The Power of Art for Social Transformation & Reclaiming the Hall: Amplifying Community Voices at the Hall of Fame

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Introduction to Artivism: The Power of Art for Transformation

An interdisciplinary, multi-institutional collaboration whose mission is to engage people in changing society through the power of art. This initiative builds upon the ideas in the book Illuminations of Social Imagination: Learning from Maxine Greene, coedited by Adelphi faculty Dolapo Adeniji-Neill, Courtney Lee Weida and alumna Carolina Cambronero Varela. Artivism: The Power of Art for Social Transformation offers multimodal events where presenters will share how art, research, community outreach and other endeavors serve as means to transform the status quo. 

Coordinated by Adelphi University in collaboration with the Gottesman Libraries, Teachers College, Columbia University

Reclaiming the Hall: Amplifying Community Voices at the Hall of Fame

The author will discuss how the Bronx Community College (BCC) Archives engage with public art to shift the frameworks of representation alongside artists, scholars, and community members. Professor Tobar will highlight topics covered in her chapter, particularly how the social and political histories of the communities in which the Hall emerged as well as discuss the potential role of new monuments which engage with histories of oppression and prejudice. The author will discuss how the creation of a public art community event provided an opportunity to learn about how community arts-based practitioners can embrace culturally inclusive approaches such as Community-Based Archiving and socially engaged art practices to increase community engagement around issues of diversity and inclusion in public art.

About the Speakers

Stephanie Lake

Professor Lake and Winston Chewbaca at the 2019 Clothesline Event at Adelphi

Stephanie Lake is the Director of the Criminal Justice Program and faculty member in the Department of Sociology. Over the past 19 years, Professor Lake has served as an advisor to many student organizations on campus and runs the Criminal Justice Club at Adelphi. The CJ Club hosts 3-5 events per semester, many involving the arts as a way for students to challenge injustice in the criminal justice system and inequity in the global system more generally. Past examples have included an annual Clothesline Project, participation in Chalk Up and the Fall Arts Festival, Fair Trade Fashion Shows, hosting Sundown Town workshops, hosting the Yes Men and participating in flash mobs to bring attention to the 25th Anniversary of the worst industrial disaster in history (Bhopal), hosting the director and producer of the documentary, “Every Mother’s Son”, and collaborations with dozens of other programs, clubs and organizations both on and off campus.

Cynthia Tobar

Cynthia Tobar is an artist, activist-scholar, archivist and oral historian who is passionate about creating interactive, participatory stories documenting social change. Cynthia is an Assistant Professor and Head of Archives at Bronx Community College, where she creates captivating, socially-engaged art programming and leads community-based archiving and storytelling projects. She is also a doctoral student in the Higher and Postsecondary Education program at Teachers College.

Resources

Provided by the Presenters

• Virtual Guest Talk: The Power of Art For Social Transformation, with Stephanie Lake & Cynthia Tobar
• Sheets, Hilary. A Monument Man Gives Memorials New Stories to Tell, New York Times, Jan 23, 2020.
• Sholette, Gregory. Reimagining Monuments to Make Them Resonate Locally and Personally. Hyperallergic, Nov. 6, 2017.