Back To School: Art Kits

AHC knows that it takes imagination to change the world, and that art is a powerful tool to help young people develop self-awareness and compassion. As schools are beginning to host classes in-person, Art Kits are an important part of the ‘Back To School’ season. Each kit contains everything a student needs to stay creative - art supplies, printed activity guides developed by educators and information about additional online resources. 

AHC provides arts education to some of the most underserved communities in Oakland, with 90% of students coming from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. The Art Kit program fills the gap, providing supplies and curriculum to students who would not ordinarily have access to arts education. Click here to support our Art Kit Program.

In Memory of Jerry Jampolsky

Attitudinal Healing Principle #11:
Since love is eternal, death need not be viewed as fearful.

On December 29, 2020, Jerry Jampolsky, the founder of Attitudinal Healing, died. Jerry was 95 years old.

Jerry developed the 12 tenets of Attitudinal Healing and the first Attitudinal Healing Center in Tiburon, CA, working with children who had life-threatening illnesses. Along with his talented and dedicated wife, Diane Cirincione, Jerry has influenced people all over the world in the powerful healing concepts of Attitudinal Healing for inner peace, forgiveness, and love.

As a student of a set of books written by Helen Schucman, entitled “A Course in Miracles”, and influenced by the 12-steps of AA, Jerry set forth to draw from the wisdom of these philosophies.

He extracted simple abstract ideas that one could apply to their various forms and beliefs of love and fear for inner awareness and wholeness.These guides have set the platform for fully living and training one's self to let go of painful, fearful thoughts; to choose peace over conflict and love over fear.

In 1989, my mother, Aeeshah Clottey, with her husband Kokomon Clottey, co-founded the Attitudinal Healing Connection in Oakland. Their quest? To use Attitudinal Healing to address the issues of racism, poverty and violence. She met Jerry in 1975 at A Course in Miracles Introduction at JFK University. I was six years old when I met Jerry. I remember his warmth, light and beaming smile.

My mother and Jerry had since developed a deep relationship influenced by these tools for letting go and healing. She held his hand and joined with Diane, Kokomon and a global community, breathing life into Attitudinal Healing, sparking the miracles of creativity and making an indelible impact on humanity.

The powerful concepts of Attitudinal Healing, originally developed by Jerry Jampolsky, have taken a life of their own. His work and teachings have set forth a legacy.

Thank you, Jerry! You will continue to live and be remembered through your dream.

Amana Harris
Executive Director, AHC

Live Event Fundraiser

AHC has launched Art YOU Ready, a dynamic campaign to bring readiness to our community in Oakland. Through the campaign, AHC will distribute Art Kits to over 1,000 Oakland households, containing supplies families need to stay safe and creative.

Join us for Art YOU Ready live, our holiday season online event. We will gather to celebrate community resiliency through art, healing and preparedness.

Saturday, December 12th
5:00pm-6:00pm

MBK Rising! Mural Launch

Lead Mural Artist Andre Jones (pictured on the left) was more than excited to have the likes of Mayor Libby Schaaf (pictured in the middle) and longtime community champion and AHC Executive Director Amana Harris (pictured on the right) by his side on his co-designed works of art.

This year just keeps on glowing for the city of Oakland and AHC. MBK Rising!’s successful launch marked another joyful experience to our 2019 as we completed two inspiring murals on the lively walls of Martin Luther King Jr’s Elementary School. Both murals focus on the importance of learning and education that are best achieved when working together as a community.

Dedicated to bringing art back into the STEM model, MLK Elementary School Principal Ms. Groves joined forces with the talented and experienced mural artist Andre “Natty Rebel” Jones and AHC Executive Director Amana Harris to add some life back into the school atmosphere.

Principal Groves (pictured on the left) poses proudly with Councilwoman Barbara Lee (pictured on the right).

The sun covered us all morning into the afternoon as we painted our hearts out for the community and for the MBK Rising!. We left no stone unturned and no (designated) wall unpainted-- and that’s exactly how we planned it to be.

- February 20th, 2019

ABOUT MBK:
In 2014, President Obama launched My Brother’s Keeper and issued a powerful call to action to close opportunity gaps facing boys and young men of color. The initiative sparked candid dialogue and action around the country to help more of our young people reach their dreams, regardless of their race, gender, or socioeconomic status.

Featured artists (Tim Bluitt and Isabel) share a few smiles and pointers with the Honorable Mayor Libby Schaaf.