Back 2 the Future

A Intergenerational Arts Program

Artists take elders and youth “Back 2 the Future”, in a in-person intergenerational arts program. Newark students at Roberto Clemente Elementary School and Elliott Street Elementary School will meet with adult seniors living with first and mid-stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Students and adult seniors will explore theatre, art, poetry, and music together. A culmination session invites participants, students, school administration, and participating artists to celebrate works created during the program.

Funded by the Newark ArtStart Grant.

Lillian Ribeiro has a long artistic history of working with senior adults living with dementia and Alzheimer's. She has run programming for elders at Arts Horizons, Montclair Art Museum, Elizabeth Youth Theater Ensemble, Roots and Branches Theater, Newark Recreational Centers and schools, Windsor Healthcare, and Cornell Hall Rehabilitation.
 As an undergraduate, she received her BS from Rutgers University - Newark where she majored in Arts Management from Rutgers Business School, and Theatre Arts and Speech in the School of Arts and Sciences, and received her MA. from the Applied Theatre studies program at CUNY’s School of Professional Studies, and her RDT from North American Drama Therapy Association. She has also trained with the National Center for Creative Aging and TimeSlips Storytelling.
Ricardo Peña brings decades of Therapeutic Activities and Music Therapy experience to his role as Marquis’ Vice President of Life Enrichment & Therapeutic Activities, Mid-Atlantic Regions (Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey & Florida). A Certified Dementia Practitioner, Certified Dementia Trainer, Ricardo oversees the Life Enrichment and Memory Care Departments at Marquis client centers. His music, theatre, visual arts, media arts and digital arts expertise and leadership help ensure that Marquis clients are following all regulatory programs guidelines and providing on-going person centered activities that are both meaningful and impactful to residents. Creative, revolving programs complement each center’s innovative-focused, person-centered approach. Previously, Ricardo served as the Regional Director for Windsor Healthcare Management LLC and as an owner and operator for Lyric Performing Arts Center; he also co-found and facilitates Bridges Intergenerational Program at the Montclair Arts Museum. Ricardo earned his degrees at City University of New York.
Malik Whitaker was born and raised in Newark, NJ. He is a published illustrator, educator and visual painter. Malik is also an accomplished muralist whose work can be seen on several buildings, churches and colleges throughout NJ. He specializes in portrait and figurative painting impressions through visual translation based on individualized customer needs. He has studied many forms of art; oil, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, charcoal and pastels. He currently is the owner of M-Print Art studios in Newark, where he continues to display his art while working on projects and mentoring students with disabilities. Malik is also currently a teaching artist with NIPAC, Studio Institute of New York and Studio Montclair and the owner of Cement Gallery.

“I collaborated with Ms. Lillian Ribeiro on two notable projects in 2021. The first project, "Intergenerational Program" was with Elliott St School eighth-grade students during the Spring 2021 semester. The second project, "Back 2 the Future" was with Roberto Clemente seventh-grade students during the Fall 2021 semester. For six to eight weeks, students and senior citizens had the opportunity to participate in an intergenerational interactive community engagement project that included visual and

performing art, vocal and instrumental music, oral and multimedia history, and social anthropology. I fully support the efforts of Ms. Ribeiro as she seeks external funding to support this program designed to bring more arts to our middle school students at Roberto Clemente Elementary School in Newark NJ. Any program that keeps our students engaged in their community, and allows students to use different modes of communication is a powerful learning experience for our students and will assist students with college and career readiness skills.”