As I write this testimonial, I´m still very moved by the flood of emotions we´ve experienced in the past few days. These days were filled with many “first times” for most of the eight teenagers taking part in Laboratório Inhotim. Their first trip outside the state of Minas Gerais, first plane trip, first ride on the subway, first time in a foreign country. That is:a lot happening in a very short time.

One of the purposes of the trip to New York is to learn about festivals that occupy the city and involve the community, since, in the end of the year, Laboratório will produce a festival in Brumadinho, where Inhotim is located, and where these teenagers come from. That is why the partnership with the New Museum was so important. Every year, they promote a street festival. In this year’s 8^th edition of this festival, we were invited to take part as volunteers in organizing the event.

The day we arrived, we went to the museum to meet the education team and the youngsters participating in a summer program, who would also work in the festival. They showed us the proposals for workshops that would be offered to the public. We created our own uniforms from T-shirts, visited part of the museum as well as the plaza where the event would take place.

In the following day, the place was transformed. Eight tents with tables, a stage and several helpful and cheerful volunteers were there!Each one of the teenagers from Laboratório stayed in one tent, together with a teenager from the New Museum and other volunteers. Each tent represented one of the workshops offered.The first challenge they faced was the language barrier. That, which at first was uncomfortable and awkward, slowly disappeared during the exchange of experiences that took place during the day.A smile, a look, a gesture, a song, or even they discovery of a mutual passion for Demi Lovato – young North-American actress and singer – were ways they used to connect with one another, shortening distances and differences. And, certainly, their familiarity with to technology also helped.All of a sudden, they all pulled out their smartphones with simultaneous translation to mediate communication. In the end, being a teenager in Brumadinho or in New York is not all that different!

Click here to learn more about our trip. Laboratório Inhotim relies on a sponsorship by Banco Itaú.