MY NAME IS is having a fundraiser with a special event you won’t want to miss! Come to the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center Theater on Saturday, September 19th to see 4 youth-produced short documentaries. Learn more about the MY NAME IS program. And be among the first to see the new and renovated Jackson Center at the Arts Center. Check out the new elevator.
Tickets only $5. And you can also support the project via GoFundMe.
Check out the details…
Sponsor MY NAME IS-an Arts-based Youth Documentary Empowerment Program
Support Pueblo’s Future
What Is MY NAME IS? A free art-based identity, empowerment and skill-building year-long after-school mentoring program designed for 100 at-risk kids 9-15 years old. Kids will meet 2 hours/week with an artist, group assistant and 9 other kids, learning artistic, creative, and filming skills. Outside experts will join to teach and discuss a wide-range of life skills and topics. Together, they will create a documentary showcasing the process and their experiences. This documentary will be shown in the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center Theater.
Why Support MY NAME IS?
Pueblo Facts:
- Pueblo County consistently ranks higher than Colorado as a whole on poverty, suicide, substance use disorders, and crime rates.
- Pueblo metro area has the highest share of extreme poverty in Colorado.
- 18% of Pueblo’s children live in poverty
- Pueblo is 42-44% Latino, 3.4% indigenous American, and 1.4% Asian
- An unknown but substantial number of adolescents identify as LGBTQ+.
Intervention Facts:
Empowerment programs with similar designs have demonstrated increases in:
- Adaptive social, vocational, emotional skills
- Academic adjustment (grades, test scores, HS graduation rates)
- Family adjustment, social engagement, sense of purpose
- Teamwork, complex problem-solving, social awareness
- Successfully processing trauma with reductions in behavioral problems, a stronger sense of self-worth, and increased resilience
How Can You Support MY NAME IS?
- Apply to be an artist leader
- Apply to be a group assistant
- Encourage at-risk kids and families to apply
- Attend our September 19 fundraising event Youth Media Matters film festival presented by the Youth Documentary Academy in Colorado Springs at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center Theater (tickets at https://my.sdc-arts.org/
- Donate at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/whats-my-name-an-at-risk-youth-and-at-risk-adult-mental-health-empowerment-program
- Become a Sponsor of the Youth Media Matters film festival on September 19, 2026 from 2-4 pm
Sponsor Opportunities
Donate $100 🡪 get 2 free tickets to Youth Media Matters
Donate $1000 🡪 10 free tickets and an invitation to pre-screening reception from 1-2 pm on September 19
Donate $5000 🡪 10 free tickets, invitation to pre-screening reception and a tour of art groups in action
Donate $10,000 🡪 all of the above plus recognition on invitations and a banner welcoming Youth Media Matters audience
How to Donate:
Contact: Elissa Ball at [email protected] or 719-214-6081
Our current financial sponsors:
The Jackson Foundation Friendly Harbor Community Center
Chuck McGee Matthew Goodwin
Donald Moore Karen Miner
BLICK Art Materials Health Solutions
Mk Boylan Pueblo Art Guild, Inc.
Elissa Ball Lilly Burress
Jay Richter Paul M Welch
Others who have provided invaluable support:
Askkanwii Filmmaking Hub, Suzanne Baity, Boys and Girls Club, Iris Clark, CASA, CSU-P Art Department, Eastside Neighbors, El Centro del Quinto Sol, Hank Geisel, Jace’s Place, Latino Chamber of Commerce, Gina Lopez-Ferguson, Lucero Library, Mentor Colorado, MNI Planning Committee, Brian Montrose, Morning Star Creations, Catherine O’Grady, PCC Social Work Department, Pueblo Art Guild, Pueblo Arts Alliance, Pueblo Community Health Center, Pueblo County Department of Social Services, Pueblo Greater Chamber of Commerce and Visit Pueblo, Pueblo Star Journal, Kennedy Pugh, Javier Quinones, Rawlings Library, Selena Ruiz-Gomez, Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, SDC School of Dance, Spark by Project Helping, SRDA, Suicide Prevention Coalition, Youth Documentary Academy