Twisted Garden
An Anthology by New Orleans Youth
In this powerful and compelling comics anthology, New Orleans youth call for change.From Tulane University’ Center for Youth Equity comes an anthology featuring comics from seven New Orleans students about their experiences in a school system that doesn’t always understand or nurture them.Twisted Garden uses fictional stories to capture and explain real life experiences. Their stories explore a wide array of subjects, ranging from the school-to-prison pipeline to the emotional journey of dealing with grief and loss in an unsympathetic school system. This work pairs distinctive, thought-provoking artwork with deep emotional authenticity. Twisted Garden presents these diverse experiences with the kind of profound insight that can only stem from the youth who have personally lived through them.
About Twisted Garden
Origins and Background
Twisted Garden began as an effort to combine academic research with community action. The project was a collaborative effort between Dr. Rae Stevenson and the Center for Youth Equity team at Tulane University. Stevenson's doctoral research focused on how the arts and youth-led actions can catalyze meaningful change, aiming to produce research that is relevant and impactful for young people. The Center's Enrichment to Empowerment program, under the leadership of Dr. Samantha Francois, assesses how youth-led initiatives can have a substantial societal influence. Melding scholarly depth with firsthand accounts from youth, Twisted Garden was designed to serve as a dynamic platform where theory meets practice, demonstrating how academia can directly fuel community-driven change, without compromising on scholarly rigor or grassroots authenticity.The Creators
Central to the anthology are young contributors from New Orleans. Their experiences and perspectives are the narrative backbone of the project: Shine Holmes, Jamari Cooper, Derrell Jefferson, Tia Augustin, S3R10USSYD, Jonta Gumms, and Earsell Anderson.Their stories are illustrated by comic book professionals from around the world: Jordyn Flood, Y Sanders, Tintin Pantoja, Alisha Monin, Wayne Spencer, Wren Rios, Aleksandar Bozic, Sasha Mart, and Hanna Siata.The Creative Process
During an intensive 12-week program, youth participants honed their skills in art and storytelling, turning them into vehicles for positive change. They explored the complex history of public schools in New Orleans, leading to deeper discussions about their own schooling. These dialogues gave rise to shared themes and challenges, which were transformed into comic book scripts and passed on to illustrators for final execution.Acknowledgments
Twisted Garden's momentum is fueled by a diverse community of committed partners. We want to to thank the following funders at Tulane University:- The Center for Youth Equity and Violence Prevention Institute
- The Mellon Program for Community-Engaged Research
- The Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking
- The Newcomb-Tulane InstituteAdditionally, we want to thank the faculty and staff at the Violence Prevention Institute for their work behind the scenes to support this project, with a special shout-out to Timothy Craft and Alex Jaouiche.What's Next
The project has an ambitious future. The anthology will soon be available for purchase, and we aspire to make free copies available to educators and young community members. Additionally, we aim to organize events and town halls to share the students' valuable insights and encourage more community involvement and action. We envision a future of New Orleans public schools where the focus is on students' holistic well-being - not just academic success.
Print Copies Coming Soon!
Twisted Garden is not yet available for purchase. Please fill out the form below to be notified when copies will be available.