Chapel Hill News | Snapshots -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 1/7/2005
Last Visited: 4/29/2005
CARRBORO - Laura Wenzel, director of the Latino youth outreach group Pa'lante, stood back from the wall and tried to envision what it would look like after it was painted.
A pattern of rectangles in various sizes and shapes had been lightly penciled in on the surface, and a dozen cans of paint in a rainbow of colors stood on the dropcloth at her feet.Nearby, three teenaged members of Pa'lante were busy setting up the organization's computer system.
"OK, let's go with light purple here," Wenzel said, indicating one of the rectangles."Dark purple here.
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"In that case, you're a writer," Wenzel said."Here.Write."
She handed him a pencil and sent him to the wall to mark each rectangle with the name of the color designated for it.
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"It just makes a lot of sense to join together," Wenzel said.
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Wenzel and Mitchell issued a call for help in early December to come up with the $6,000 needed for their deposit and two months' rent.The public responded, Wenzel said.The organizations were able to secure the property, and they began moving in.
With a lot of effort and elbow grease from Wenzel, Mitchell and the kids in the programs, the place began its transformation from the tattoo parlor it had been to the teen space it will be.
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Wenzel was in almost constant motion: directing the painting, joining the fund-raising conversation, welcoming Lynden Harris from The ArtsCenter, who was meeting with members of the group to organize a theatrical project.
She pointed to a popcorn popper sitting on a counter.
"That's a metaphor for us right there," she said.