10 (2)Public Comment
From: George Gilliam <
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 1:15 PM
To: Public Comment
Subject: Creative Identity's support for the CSB's CDBG FY 21/22 funding recommendations
Good evening Mayor Sidhu, Mayor Pro Tem Faessel, and Members of the City Council,
My name is Dr. Cynthia Smith, and I am the program director for Creative Identity, a therapeutic music, expressive arts, and
prevocational skill building program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or IDD. I respectfully submit this
comment on behalf of Creative Identity and our Executive Director and founder, George Gilliam. First, I sincerely thank each of you
for all your work toward the wellbeing of the City of Anaheim and its residents. I also thank you for the opportunity to express our
support for the CDBG FY 21/22 funding recommendation by the Community Service Board for Creative Identity's Prevocational
Growth Initiative. As you may know, Creative Identity is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that has been providing program
services in Anaheim since 1996. Our program participants have disabilities including autism, Down syndrome, vision and hearing
impairments, seizure disorder, and cerebral palsy.
Persons with IDD are often defined by what they "can't do" and they face multiple challenges with negotiating traditional
education systems, receiving prevocational skill building, engaging in the community in a meaningful manner, contributing to the
cultural dialog, and transcending negative societal perceptions and significant social marginalization. Creative Identity provides access
to a high level of fine arts education and skill building, mentoring, community engagement, showcasing their skills in community
concerts and art exhibitions, and life skills and prevocational training, all of which results in demonstrating what our participants "can
do" and helping them participate in the community and become as independent as they can be. Our program also provides for an
increase in our participants' economic opportunity through receiving commissions from the sale of their paintings, painted silk scarves,
greeting cards, beaded jewelry, and ceramic ware at their community concerts and art exhibitions, including at the MUZEO.
Creative Identity has been located within the Anaheim Accessibility Center (AAC) since June 2017, and it is our goal to be
able to continue to provide our services there going forward. Since the Covid-19 facility closure of the AAC on March 16, 2020,
Creative Identity developed and provided on-line virtual and telephone classes and wellness checks with our participants. We
recognized that our participants needed continued support, especially during the pandemic, and we are still providing over 100 virtual
classes per week (in addition to phone calls and delivery of class supplies to our participants), Monday through Friday, in the areas of
Covid-19 hygiene, music performance, music therapy, song writing, Spanish, expressive arts, exercise & dance, yoga, relaxation &
coping skills, and life skills. Through these virtual classes, participants have stayed connected and "saw" their familiar friends and
staff while engaging in meaningful skill -building activities.
Beginning on June 1, 2021, Creative Identity has reopened its program at the Anaheim Accessibility Center with a lower
participant capacity that reflects our participant families' and caregivers' comfort with sending their family members/clients back to
in-person services, while also observing Covid-19 safety precautions. We continue to provide alternate services including live virtual
classes, delivery of supplies to participant homes and wellness calls. We have received incredibly positive and appreciative feedback
from participants, parents, and caregivers. As you may know, Creative Identity utilizes person -centered thinking and planning to assist
our participants build upon their existing strengths and talents to develop underlying skills, including cognitive, social,
communication, and gross/fine motor skills, necessary for social participation, everyday functioning, and improving their quality of
life. I sincerely thank each of you for your consideration in approving the Community Service Board's recommendation for the CDBG
FY 21/22 funding for Creative Identity's Prevocational Growth Initiative.
If additional information is needed, please visit our website at: creativeidentity-oc.org or contact our administrative office at (657)
208-3350.
Respectfully yours,
Dr. Cynthia Smith, MT -BC
Program Director
Creative Identity
Creative Identity
200 N Harbor Blvd Suite 210
Anaheim, CA 92805
657.208.3350 phone
www.creativeidentity-oc.org