Out of School Programming
Learning should also happen outside of the classroom. Considering that AP works with youth from various areas and schools, we have a plethora of events that serve as bonding activities for the youth we serve.
During a typical year, the events we have are:
STRUT, AZIZA PE&CE’s Annual Fashion Show Fundraiser. STRUT features designers, artists and stylists from all over the country, and utilizes music and clothing to be able to portray meaningful social messages to the audience. Some of the issues we have addressed in our previous shows are: the education system, racial discrimination, LGBTQ+ discrimination, women's rights and peer pressure. STRUT also allows for the youth who participate to show the confidence they have built over the months they have been practicing for this show.
BE! Conference, our annual weekend youth conference (pictured above). The BE! Conference, is a spring culminating event for youth who are already involved in AZIZA PE&CE, and allows them to meet youth from other organizations. The conference is weekend-long, and is hosted at a hotel in the Baltimore-D.C. area. Youth stay at the hotel all weekend, and engage in sessions with guest speakers around healthy decision-making, goal setting, addressing trauma, planning for the future and more. Some of the guest speakers we've had in the past have been activists, artists, entertainers and entrepreneurs. Because the BE! Conference is hosted right after the STRUT fashion, it also serves as a sneak peek into the programming side of AZIZA PE&CE, which is the heart of what the program does.
Kumaliza, our summer trip for graduating Seniors.
DC Cultural Excursion, where program participants visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and attend the Alvin Ailey Dance Company performance at The Kennedy Center.
We also hold other smaller events throughout the year, and weekend activities for our summer program participants.
