A funky concoction of noises emanate from the windows of a squat building between the St. Brendan’s Church and school on East 207th Street in Norwood, indicating an air of constant activity.

The building, which once housed the St. Brendan’s School of Music, is now the interim location of Mind-Builders, a creative arts center founded and directed by Madaha Kinsey-Lamb.

The old convent serves the organization’s 500 students while Mind-Builder’s main campus on Olinville Avenue in Wakefield undergoes renovations expected to last anywhere between 18 and 24 months.

Kinsey-Lamb sees an “opportunity to bridge communities” in Mind-Builders’ temporary residence in Norwood. The interim location is just one mile from the Olinville Avenue property, but situated in a neighborhood of different cultures and demographics. “We want to connect [the two] communities through music, dance, and performance,” said Kinsey-Lamb.

Mind-Builders was founded in 1978, the idea conceived by Kinsey-Lamb during long commutes to her daughter’s violin lessons in Manhattan. A former public school teacher, Kinsey-Lamb imagined a Bronx-based independent creative arts school that would render such commutes unnecessary. She pursued the idea, and established a modest program with space at Crawford Church on White Plains Road. Within weeks, Kinsey-Lamb was forced to seek larger accommodations to satisfy a growing waiting list.

A walk through Mind-Builders reveals the extent of activities the center has to offer. In one room, several girls practice their violins. In another, students learn how to play Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” on a set of keyboards. An assortment of dance tracks reverberates from the basement where, in different rooms, students practice ballet, African, and hip-hop dances.

On the building’s upper floor, Tyler Gaines practices the drums as his mother, Evelyn Gaines, and an instructor, Lon Ivey, look on. Evelyn Gaines first heard of Mind-Builders from a friend’s daughter, and decided to enroll Tyler to take drum lessons. “This is his first time taking classes,” says Gaines, whose son, struggling with immobility in his left hand, keeps a beat with two drumsticks in his right. “He looks forward to this every morning.”

Aside from music and dance lessons, Mind-Builders offers two programs, the Positive Youth Troupe (PYT) and the Community Folk Culture program that invite teenagers to apply their interests to their communities.

The PYT is a free program that trains participants in a wide array of drama-related fields. When not practicing, PYT members are busy traveling around the city performing.

The Folk Culture program challenges students to observe and record different facets of their community’s folk culture. Students in this program interview local artists and document their work in an effort to build an understanding of local folk cultures.

Mind-Builders tuition works on a sliding scale, says Kinsey-Lamb, adding that the organization aims to “never turn anyone away.” Mind-Builders also offers scholarships and work exchange programs; several employees at the center have children enrolled in classes, and subsidize tuition through work exchange.

Recently, the number of group lessons has been increased in order to make classes more affordable. Making programs affordable, however, has one downside, as Kinsey-Lamb acknowledges tuition prices barely cover the cost of staff salaries.
Once the renovations at the Olinville site are complete, Kinsey-Lamb expects to double Mind-Builder’s student capacity to 1,000. The updated facilities will include several new recording studios, a cafe, and an outdoor seating area where Kinsey-Lamb plans on holding performances for the community every weekend.

“We usually have a huge waiting list [for classes],” said Kinsey-Lamb, who remarked that the condition of the Olinville property made expanding classes difficult. “The renovations will offer more studio space,” she continued, “where we can offer more senior programs and more local school workshops.”

As of now, with help from the Bronx Borough President’s office, Mind-Builders has raised $7 million for the Olinville renovations. Kinsey-Lamb estimates they need another $2 million to complete the work.

Until then, music will continue to flow from the windows and doorways of the old St. Brendan’s convent as Mind-Builders, despite structural adversity, continues to blossom.

Ed. Note: For more information on Mind-Builders visit www.mind-builders.org or call (718) 652-6256.