MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- An art exhibit in Milwaukee is giving boys and young men of color a chance to tell their story.

It's called the Art Start Project. An opening reception was held at UW Milwaukee's Inova Gallery for Boys and Men of Color Week.

Young people were asked to use art to complete the statement, "See me because ---."

This is the end of nine months of workshops, mentoring and education. Organizers say they also learned from the project.

"Through this project, we found out things that one would consider traumatic... they're actually that for our children, it's what inspires them, it's what makes them want to go to school everyday, it's what makes them want to work and try harder," said David Castillo of MPS Black and Latino Male Achievement Department.

The exhibit runs through Oct. 4.