Art can create space for survival. Artist and musician William Kendall—who has worked with youth experiencing homelessness since 1994—would know.

From a community of metal heads to becoming a musician, to bike messenger, to bands, to social work and running the Artist Mentorship Program, William’s journey is a testament to the intertwined power of creativity, purpose, and work ethic. The support of a mentor led him to dedicating his time and energy to supporting young artists and teaching them to express themselves creatively.

You can watch the video of the interview on CreativeMornings.com. It was given at CreativeMornings/Portland, a free monthly community event.

More about Will Kendall:
William Kendall (he/him) has worked with youth experiencing homelessness and has championed marginalized communities for more than three decades. Working to connect Portland’s homeless youth population to music and art resources, cultural opportunities, and engagement activities, William’s goal is to build healthy relationships with youth who are experiencing homelessness and support them as they navigate the trauma of homelessness. William became Executive Director of the Artist Mentorship Program (AMP) in 2005. When not working at AMP, William enjoys making his own art, playing music, running, tennis, a cup of tea, a game of chess and discussing the crippling effects of capitalism that create generational poverty.

Creation of this podcast wouldn’t have been possible without the support of:
– A 2024 grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council
– Annual event support from local partner Wacom
– Production by Johnny Subia and Weird Wonderful
– The 2024 event volunteer team: Kaitlin Carpenter, Chamisa Kellogg, Charli Beck, Christopher Diego, Ivan Lima, Joan Stewart, Kaveer Rai, Laura Mark, Laura Nickelhoff, Lucy Nobles, Sarah Nordby, Sumeet Singh, Tyler Nordby and Vinnie Balistreri