PHOTO BY PAULA MULLER
Jamiselle Contreras takes her turn singing at Visionspace Gallery on Friday.
BY JESSIE NOCELLA
LYNN — Positivity and soulful tunes floated from the stage and onto the street Friday night as passers-by stopped to check out the commotion at Visionspace Gallery in City Hall Square.
From dancing to singing, laughing and rapping, there was something for everyone at the city’s first Youth Open Mic night.
Nonprofits, including When Raw Elements Combine Kinetically Start Helping Other People (WRECKSHOP) and Centerboard Inc., teamed up to give kids 18 and under a chance to express themselves in a supportive environment of about three dozen family and friends.
Centerboard’s mission is to support struggling families through housing, employment, education and youth programs. Wreck Shop plans free open mic events to encourage people to express themselves, practice their talents and give back to the community through creativity and youth involvement.
The night commenced with poetry from Michele, 16, who declined to give her last name. She nervously spoke about the hardships and inequality between men and women and how females should be respected.
The crowd reacted wildly, clapping until she got off stage.
Many of the youngsters who performed are involved in Centerboard’s programs to support families and empower young people.
Keyanni Chalmus, 11, who is enrolled in Centerboard’s singing classes, belted out English recording artist Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite” that was a show stopper.
“I would like to come to this again because I enjoyed it and I thought it was creative, there were a lot of families there,” Chalmus said after the show.
She said there was lots of support, and she loved getting high-fives from the crowd after she was done.
Her sister Zarriah Chalmus, who performed “Girl On Fire” by Alicia Keys, was very enthusiastic about her performance.
“I wanted to tell everyone I had something in me and that maybe I could be something,” she said.
The crowd made her feel special and was inspired to come because of her sister and Centerboard, she said.
“I got to share my expressions with everybody in there,” Chalmus said. “I could feel like a part of something when I’m singing.”
Dressed in a bright blue sequin dress Jamiselle Contreras, 10, wowed the crowd of about three dozen with her range and confidence as she performed “Conquer” from the TV show “Empire.”
“I felt so good about myself, I messed up a couple of times and was about to stop singing, but I got my courage back because everyone was cheering and now,” Contreras said. “I just want to sing again.”