Georgia-Based NonprofIt "From Pain to Purpose" is Looking to Honor 20 Youth at Their Annual Teen Spotlight Awards
It’s 2020 and Georgia-based Domestic Violence and Teen Dating Violence Advocacy Awareness Non-profit organization, From Pain To Purpose (FPTP), wants to honor 20 teens at their annual Teen Spotlight Awards.
FPTP hosted their first Teen Spotlight Awards back in 2014 when it was still a part of their Annual Healing Pain Through The Arts-Open Mic Night events, which was held in partnership with Dekalb Early College Academy in Stone Mountain, GA.
Amber Lyons and the 2018 honorees minus one. (Picture by Michael Shelton)
Since 2018, the Healing Pain Through The Arts - Teen Spotlight Awards has been an event of its own, and the number of recipients has increased by the year.
We “bless these young people,” said FPTP Founder Amber Lyons about the recipients. According to Lyons, a few of the perks the winners receive are a chance to walk on their own red carpet, exposure to the media and their own award with their name on it.
“[We] let them know we love them,” Lyons said about each youth who is honored. “We want to see them shine.”
“We celebrate the gifts and talents of our youth,” she added.
The focus of this event is to uplift the youth by letting them use their voices to share their stories.
Amber Lyons. (Picture by Kemi Griffin Photography)
The Teen Spotlight Awards is looking to honor youth ages 11-23 who have or are facing advertises but are using their talents to move forward in life. For example, in 2018, FPTP honored Zachariah Alixander Stephens, who was going through a traumatic brain injury that left him immobile. Stephens was struck by a car and was left for dead. He’s went through numerous surgeries and has been using Facebook as a tool to inspire others.
“We are handpicking the people who may be overlooked by society,” Lyons said.
FPTP also honored the “Warrior Princesses” who are three sisters that have been dealing with Sickle cell anemia their entire lives. With the help of their mom, these three sisters are educating the community on sickle cell.
“These young people are fierce,” Lyons said about the youth she encounters. “They are wiser…they have the wit to get in and out of circumstances.”
The Teen Spotlight Awards was inspired by Lyons’ son Emmanuel Lyons, artist name Saint Even, who used music to deal with the trauma of a broken home leading to his parents divorce and moving from New York to Georgia. Lyons saw how her son used his love of music as a way to escape from and heal his pain. Emmanuel’s determination lead the way for other youth to be seen. He was also the first recipient of the Teen Spotlight Awards.
Amber Lyons and Emmanuel Lyons. (Picture by Michael Shelton)
Whenever Lyons references children, she always makes sure to say, “OUR children” because it takes a village to raise just one child, and through FPTP, she’s trying to bring back that village.
“These are OUR (outstanding, unique and refined) youth,” said Lyons. “It is time for us to take up the responsibility to rally up the needs for our youth.”
The Healing Pain Through The Arts - Teen Spotlight Awards will be held May 2, 2020 from 4pm to 8pm. To nominate a youth from your city, click here.