A Young Artist’s Story of Survival and Prosperity Alongside REST Centres
Shannia Lewis, standing beside her art installation at the Meridian Arts Centre, Downtown Toronto. Her work, “The Seasons of Healing,” represents her healing journey through the bodies of four Black women in the shapes of trees, representing growth and resilience. Fall (top left) represents “the falloff,” in which things aren’t always okay in life and one's uphill battle in the fight to succeed. Winter (bottom left) represents “the numb,” in which one dissociates and detaches from loved ones and support systems. Spring (top right) represents “the surrender,” in which one fights an internal, sometimes uncomfortable battle; the recognition of pain and hard truths, and the path to healing. Summer (bottom right) represents “the peak,” in which one learns the lessons life wants one to learn throughout the journey. Shannia says that summer is not the final stage, as she believes there’s no such thing as “the one true healed self” –there are always things to learn– but she says that summer represents the upward spiral in which one is doing what one needs to do to heal, such as therapy, self-affirmation, and relationship building.
Shannia Lewis is a young, radiant, successful artist living in the GTA. She has been a client of REST Centres for more than two years. The picture above was taken by her case manager, Jacqui. Shannia describes her relationship with REST as warm and transformative, a glowing report that she shares with Oona, the REST Centres housing coordinator.
Shannia is a recent graduate of the Art Fundamentals Program at Sheridan College. Her education, in her words, helped her hone her craft, discover her love of painting, and locate her muses in the human body and nuanced belief in emotional healing. Now, she’s in her third year of study at Laurentian University, where she is currently working towards a degree in Sociology.
Since she was a child, Shannia had felt the inert gifting of an artist–always drawing in her sketchbook or “anywhere I could find a piece of paper and a medium to draw with.” However, not officially identifying as an artist until starting high school, and really not knowing until only after resorting to art as a means to escape whenever she felt overwhelmed or stressed. It was the one thing she “knew how to do,” in her words. In a chaotic world, art was always something she could control and turn to for relief.
Shannia has been in the child welfare system for much of her life. She was sent to her first home in grade twelve when her grandmother fell ill. Separated from her siblings, this was the first time Shannia ever felt truly alone–and that pushed her to discover more about herself, her passions, and what she saw for herself for her future. When she started at Sheridan College, she realized not only how much she loved art but the immeasurable good it was doing for her.
Shannia first came to REST Centres when she aged out of foster care at the tender age of eighteen. While at REST, she received various forms of support that she recalls as “music to her ears.” REST was able to provide and secure housing for Shannia. Once housed, she received the REST starter pack, a financial boost given to youth moving out on their own. As a result, Shannia was able to not only get housing but stay housed and now enjoys the dignity and liberty of having a roof over her head.
Shannia was also able to access further support from our Bare Necessities program, designed to support those struggling to meet their basic needs of food, personal hygiene, and household furniture. This same program was also able to provide Shannia with the REST rental subsidy for one year and she continues to access the bi-weekly grocery subsidy. Shannia also receives additional assistance, such as mental health support from REST’s trained mental health support workers as well as licensed Social Workers.
Apart from the housing and financial support, Shannia says that REST helped her most by teaching her to be vulnerable and humble, and that it's okay to ask for help. “To know that ‘you’re not alone in this is something I had to learn for myself in my healing journey because I was so hyper-independent at one point,” Shannia says. She goes on to say, “I was afraid to ask for help, so even when I knew I had it there from the people at REST who are willing to, I still didn’t fully appreciate it or take advantage of it because I felt like this was something I had to do on my own. But having workers like Jacqui, who truly care and will go the extra mile to stay consistent, to check in, to know if you’re not okay and to be the calm one that tells you ‘we’re gonna figure it out’ is so important to have.”
Shannia Lewis is a stunning example of resilience and a source of strength not only for her community but peers also. Her life story clearly shows that despite all the trauma and adversity she endured, there is hope for a better tomorrow. The REST Centres team is proud of Shannia’s accomplishments and is honoured to have supported her through this difficult journey.
To learn more about REST and to hear more success stories similar to Shannia’s, please take a look at our blog!