Miss Sangre Grande Chanel Glasgow uses drama to create change

Miss World TT contestant Chanel Glasgow is using her training in art therapy and drama in education practices to help people who have experienced trauma, especially young people, learn how to communicate, and express themselves positively.

Glasgow’s doing this through her Beauty With A Purpose project – Drama Development in Education and Mentorship (Drama DEM).

She said the project gives her an opportunity to use the skills and knowledge she’s gained in performing arts and art therapy to give back to the community.

“This initiative seeks to blend art therapy and art activism practice to aid awareness and growth. This is done by using the foundations of educational theatre to build programmes that encourage skill building or emotional and mental stability through art therapy workshops.

"I'm trying to build something that can be used for any group of people, children, adults, women who are going through abusive circumstances, children with disabilities, etc, who are looking to alleviate trauma or are just looking for a safe space to create and find something positive for themselves.”

Glasgow, 26, originally developed the concept while studying geography and theatre arts at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine. The project evolved from Glasgow, best friend Cydelle Crosby and fellow student Gabrielle Scott’s thesis project – Action Painting – under the guidance of lecturer Dr Dani Lyndersay.

Her experiences in London while studying for her master’s degree at the Drama Centre London also contributed to the building of Drama DEM.

“While working with a group called Truth Theatre, I experienced the Hunter Heartbeat Method developed by Kelly Hunter and it got me thinking about the people of the Caribbean and the way we express ourselves.

"Our language, our music, our ancestral history is all rooted in this rhythm that we can't really explain but it's in all of us, and I thought about how best to use our cultural practices married with the arts and culture we have to build a programme that not just alleviates trauma or helps us express ourselves but also builds our skills.”

Glasgow has worked with the Filmmakers Collaborative of TT as education and membership co-ordinator, and currently holds the position of resident player at the National Theatre Arts Company of TT. She placed second in the talent competition and seventh in the Top Model competition.

Since beginning her Miss World TT journey, the Sangre Grande representative has partnered with various entities to use Drama DEM to effect change. These include Feminitt, Caribbean Feminist and Lily PadsTT as a part of their Safe Cycle Campaign to end period poverty, for which the collaborators were recently awarded a grant, and the Casa De Corazon orphanage in Sangre Grande where she plans to deliver an art/drama programme to the 17 children there. She also partnered with Choice Optical to give eye exams and spectacles to the children at the orphanage, and plans to work on developing the home’s infrastructure.

Glasgow has expanded her initiative working with small-business owner and artisan Aisha O’Brien of Aob_creates to develop and distribute cloth “tote” shopping bags as part of a #ToteLife Reduce Plastic Use initiative.

She said she sees Drama DEM as a means of addressing problems in society before they happen.

“The basis of this programme is to impact the person on a personal level, an individual level. Understanding your individual growth, where you come from, where you want to be in life is important. It's really about building better characters in society.

"I feel like the things we see as jovial – drama and arts – have such immense power to change lives and I've seen it happen with my own eyes, both in TT and outside. I think now's the time to focus on that here, and I want to be the person that focuses on it.”

The Miss World TT finale – Beauty and Beyond – takes place tonight at the Southern Academy of the Performing Arts, San Fernando with limited seating in keeping with covid19 protocols.