In our casual conversation, Shelancia shares that her first-born, Elijah, is on the spectrum, and that much of her work since his birth has been trying to find ways to connect and create with children—especially those who are not within the standard deviation. 

Located in Houston, Texas, and Rochester, New York, Creativity Shell teaches classes in sewing, textile arts, cooking, building, and other trades. These classes are held in their private studios, as well as libraries, ABA Therapy Centers, the Juvenile Justice System, and homeless shelters that have rescued children from human trafficking. 

Shelancia talks about her family’s time in Nigeria. While her son Elijah didn’t do well in the British education system, he seemed to thrive in hot humid environments and he loved chasing crabs.  She used this outdoor activity to teach her son mathematics and how to count. One day, when the students in Elijah’s class were sharing what they loved most, he stood up and said, “My name is Elijah and I like chasing crabs.”  This defining moment was the catalyst for Creativity Shell and its unconventional, outside-the-box, hands-on approach to learning. [6:55 – 9:45]

Based on the belief that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to education, Creativity Shell has four pillars that it works from. They are a sense of possibility, mutual responsibility, creative learning, and positive interaction.  

Shelancia shares that it’s been her experience that one of the greatest challenges children face is that they are completely addicted to instant gratification. If something doesn’t happen quickly, fast, here, and now, they don’t believe it’s possible, so they lose hope and focus. The team at Creativity Shell weans children off their addiction by having them start with an instant gratification 10-minute project where they actually complete something. As their confidence builds, they work up to a 10-hour-plus project like making a quilt or something more involved.  [9:52  - 11:53 ]

“When children come into our group they’re learning how to sew, and how to cook and do crafts, but the most important thing of all is that they’re learning about themselves. At the end of the hour, a kid who may have never sewn anything before is like, 'Wow, I made something.'  As they start making bigger and better things, they start feeling better about themselves." Shelancia and her team are always looking for and creating opportunities outside the studio where children can continue to grow and learn.

At the annual Munchkin Market, kids get to sell things they’ve made and keep the money from their sales, which teaches them about business, crafting, selling, and value. Another great event is the Creativity Rocks Fashion Show. Shelancia lights up when she talks about how excited the kids are about it, and how they are already thinking about what they’re going to make for next year’s show. “This,” she says, “is their Olympics.” They’ve worked really hard, they’ve made their outfits, and they get to rock it down the runway with hundreds of people cheering them on. Talk about a confidence builder!   [17:35-18:49] 

Giving kids a sense of community and belonging is especially important for kids that are homeless, or victims of sex trafficking who often feel like they’re all alone, or the “only one.” In this podcast, Shelancia shares many heart-warming and eye-opening stories that drive home the importance of community, of being there for children in need, and of providing a place where children can feel safe, accepted, and free to create.  Creativity Shell not only provides that space, it also teaches kids the elemental skills they need to survive. [26:25- 30:12]  

Shelancia attributes the amazing success of Creativity Shell to her passionate and committed team. In just five years, they’ve grown to the level of a 10-year-old organization. And their aspirations don’t stop there. Tune in to hear these inspiring stories, and to learn more about Shelancia’s plans for the future.

If you’d like to connect with Shelancia and her team, learn more about the Love Bug campaign, or donate money, fabric, or craft items, visit creativityshell.org. In Rochester, visit creativityshellroc.org.

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