And while those kids are dealing with this post-pandemic readjustment period some kids never got that chance.
That's because of rampant gun violence which, last year, resulted in the deaths of 13 minors.
It's an atrocity that was silently protested yesterday by a group of art students from Belmopan. Their teacher Raquel Rodriguez collaborated the resident artists of Albert Street, Alex Sanker to make a powerful statement:
Raquel Rodriguez, Art Teacher, Raquel Art
"Last year we had our gun violence exhibition in December and for some reason, we never thought, we just thought we would end the year with gun violence but we weren't thinking like we're gonna start the year again with gun violence, that was like a project we did, it was over and this year my students brought to my attention that it' happening again or its continuing to happen. So we already have two kids who died under 18."
"When Joshua passed away, when he died, when he was shot, that was it. I called all the students parents and I told them that guess what we're not gonna have art classes tomorrow, Ms. is going to find a way to take the art to Belize City, it's time."
"We came with Alex for two reasons, one because of the venue, because of where we are and two because he also does the same. It's protest art, this is our silent protest against the gun, this is our art protest against the gun."
"What is our goal our purpose for all of this? We are trying to raise our voice, we are trying to raise awareness, we are using our artistic voice showing Belie expressing what we feel about the gun bringing this, our message across for you to put down your gun there is much more that you could gain from putting down that gun than using that gun to shoot someone."
Alex Sanker, Artist
"Let's be realistic I am the only one who is doing this type of painting in this country, two things, you get penalized for it because it's the truth and more importantly, you don't make any money out of it so when I found out that kids are doing this type of painting I have to encourage that because listen, I am gonna be 5 this month. If God willing, maybe I get 20 more years so we have to try and prepare the younger generation to express themselves through art and we have to understand if we don't do it, who else will."
Raquel's students previously exhibited in Belmopan at NICH's museum of archeology.
