Xanna gained a fresh perspective on life through art. 

There is a real life-affirming power to all art. No matter where you are in your life, you’ll start to bloom and come out of yourself. I did.” - Xanna

A few years ago, Xanna found herself in a situation she never before imagined – she was assaulted and left with a bad leg injury. After the accident, she couldn’t work, couldn’t pay rent, and her boyfriend, who she was living with at the time, left her and moved out of the city. She lost her apartment, and turned to Jubilee Women’s Center for support and transitional housing. It was there that she discovered Path with Art, and decided to sign up for her first poetry class since her college years.

“When you leave your space and go out into the world, especially in the arts environment, all sorts of wonderful things can happen from that, even if it’s just a new perspective or new idea. I always know something good is going to happen when I take a Path with Art class.”

Xanna’s first Path with Art class was “Reading and Writing Authentic Poetry” with Teaching Artist Rachel Kessler. They spent much of the class reading and reflecting on Ross Gay’s Book of Delights, using it as an example and inspiration to create their own poetry. They stepped outside of Hugo House and into Cal Anderson Park, writing in response to observations, and turning everyday moments into muses.  

“When you’re in the poetry mindset, you’re looking at everything differently. Everything is more magical when you’re in that poet frame of mind, letting all your senses be opened. Everything comes alive. It’s good practice for living life and being in the moment… It helped me be in the moment and not worry about the future or be stuck in the past.”

During this class, Xanna wrote a poem called “Pasadena Backyard,” which she later performed at Path with Art’s 2019 Fall Voices Performing Arts Showcase. Before going on stage, she felt both nervous and excited, and she ended up rocking it. “It was the best feeling,” she shared, “I haven’t felt that good, or that powerful about myself in a long time. That was the highlight of my year.”

Though she is now busy working part-time and saving up to move into her own apartment, Xanna still makes an effort to experience arts and cultural events around town through Path with Art’s Access Art program and other organizations like Live Music Project. For her, the arts are essential to her well-being and connection to community.

“Everything else in life is so practical: paying bills, getting things done, checking things off a list, getting food, dealing with trauma. And we forget how important art is for your soul, for the other parts of your brain – the parts of you that don’t get attention when you’re getting down to business… It’s an opportunity to get in touch with a part of myself that always feels good, always feels powerful, no matter what else is going on.”