphasizing their comprehensive support. She recognizes the communal nature of Project Row Houses and its role in fostering relationships and community support.
Assata acknowledges the interchange among different parts of Project Row Houses, noting that initially, the Young Mothers Program was somewhat isolated to provide privacy and security for the residents. However, the program has become more integrated, with artists creating projects related to the Young Mothers Program, such as an installation on African hairstyles, which led to a young mother interning and working with the artist. Another young mother, who was an artist, expanded her artistic opportunities through the program. She considers herself a product of Rick Lowe’s art and sees Project Row Houses as essential for her personal and academic growth, viewing it as a form of living art that transforms lives. Assata learned that creativity extends beyond traditional art forms and that her academic pursuits are also a form of creative expression.
Project Row Houses is notable for making art accessible to individuals who might not visit traditional art museums, effectively bringing art to the community in a welcoming manner rather than drawing the community into a museum setting.