Ka'Riel Gaiter has been a social-justice advocate for more than 10 years. That advocacy has led to a new, still unnamed, full-time paid staff position with Youth Empowerment Performance Project ( YEPP ).
The position is funded through a collaboration between Public Allies ( an AmeriCorps program dedicated to young adult leadership development that matches applicants with non-profit organizations ) and YEPP.
Gaiter, one of YEPP's youth ensemble members and a leader in the program, explained that he applied to the Public Allies program because he was looking to further his education within the social justice world.
"I wanted to be somewhere that would feed my soul while also getting paid for my work and that's why Bonsai [Bermudez, YEPP's executive and artistic director] stepped in because he knew the journey I was on to find a place that was diverse and accepting of who I am as well as a place where I could utilize my skills," said Gaiter.
Bonsai said it was a combination of factors that led him to choose Gaiter as the organization's second paid person. [Note: In a departure from Windy City Times style, Bonsai preferred to have his first name used.]
When Gaiter applied to Public Allies, YEPP hadn't signed on as a partner but that changed when he decided to drop out of the application process during the interview process. Gaiter explained that during the interview process he discovered that the non-profits Public Allies was working with didn't fit with what he was looking for in terms of full-time employment.
That's when Bonsai/YEPP stepped in and decided to form a partnership with Public Allies so Gaiter could stay on at YEPP and also get paid.
"Ka'Riel taking the initiative to apply to the Public Allies program as well as his years working as a volunteer with YEPP along with his passion, commitment and skill set made him the ideal candidate for this position," said Bonsai. "The great thing about this collaboration is Public Allies will be providing Ka'Riel with training opportunities in areas that I don't have experience with. They're also paying part of Ka'Riel's salary and he'll also get health benefits through them."
Gaiter, 24, was raised on the West Side of Chicago in the K-Town neighborhood and attended North Lawndale College Prep High School. However, he didn't graduate with his class. Four years ago he received his GED after taking classes at the Broadway Youth Center.
When Gaiter was 13, he went to Moody Bible Institute classes with his ordained minister father but he quit after he received three college credits. He also came out as gay that same year.
"I started expressing myself in a way that my dad couldn't accept so there were times that I wouldn't be allowed in my parent's house," said Gaiter.
Gaiter attended Dora Lynn Music Academy and got licensed to be a vocal trainer. He also spoke twice at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition on behalf of the youth led Greater St. John's Youth Choir.
"Since I was 14 years old, I've been trained to facilitate group discussions," said Gaiter. "I've volunteered at some drop-in spaces and each organization had something different to offer. The first couple of years of my life as an out queer person I went to the Youth Pride Center where they trained us on how to break down cultural boundaries. That training helped me be a mediator between members of my family when they had disagreements."
Just prior to turning 17, Gaiter moved to Storm Lake, Iowa—a town where KKK ( Ku Klux Klan ) gatherings take place. He found work at the local Walmart and stayed there for about two years.
"I knew at that age that I had to change my physical setting so I wouldn't become a stereotype, and that's why I moved to Iowa," said Gaiter. "I wanted to explore an area of the country that was the opposite of where I grew up. I also needed to earn money and at that time the economy wasn't good in Chicago."
When Gaiter returned to Chicago he discovered Broadway Youth Center. He noted that by volunteering with them he was able to continue facilitating groups and expand his social justice, community building and transformative justice knowledge base.
"I got involved with YEPP four years ago through the Broadway Youth Center," said Gaiter. "We [Broadway Youth Center] were having a showcase and I saw the performance that YEPP put on and it was stories about people that I may know. I knew one of the ensemble members and she was telling me about the program and I liked what she had to say. I wasn't ready to join YEPP right then but later on I connected with Bonsai and got more information about the program and it was after I talked with some other YEPP performers that I auditioned and became a member of the YEPP ensemble."
Gaiter noted that although he didn't attend college he believes that he has more experience on the ground as a volunteer than many college educated people do and that experience will serve him well in this new position with YEPP. He explained that he's planning on listening and learning so the program expands thereby making more people aware of YEPP and what it does within the community.
"I want to be an effective leader in the fight to end LGBTQ youth homelessness/unstable living conditions," said Gaiter. "My employment with YEPP will be focused on people seeing that there needs to be more inclusion when it comes to changing the world. I want to make a space in the world for those who aren't represented in society because their voices are just as valuable as those who are recognized by society."
"I'm very excited about the growth that YEPP is about to experience with Ka'Riel in this new position where he is working full-time for us," said Bonsai. "He'll be able to be invested in the work that YEPP does and that will help with our growth as an organization as it moves to the next level. He's going to do a lot of outreach and education work, creating partnerships with other non-profit organizations to expand our resources for the program and the young people we are supporting."
YEPP will be holding performances Jan. 22-24 and 29-31 at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Tickets are $15 each; visit www.WeSayYEPP.com, www.facebook.com/wesayYEPP or www.twitter.com/wesayyepp.
To make a donation to the organization, email Bonsai at WeSayYEPP@gmail.com .
