The Wind Beneath Their Wings: Wings For Kids x Art to HeART
- Nailah Herbert
- May 21
- 4 min read
Updated: May 26
Light has a way of piercing into the spaces that need it most. Within the Westside of Charleston, a spark has been struck—one poised to ignite the creative futures of a new generation. It is a moment brought home by a son of Charleston who earned his stripes, his reputation, and the right to be called a true arts leader and visionary in the high-stakes creative trenches of Atlanta for nearly thirty years. Okeeba Jubalo has returned to his roots, and he isn’t just bringing inspiration; he’s bringing a proven blueprint.
Enter Art to HeART, Jubalo’s intensive five-week creative bootcamp designed to bridge the gap between raw talent and real-world execution for students ranging from third graders to college seniors. This isn't just a local arts initiative—it’s a rapidly expanding movement.
"This program was engineered to introduce everything I needed as a young, up-and-coming artist who didn't even know these professional avenues existed," Jubalo reflects. "Growing up between Charleston and North Charleston came with a certain detachment from the art world. But art is woven into everything beautiful. For the Lowcountry to rise to a level of national respect in the arts industry we must be intentional about the business of art and teach our creatives how to be world-class professionals. My work in Atlanta and beyond prepared me to serve as a bridge builder for our communities."
The Art to HeART initiative offers a parallel yet deeply connected expression of purposeful impact—this time through the lens of youth creativity, emotional development, and visual storytelling. Produced through the strategic collaboration between NobleSol Art Group and Wings for Kids, the foundational program centered students as both creators and storytellers, reinforcing the idea that leadership and voice begin forming long before adulthood.
Creative Education as Social-Emotional Development
Wings for Kids CEO Julia Rugg underscored how seamlessly the program aligned with the organization’s mission of whole-child development. She shared that the initiative supports youth “with voice and choice, self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses, the opportunity to collaborate and accept feedback, and to persevere through challenges.”
She also emphasized the deeper connection between creativity and emotional learning, stating, “Creative education is social emotional learning. It is a hands-on way for kids to practice what they’ve been learning each day at Wings.”
Rugg further reflected on the experience, noting, “This experience had a tremendous impact on our students – building their self-confidence, allowing them to explore new talents, and to be empowered with hope and confidence that they can dream anything and have it become a reality.”
A Student-Centered Approach to Creative Learning
At the heart of the initiative, Program Coordinator Warlon Mack emphasized the shift from observation to ownership in the learning process. As he shared, “Students responded with a level of excitement, engagement, and confidence that was honestly powerful to witness.”
He further reflected on the structure of the program, noting, “What made this Choice Time experience so impactful was that students were not just passive participants; they were creators, decision-makers, and collaborators. What stood out most about this collaboration with NobleSol Art Group and Okeeba Jubalo was how authentic and culturally connected the experience felt for our students. Representation matters, especially for young people, and having a Black artist and creative leader who understands their experiences and comes from a place of community, creativity, and purpose made a lasting impact.”
Visual Storytelling as Emotional Truth
That transformation was amplified through the deliberate visual storytelling led by Director of Photography Katrina S. Crawford, whose approach prioritized emotional authenticity over performance. By focusing on candid moments of reflection, excitement, and peer connection, the program's documentation revealed something deeper than art instruction—it captured students discovering their own voices.
As she explained her philosophy, “I never wanted the students to feel like they were performing for the camera. The goal was to create imagery that felt natural, immersive, and emotionally true to what they were experiencing in the moment.”
She added, “For me, the strongest storytelling happens when people feel seen, safe, and free to simply be themselves.”
Representation, Trust, and the Power of Cultural Connection
What emerged most clearly from the Art to HeART experience was the power of representation, trust, and culturally grounded mentorship. Under the leadership of Okeeba Jubalo, students engaged with an approach to art that felt accessible, affirming, and reflective of their lived experiences.
That connection helped foster trust and engagement, driven by the firm belief that representation matters, especially for young people. Students were able to see leadership and creativity modeled in a way that felt both real and attainable.
A Shared Thread of Intentional Impact
In many ways, Art to HeART extended the same message echoed throughout the concurrent POW!Her experience: when people are given intentional spaces to show up fully—as professionals, as leaders, or as young creatives—the result is not only engagement, but transformation.
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