In conjunction with First Friday Santa Cruz Aug. 4, come in the afternoon to Cooper Street in Santa Cruz (near Abbott Square and the Museum of Art & History) for the VetArt Pop 2 Peace Arts Café.
This event showcases local Santa Cruz veteran visual and spoken word artists, as well as those of other veteran communities in California.
This ocean scene is by Craig, a local veteran artist.
Co-hosts are local nonprofits Vets for Vets, founded by Dean Kaufman, and Up 2 Peace, founded by Perry Spencer, alongside San Diego-based nonprofit VetArt, which for the last four years has been facilitating veteran organized pop-up arts cafes throughout California with the goal to “increase veterans’ mental health through deep art engagement.”
Events are sponsored by California’s Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission.
The afternoon begins at 2:30 p.m. with a drum circle led by internationally renowned percussionist Arthur Hull, who is returning early from a trip to China to participate, and the Village Circles Community. This will be a family-friendly experience.
Drum Circle leader Arthur Hull
Next: Spoken word (poetry spoken aloud) and KZSC DJ Selecta 7 playing Irie reggae tunes.
The day is offered to collectively — that includes you! — increase healing for our veterans and their communities.
Remember, “we are all veterans of war. Some just closer to the action.”
If you are a veteran artist and wish to share your art, contact: up2peace@gmail.com. A “stipend” will be offered.
For more info: vets4vetssantacruz.org, up2peace.org and VetArt.org.
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U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) announced $1.11 million for Marina and Monterey to help homeless veterans reenter the workforce.
Dog Tags is the centerpiece for a quilt in progress.
The money comes through the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program, which funds occupational skills, apprenticeships, on-the-job training opportunities, job search and placement assistance.
Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. in Marina received $770,000 and Veteran Employment Services in Monterey $347,000.
These programs are part of a broader $58 million investment in veterans training programs across the country.
California is home to more than 1.6 million veterans, more than any other state. About 20,000 veterans currently live in Monterey County.
“It’s unfortunate, but it also must be unacceptable, that anyone who served and sacrificed for our country goes homeless,” said Panetta, who is himself a veteran. “By assisting our local veterans with this type of federal funding, our community can continue to live up to its responsibility of serving those who served our country.”
Top Image: The VetArt team showcases veteran-made artwork aboard the battleship U.S.S. Iowa in San Pedro. • Photo Credit: Angelito Bautista, HMCS (FMF) USN (Ret)