WMCAT’s Teen Arts + Tech Program is more than a place to learn — it is a space where creativity and confidence come together. Trusted with professional equipment and encouraged to bring his ideas to life, Arick Davis, gained the trust and confidence that continue to shape his journey today.
“It’s like you have this idea in your head and then you get to create it. And that’s what doing a business is. That’s what being a leader in the community is. And that’s what WMCAT was.”
As part of the inaugural Teen Arts + Tech class, Arick found a community of trust that valued creativity, exploration, and belonging. “We were all different, we all had different ideas, we all had different preferences. But when you experience that at a young age, you go out into the world and think, ‘They don’t know about WMCAT,’” he reflects. “They don’t know this expectation that regardless of what you look like or where you’re from, you should still be allowed to express your identity and opinions.”
Now, Arick is a community leader serving on Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education, co-owning a small business, Last Mile Cafe, and serving as director of growth and partnerships at People First Economy. At WMCAT, Arick found a community where ideas were supported, and voices were heard and that sense of trust and collaboration shaped their outlook, inspiring them to build community and trust as they lead the community today.
