In the heart of Saint Paul’s Summit-University neighborhood, a rhythmic pulse resonates through the walls of a former Native American school building — now reborn as the Black Youth Healing Arts Center (BYHAC). What was once a sanctuary for Indigenous children is now a vibrant space extended to the cultural expression, healing, and restoration of Black and brown youth.
On any given day the BYHAC beats the drum of life, offering a wide range of interactive events that promote healing, growth and fun. Despite the name, the space is open to all regardless of age, race or gender
But the space does have its focus: “We are a community arts and healing organization that centers Black and brown youth and their families,” says Dr. Darlene Fry, the founder and executive director of the BYHAC.
Dr. Fry, who with a group of educators in 2012 started the Irreducible Grace Foundation that includes BYHAC, says this branch of the organization was primarily youth-led. “We’ve got young folks from the neighborhood who’ve been part of this work since before we even had a building.”
Fry, who during her teaching times saw the large racial disparities of on-time graduation rates between African American, American Indian, and Hispanic students to their Caucasian and Asian counterparts, says this space is dedicated to taking care of the underserved. Fry says she is aware of the harm that systems have caused the communities they serve, which is why liberatory practices are core to the BYHAC programming.
“We focus on mindfulness, affirmation arts, and breathwork. Our goal is simple: We want this space to be their space — their own, where they feel seen and they feel like they truly belong.”
Outside, an elder named Tim with a green thumb tends to a flourishing garden in partnership with the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. “Gardening is one of our most popular summer activities,” says Jan Mandell, program coordinator.
Mandell says the current programming is a reflection of community desire. “What I usually do is meet with young people or those involved in the programming to ask them what they want,” explains Mandell.
“We were sitting in the Space for Grace [the homework support room] doing homework when one of the kids said, ‘We want ceramics.’ And I was like, ‘Okay.’”
When the youth dream, the BYHAC finds a way to deliver. Thanks to a partnership with COMPAS, a 40-year-old organization connecting professional teaching artists with community programs, ceramics became a reality. “Our youth board worked with them, and because they did, we were able to secure a grant,” stated Mandell.
This grant brought in Sayge Carroll, a Black ceramicist and owner of Mudluk Pottery Studio in Minneapolis. “She’s teaching ceramics, but she also shows our youth what they could become, whether that’s as artists, healers, or whatever they aspire to be,” Mandell adds.
Approximately 85% of the BYHAC’s programming is supported by private grants. “We received sewing machines and arts supplies funded by a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield.” From community sewing machines to mindfulness circles, every corner of this center thrives because of passion, partnerships, and the love of the community.
“We live in the same neighborhoods. We understand the politics, the pain, and the beauty,” Fry explains.
Just two and a half years ago, the BYHAC made a significant transition, moving from a church space to its current building. This transformation was about a new location and the realization of a bigger dream, and she says the collective investment is worth the risk.
“The youth wanted a gym, a theater, a recording studio, even a bus,” Mandell beams. “And now we have it, through community partnership and funding.”
In a hallway, a mural donated by activists from George Floyd Square honors Gianna Floyd and the movement that awakened many. Elsewhere, piles of children’s books from local author Dr. Artika Tyner lined the walls as a reminder that reading is resistance and literature is liberation.
Visitors will also find specific rooms named after elders such as director, playwright and actor Marion McClinton; community educator Mary K. Boyd; and the Leroy and Gloria Thomas room. These individuals helped broaden the BYHAC’s vision and mission.
Visitors will find a kitchen area for cooking classes offered by chef LaChelle Cunningham, a space for ceramics, and an unfinished recording studio.
One of the BYHAC’s most popular offerings is the drum circle led by local artist Tearra Oso, a passionate Afro-Puerto Rican artist and culture keeper. She teaches traditional music rooted in the rhythms of enslaved West Africans. “We make up new songs, but they carry those old rhythms in Spanish, Creole and Yoruba,” Oso says. “It’s all mixed in.”
Oso’s connection to the drum circle is personal. Having started these gatherings while pregnant, she says, “It’s changed my bloodline — how we react, how we heal,” referring to the impact sound and community had on her wellbeing up through the birth of her son.
The BYHAC also pulls from the community to reflect their historic work. In partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society, the BYHAC has initiated a film and archival project to trace the rich history of the building. Once known as the Red School House, this site was a refuge for Indigenous families whose children had been neglected by the public school system. Murals left by the building’s founders speak volumes about this legacy. “They took their kids and left the school system to form their own,” Mandell explains. “We’re keeping that legacy alive.”
One way they keep legacy alive is by communing. The BYHAC will host an urban teen wellness bash May 3 for ages 13-19. The bash invites community youth for open mic and talent shows, along with free T-shirts, free snacks, and free cooking or yoga sessions — and free entry.
At the BYHAC, culture isn’t just preserved — it’s practiced. Healing isn’t just an abstract goal — it’s a daily rhythm. And whether it’s through affirmation, drumming, poetry, gardening, or sewing, everyone who walks through those doors contributes to the center’s ongoing symphony of healing and growthrg.
