Gangs & Glassblowing in Tacoma - BBC News

BBC Pop Up's Matt Danzico reports on how the ancient art form of glassblowing is proving an attractive alternative to gangs.In a notorious neighbourhood of a US city, an ancient art form is keeping troubled youth off the streets. BBC Pop Up reports on gangs and glassblowing in Tacoma, Washington. Tacoma is a gritty industrial port city and one notorious neighbourhood in particular has a long history of being blighted by poverty and violence. But things are changing in Hilltop, in part because of an unlikely project aimed at keeping at-risk children off the streets and away from drugs.

[adelmaharpe]

I went to school at Jason Lee last year and was apart of the glass blowing program. I can say from experience it has a very positive affect on the lives of myself and my peers in the program. Last year was my first year at a school in Washington and I felt so weird but being in glassblowing really changed my life and every time I go to visit I always make sure that stop by to say hi and see how things are going and I wish I could go back to middle school just for glassblowing...

[w_umbus]

Tacoma Pride! Hilltop has accompanied such awesome arts groups in Tacoma such as Fab Five (teaching kids how to paint murals instead of tagging), Alchemy Skating (kids get lessons and get to use the skating facility and equipment in return for tutoring kids/taking tutoring), and all kinds of other groups. 

[VexedMeerkat]

Is report has a really nice vice-esk feel to it, I very much enjoy this as compared to some of the tighter and less imaginative reports the BBC produces

[donporter]

I love these guys I was part of this hill top artist in residents

[MasakanSolaris]

Everyone deserves a chance, everyone deserves hope.

[TheDreadfulCurtain]

I hear the gentrification and mass incarceration message and it is a massive human tragedy of brought about by an unfair political system. I absolutely love the glass works that you are making. Incredibly inspiring. I learnt art skills through a community program and it helped me while other dark stuff was going on in my life. I wish I could come and blow glass with you, I also love the young glass blowers' work. Keep making.Art is for all and a creative space like yours to be treasured.

[nayrb]

The only reason this area got any attention was the UW opening and needed it's students to feel safe.

[appleicloudgigabytes]

I live in puyallup right Next to Tacoma. Tacoma has a lot of problems. However puyallup has little crime but high concentration of homeless down town.

[moonspellsdumb]

4:30 yes even over the last ten years I've been going to Tacoma it has been getting whiter and whiter. People move out go to school make big money want to settle down and start a family and they move back home and over pay for property. The poorest get pushed out. Well Tacoma is still a shit hole and with the drug filled and drug addicted prostitutes they kicked out of the hotels actually I think the state took the hotels because of all the crime it still has drug addicts and prostitutes. Tacoma isn't known for gang problems. I don't think this was a good reputation of Tacoma. It's not wrong but this is not what it think when I think Tacoma. When I think Tacoma yes it has that artsy drug user weirdness but it's mostly a working class town making a comeback because of people who have money returning or people starting up getting priced out of the SeaTac area moving further out from Seattle.

Either way it's a safe and beautiful area. In fact from Eugene, OR to Vancouver Canada it is all beautiful but slightly different. I have stayed at the loves truck stop in Tacoma and Ernie's fuel stop just north of there many of times. I was going to live anywhere else it would be the Tacoma area or the Phoenix Arizona area. There is almost something spiritual about the area. Maybe spiritual is not the best word but it definitely has a different feel than anywhere else in the country and that is probably why more people move
The Seattle Tacoma area then move out.

[michaelsoto]

Gentrification is sad even tho it’s makes the place safer

[kngames]

Hilltop Crip Gang Cuz....till I die fool...hahaha jk. This is cool to see happen in TTown.