We use creativity to build equity.
Our Mission
Artists For Humanity (AFH) harnesses the power of mentorship and paid professional experiences to inspire teens to build their future.
AFH provides a safe and supportive environment where teens are employed to explore their voice and forge their unique path to success. Our teens transcend economic, racial and social divisions to transform communities through creative expression.
During their time at AFH, teens share their voice in public art, where their creativity is valued. With corporate partnerships, AFH teens provide creative services to the business community, in collaboration with studio mentors, while developing an understanding of business and entrepreneurship for potential career pathways. Through mentorship, the next generation of artists and leaders gain confidence in their own abilities.
Jobs With Wages
Opportunities to create fine art and design
Intensive mentorship
Introducing exciting career possibilities
1:1 tutoring, professional development and college/career readiness
Experiential arts and stem learning
Fun and productive place to spend time after school
Our History
AFH began with an imperative—to address the lack of arts and entrepreneurial experiences for Boston teens—and with an ambitious, unconventional idea – young people can provide, through their innate talent and vision, contemporary creative services to the business community. Training and employing teens offers them a key solution to economic disenfranchisement and has a resounding effect on their lives, their families, and their communities. AFH employs 325+ Boston teens annually in paid apprenticeship in the visual arts and creative industries.
Since 2004, when we constructed Boston’s first Platinum LEED-certified facility, the Artists For Humanity EpiCenter, AFH has continued to bring leadership and vision to our work in the community. We have grown exponentially as a youth and cultural community resource and a successful enterprise, serving our youth apprentices and the greater community as a learning laboratory in creative industries. This has inspired us to formalize interdisciplinary arts and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning – or STEAM! – in our studios.
We continue to pioneer opportunities for youth to utilize creativity, industry and innovation toward an overarching goal of preparing them for emerging workforce and educational pathways.
![A group of teenagers standing close together posing for the camera](https://img2.storyblok.com/1080x0/filters:format(jpg)/f/127407/2048x1377/b08eb1c98d/afh-history-2.jpeg)
“Being [at AFH] was a complete game changer for me and my life.
— Jamilyah Waldron, AFH Alumna
We are a social enterprise that uses creativity and design as vehicles for social change
AFH is one of the largest on-site employers of Boston young people, with hundreds of teens employed as artists and designers each year during critical out-of-school hours. Recently we launched our long awaited program in New York City. With a uniquely diverse perspective and an unparalleled community of artists, designers, innovators, business, commerce in the most populated city in this country, the opportunities and possibilities are unlimited for AFH NYC and the real impact we can have on youth and the city, as we have been doing in Boston for over 32 years!
Having a job at AFH enhances a teen’s future earning potential, employability and inspires advanced education and training.
AFH counteracts the risks facing young people – one teen at a time – by giving them a job, enrichment that comes from the arts and cultural experiences, a safe place to go after school, a culture of respect, responsibility, and engaged mentorship and an opportunity to learn and conduct business in the creative economy.
Beyond the job, AFH offers academic support, including after-work tutoring and comprehensive college readiness.
These combined experiences cultivate social change by equipping young people with the skills needed for careers and entrepreneurship in 21st century creative and technology driven industries, opening doors to successful, self-sufficient futures.
“Everyday is a miracle [here] cause you draw something today that you couldn’t do yesterday. You say wow! I couldn’t do that yesterday, what could I possibly do tomorrow. I can do anything. It’s an incredible metaphor for what’s possible!
— Susan Rodgerson, Founder, Artists For Humanity
Success Stories
Teen artists give voice to their experience working and learning at Artists For Humanity.
Opportunities after studio work
AFH reinforces teens' work and experiential learning with robust academic support to assist teens with graduating high school, entering college, earning a degree, or successfully defining pathways to success.
AFTER-WORK TUTORING
As needed, AFH provides teens with individualized, one-on-one tutoring to help them develop basic and advanced comprehension in core subjects, succeed in tests, and improve grades.
COLLEGE READINESS
AFH helps youth develop individualized plans for post-secondary education, tour colleges, complete applications, and secure financing and scholarships.
COLLEGE RETENTION
AFH links program alumni enrolled in post-secondary education with financial and human resources, and provides them with ongoing employment opportunities and leadership training.
CAREER ADVISING
AFH introduces teens to industry professionals in the context of their employment, potential internships and alternative pathways to success.
