Nate Mullen

Y Arts has been very fortunate to have Nate Mullen, a Michigan AmeriCorps Partnerships member, working with our staff for the past couple of months. Nate is overseeing and teaching in our after school arts programming and curating exhibits in the Lobby gallery.  He does such a great job, in fact, that he was nominated as this month’s Michigan AmeriCorps Member of the Month.  Great job, Nate!  Here is the statement released by the State of Michigan announcing his recognition:

“A native of Detroit, Nathaniel Mullen attended Detroit Public Schools and then earned a BFA in Art & Design at the University of Michigan.  Nathaniel is now using his artistic talent to positively impact his community through the Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership (MAP) program.  He is in his second year of full-time service and is placed at the Downtown Detroit Boll Family YMCA.

At the YMCA, Nathaniel is coordinating the Y Arts exhibitions in the Lobby Gallery, teaching digital photography classes for teenagers, and participating in community partnerships.  In 2008, he initiated both the project and member applications to secure a MAP AmeriCorps position in the Visual Arts Department of the Neutral Zone (a.k.a, the Ann Arbor Teen Center).  He spent the year redeveloping the digital arts program, expanding the exhibitions program, and broadening community outreach.  Two of his largest projects included a week-long service-learning project in Detroit and an exhibition titled “Frame of Mind,” in collaboration with the Depression Center at the University of Michigan to bring light to issues surrounding youth mental health.

For his second year serving in AmeriCorps, Nathaniel looks forward to the challenges of his new position.  He contends, “After a five year absence, I’m hoping to be able to contribute to Y Arts and the city.”

According to MAP program director, Addell Austin Anderson, “Nathan has the drive, talent and enthusiasm to inspire youth to see beyond their, sometimes, isolated world to make a difference in their own lives and community.”

For more information on the Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership program, please contact Program Director, Addell Austin Anderson at (313) 593-0937 or Addell@umich.edu .  For more information on AmeriCorps, visit www.americorps.gov .”