My name is Becca Metgzar. I am a sixteen year old YLab student at the Lab51. Throughout my time at One Stone, I’ve put an emphasis on connecting with my environment through storytelling, whether that means art, literature, film, or oral history. My Why statement is the following: To value time to reflect so that I can cultivate meaningful spaces for myself and others to build relevant connections with the world around us. Ultimately, practicing with intention has always stood out to me as a core value. Growing the skill of developing my awareness of and empathizing with the dynamics of my surroundings has opened up my ability to recognize the meaning of my actions. It has taught me to be in touch with my authentic self and bring my best to the table. This is why the mindset quadrant of the BLOB has been crucial in the development of my voice. With this in mind, I want to discuss my Be The Good artifact through the lenses of vulnerability and mindfulness. This artifact is my Intention to Graduate poster. When prompted to “reflect on my readiness for my year in Y-Lab and ensure that I have developed the toolkit to pursue my passions, practice with intention and to thrive in the next stage in life,” my initial instinct was to create a slideshow and wash my hands of the assignment. However, after making the slideshow I felt nothing to be proud of. That presentation style was only representative of my bare minimum. It was not an accurate example of the toolkit I had developed. The night before my presentation I scrapped the slideshow and created a poster that not only checked the boxes for the project, but also served as a resource for myself. This poster is a physical representation of my commitment to my environment and also to myself for this year. It also tells the story of my first two years in this community. I get to look back on it every day and see how far I have come. I think about little Becca walking into the building on her first day and it breaks my heart to know how small she thought she was. This poster is a commitment to continue building connections with people who uplift and to always embody my authentic self. In the past ten weeks I have made zines, installed art around the city, learned how to use new design tools, spent hours meeting with leading environmentalists in the West, and applied to college. This artifact is a reminder that with meaningful spaces and relevant connections at the forefront of my journey, I can always find the good.