Meet Our Team
Moses Ajou
Accounting & Finance Manager
Phyliss Aleman
Events Coordinator
Kelsey Arbona
Design Director
Claire Bellanger
Registrar & Exhibitions Coordinator
John Brewer
Mentor/Photographer
Taevaughn Bruno
Assistant Mentor/Artist
Sommer Byers
Recruitment Manager
Jay Cadwallader
Mentor/3D Designer
Aleister Caro
Recruitment Assistant
Gary Chen
Painting Director
Emma Davis
College Advisor, AmeriCorps Massachusetts Promise Fellow
Jamie De Los Santos
Assistant Mentor, Web Developer
Madeline De Michele
Social Media Coordinator
Handy Dorceus
Director of Creative Technology
Alison Drasner
Curation & Exhibitions Manager
Nicole Dubov
Fellowship and Alumni Coordinator
Jeff Ellse
Mentor/Artist/Painter
Hannah Fallon
Project Director/NYC
Tatyana Figueira
Client Services, Technical Project Manager
Mattaya Fitts
Mentor/NYC
Courtney Ford
Director of Individual Giving, Engagement and Events
Amril Foster
Mentor/Artist/Painter
Rich Frank
Director of Business Development
Maya Grevatt
Director of Operations
Michael Guadarrama
Mentor, Lead Graphic Designer
Chris Hope
Mentor/AFH Artists Fellowship
Nikki Hornedo
Mentor/Videographer
Lorraine Johnson
Director of Marketing and Branding
Lesley Kantlehner
Grants Researcher
Mushen Kieta
Director of Video Production
Xanthe Knife
Exhibition & Curation Assistant
Brenda Leong
Director of Curatorial Affairs
Eir Lindstrom-Holmy
Director of Institutional Fundraising and Advancement
Jesse MacDonald
Grant Writer & Administrator
Janna Mach
Mentor/Photographer
Ryo Matsuki
3D Design Director
Lizzy Mayer
AFH Co-Lab Director/Grants Manager
Yolanda Mazzoni
Managing Director, Client Services
Dominique Nelson
Foundations Studio Director
Jordan Nelson
Mentor/Graphic Designer
Mary Nguyen
Director of Photography
Tina Nguyen
Assistant Mentor/Animator
Jameel Radcliffe
Mentor/Artist/Painter
Joe Ramirez
IT/Print Production Manager
Nate Swain
Facilities/Wood Shop/Artist
Jason Talbot
AFH Co-Founder/Managing Director of Programs
Janet Tan
Assistant Mentor/3D Designer
Jonathan Tejeda (Pineapple)
Mentor/Graphic Designer
Luis Urena
Mentor/Artist
Trevor Ward
Animation Director
Mike Washington
Director of Finance
Dan White
Mentor/3D Designer
Yanyin Wu
Assistant Mentor/Photographer
Tamara Yampolsky
Assistant Mentor/Graphic Designer
Anna Yu
Executive Director
Board of Directors
Kate Agarwal
Board Chair
Independent Professional
Vickie Alani AIA
CBT Architects, Senior Principal
Rustom A. Cowasjee
Tishman Speyer, Managing Director
Claudia de Piante Vicin
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Creative Director, Development Communications
Valerie Francis
Knowhere Art Gallery,
Global Head of KnowledgeHoward Galligan
Fidelity Investments
Sheila Galligan
Sheila Galligan Design
Lee Ann Gilligan
Financial Consultant
David Jegen
F-Prime Capital, Managing Partner, Tech Fund
Jake Lemle, CFA
Morgan Stanley
Managing Director, Head of Loan Trading and Capital MarketsDayron J. Miles
American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, Associate Artistic Director
Asha Smith
GIC, Americas Head of Learning and Development/Employee Engagement
Jason Talbot
AFH Co-Founder/Managing Director of Programs
Board of Advisors
Adele Fleet Bacow
Lawrence S. Bacow
Alexander Caron
Renessa Ciampa *
Susan Culman
Amy d'Ablemont Burnes
Ethan d'Ablemont Burnes
Amy Fitzgibbons
Rob Gibbs
Amanda Goodwin
Hodan Hashi
Lauren Hasson
Deborah Hawkins
Tim Houde
Jeremy Kay
Nicole Kelley
Mel King †
Misia Landau
Lisa S. Lenon
Helene Lieb
Dr. Audrey N. Lopez
Rodline Louijeune
Karen McConarty
David Nagahiro
Nina Nicolosi
Abigail Ogilvy
Yaro Pan
Genesis Perez-Melara *
Robert Pittinger
Chris Rifkin
Lucy Rosenburgh
Robert Sachs
Ayele Shakur
Meagan Spencer
Alejandra Spruill, Esq.
William Stanton
Caroline Taggart
Lannhi Tran
Lisa Van Oossanen
Clara Wainwright
David Walek
Scott Walker
Robert Weintraub
Bob Wiggins
Rom Wilson
Kristen Worley
† In honorarium
* Jill Slosburg-Ackerman Honorary Advisor
“Artists For Humanity gave me a voice when no one else would give me a thought.
— Damon Butler, Co-Founder, AFH Alumni and Artist/Entrepreneur