June 1, 2017
Tukwut Leadership Circle at California State University San Marcos: Creating Art & Leaders with Outreach
By: Sheryl Wilde
Mountain Lion…
Oh kingly leader,
Of sleek, feline form,
Touch my heart with courage,
Then sound the alarm,
That I may lead with foresight,
Assurance bright and true,
To carry on the spirit,
Of the strength I see in you.
~ Jamie Sams & David Carson
In the language of the Luiseño Native American tribe, “Tukwut” is the name for the California mountain lion. The mountain lion, with its golden coat and majestic mane, symbolizes leadership, strength, courage, integrity and power. According to the traditional beliefs of many tribes, the mountain lion rules through graceful strength, not through force, and with a free and open heart, treating others with fairness and respect.
Today, the spirit of this kingly leader’s strength sets the foundation of California State University, San Marcos’ (CSUSM’s) Tukwut Leadership Circle (TLC). Designed to inspire emerging leaders, the program provides students opportunities to explore leadership concepts through real life experiences. A central element of the TLC program is to foster leadership development through civic engagement.
“Finding appropriate off-campus opportunities for community service was difficult,” says Dr. Shannon Nolan-Aranez, Coordinator of Student Involvement & TLC. Then, in the spring of 2013, CSUSM’s TLC program, San Marcos Arts Council, Art Miles Mural Project, the United Nations Education Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and Mountain Shadows Outreach Services, forged an innovative alliance, creating The Mountain Shadows Painting Our World Radiantly (M:POWR) mural project. This unique program partners artists, students and Mountain Shadows clients in painting large murals that transcend barriers, promote social and cultural understanding, provide civic leadership opportunities to TLC students – and bring joy into the hearts of our Mountain Shadows clients and everyone involved.
Dr. Joanne Tawfilis, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Art Miles Mural Project and Owner of the Muramid Mural Museum and Art Center in Oceanside, has dedicated her life to unifying people through art in a meaningful, fulfilling and fun way.
The Art Miles project was born in Bosnia in 1997, when Joanne encouraged 350 orphans of the Balkan Wars to exorcise their grief by painting on canvases made from old hospital sheets riddled with bullet and shrapnel holes.
The children’s paintings recounted not only the atrocities they’d witnessed but their hopeful visions for a new and better future. Joanne said watching the cathartic effect the mural project had on the children was so powerful that “I had to go outside to cry because it hurt my heart so much.”
This experience laid the foundation for the Art Miles project, a global inspiration that promotes healing, peace and understanding through the creation of hand-painted murals.
“Joanne paints with our clients and the students almost every Thursday,” says Flor Angel, MSOS. “She’s developed a really wonderful relationship with our clients. She recently hosted an auction of our client/TLC student paintings at the Muramid Mural Museum and Art Center. It was great! We auctioned off more than 100 pieces of art. The clients were so excited and proud to have their work exhibited and sold. The proceeds from the auction will be used to buy more art supplies for the M:POWR program.”
Adds Shannon, “Art is impactful. Our students begin working with Mountain Shadows clients to meet their TLC program requirements. Then the relationships start to develop. Most of the students get hooked. The students love working with the clients!
“To me, there’s no better way to teach our students about leadership. The work is so valuable. It brings humanity into the lives of everyone involved. The clients teach our students about not judging others who are different from them. They realize we all have the same wants and needs. They learn that they are not coming to the rescue, but they are co-creating right alongside the clients.
“It is wonderful to see the transformation happen. The veil between them just melts away. We are honored to be a part of the M:POWR project. I think our students benefit more than the clients. They learn to be a better human. They learn that just because someone is disabled, they are not to be pitied or judged.
“I remember one student, Najib, in particular. He’s from the Middle East and is studying to be a rocket scientist. He joined the M:POWR project and was paired with Mountain Shadows client, Andy, who can’t move his arms. MSOS developed a type of head strap for Andy and he uses it to paint amazing things with his head or mouth. Andy also has limited ability to speak. Najib jumped right in and started painting with Andy right away. They hit it off. They created a yellow heart painting together. It was wonderful! And Najib showed no judgement at all – only friendship and encouragement.”
A real life testament to the friendships that have developed over the course of the M:POWR project, MSOS clients were invited to join TLC students at their recent graduation reception.
“The students are given a medal upon completion of the TLC program,” says Flor. “The clients felt so honored to be invited. They loved it! And at the end of the ceremony, the students gave each of the clients a medal too! The clients were very excited and honored.
“The best part of all of this is the relationships that develop between the clients and the students. Some students come and visit their friends at Outreach over their spring break. The students are all so wonderful, so patient and loving.”
Perhaps these words sum up best how the TLC students and the M:POWR program affect our Mountain Shadows clients:
Outreach is a meaningful place to go to.
Every day when a person walks through the door, they always bring joy to the clients.
Students come to Outreach with a special Art teacher and do art with our clients; they keep us entertained with art.
The students make a big difference in our lives. They may not know this, but they need to realize how lucky they are to have special Angels around them.
We are all grateful that the students take the time to come to Outreach and build our spirits up and for that we all thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
~Brittany Barnson, Mountain Shadows Outreach Client
For his qualities of graceful, yet powerful, leadership and guidance, Tukwut, the California mountain lion, is revered among the Luiseño and many other Native American tribes.
For emulating this Tukwut spirit of leadership and strength with our MSOS clients, we extend our sincere gratitude, with hearts open, to the TLC program, San Marcos Art Council, Art Miles Mural Project, and UNESCO.