Unapologetically Seen: How Images Shape Identity, History & Democracy

This project empowers students to explore how the lives, cultures, and histories of Black people, and people from other marginalized communities, have been (mis)represented or erased through imagery, media, and performance. Rooted in the revolutionary spirit of the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement, this project draws a direct bridge between historic movements of artistic resistance and today’s urgent need for representation, truth-telling, and civic engagement. Students and educators engaged through classrooms and community spaces will examine how images shape identity, collective memory, and participation in democracy, and will create works that reclaim voice, restore dignity, and reimagine our shared future.