About the Founder
Judy L. Perry is Founder and Executive Director of Jubilee Career Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., a 501(c)-(3) non-profit after-school organization, created to bring Art, Education and Inner Healing to youth and their families.; addressing children's social, emotional and intellectual development through the arts and education.
Jubilee's mission is to offer opportunities for children and families to receive high quality after-school programming, education, and exposure to the cultural, classical, visual and performing arts and inner-healing through collaborations and social networks. Jubilee was conceived and launched in 2006 as an unincorporated organization by a mother and her son who believe in the importance of the arts being experienced by all children and adults and that the arts are a way of finding healthy expression of feelings, thoughts, emotions and ideas. Coming from a background of performing arts, with a father who croons like Sam Cooke and encouragement from her mom, at a young age Judy, her brother and two sisters would put on talent shows in the living room of their home performing to such artist as The Jackson-5, Fontellla Bass , the Supremes and the 5 Stairsteps. It was her dream to one day become a singer and a prima ballerina. But her dreams came to an end when she became a teen mom at age 15. While attending high school Judy was given the opportunity to re-ignite that passion with a full year scholarship to dance at the former Lefebvre Dance Studio of Johnston, RI. But after the scholarship ended, so did the dance (in the studio anyway). Her mom was not able to afford the cost of what comes along with fulfilling the life of a ballet dancer. But of course, she discovered that she had other talents hidden beneath. She began painting, drawing, making clothes and playing the guitar and piano. Still, her dreams of fulfilling her career as a professional artist were not to be realized. And so, as life moved on so did, she. Getting married at a young age she became a victim of domestic violence. As a Teen Mom feeling trapped in an inter-generational cycle of domestic violence, Judy knows first-hand the effects of domestic violence and past trauma and its impact on social, emotional and intellectual development and how it gets in the way of learning and growth. As a mother, grandmother and great grandmother she has experienced deeply the effects of past trauma of domestic violence and inner healing. It is because of these experiences of abuse, poverty, fear, trauma and the path to inner healing that has been the driving force that has kept her going to create greater opportunities for her family and other children and families who experience domestic violence and trauma, and families with talented kids who dream of fulfilling artistic futures and careers. |
Her journey of healing from the trauma of domestic violence began in community organizing and DV advocacy with Founder and Executive Director, Eleanor 'Candy' Brown-McSwain of Destiny House, Inc., Domestic Violence Agency for Pregnant and Parenting Teens, Adolescents and Their Families. At Destiny House she was trained as a domestic violence advocate, moving to Volunteer Coordinator, Teem Mom’s Group Facilitator, Domestic Violence Advocacy Trainer and Executive Assistant. Culminating in obtaining the position as Coordinator of Pregnant and Parenting Teens Programs
. While serving the Teen Moms of Destiny House she was again given the opportunity to realize her artistic pursuits but in another way; she used Art as a healing tool for parents and teens who have experienced past trauma. Using Art Therapy as a tool to connect with Teen Moms she helped them to connect with their inner selves, build stronger relationships with their children and begin the process of inner healing from their own experiences of past trauma, whether they were victims or perpetrators. The arts were used as a vehicle for them to express emotions and feelings that could not be expressed in words. Judy joined the ranks of community organizing serving as a core volunteer Resident Leader of Making Connections Providence for 5 years of a ten year initiative of the Anne E. Casey Foundation. She served as a member of the National Resident Leadership Network (NRLN) Design Team, the Local Management Entity (LME) Design Team and Advisory as well as other boards, and committees of community based organizations. Ms. Perry is a Facilitator of Mind in the Making (MITM), developed by Families and Work Institute (FWI). She learned how social emotional and intellectual development are inexplicably linked to learning as well as the importance of meaningful connections and engagement of children, parents and caregivers in children’s academic success. She is also a facilitator of Play and Learn, a Starting Points Initiative funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.; and founder of Jubilee Cares Early Learning Center.. She is extremely thrilled about launching her after-school and early learning programs to serve the communities of New England which will bring visual and performing arts like sculpting, ballet, the culinary arts and more. It is her goal to own and operate out of her very own performing arts and recreational facility. She hopes to one day establish Jubilee Cares Family Education Complex, a performing arts and learning station from infancy to adulthood. Judy is a graduate of the Community College of Rhode Island, with an Associate's Degree in Business Management and University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies in Childhood Settings. |