Annotated Bibliography-Social Justice
MMAP (2009). Mural, music and arts: Teen program in East Palo Alto [Web site and log post]. Retrieved from
http://www.muralmusicarts.org
This website and blog describe a teen program in Palo Alto, CA in which youth of different cultures and backgrounds have come together to address problems that face communities such as environmental, racism, and gentrification. MMAP is a living organization that is constantly learning and growing with the community and population it serves. It has also pioneered ways to use technology and generate revenue through online applications and has built an industry standard music and recording lab. This organization operates four programs: The Mural Program; History through Hip Hop; Health Education through Art and; a Graffiti Arts Program. Teens assist in fulfilling art commissions like murals, tile mosaics, sculptures and music production. Trader Joes commissioned the Graffiti Arts program to combat youth vandalism and graffiti crimes in Silicon Valley through a grant to provide at risk youth alternatives to gangs and violence. The Health Education program, HEArt(Health Education through the Arts), also a youth based program, pairs students with professional artists in an after school course on healthy living through the arts for students in 4th-8th grade. These innovative programs have been very successful and would serve as great examples in my own community in the empowerment of young people.
Levy, L. (2008). The skinny on this is my body: Filmmaking as empowerment, intervention and activism. Visual
Culture and Gender, Vol. 3, 1-23. Retrieved from http://vcg.emitto.net
Leanne Levy is an art based therapist teaching girls and women to become researchers and filmmakers of their own lives. In a pedagogical process she invited girls to use filmmaking as an empowerment tool which also inspired we- being and social action. North American girls brought up in a society where beauty is made a cult have unfortunately had few options where they can gain sense of power and control. (Wertheimer, 2006, as cited in Levy, 2008) The subject of eating disorders has indeed become an issue of social justice. The goal of feminist empowerment engages girls in projects that work to change material context of their existence (Currie & Kelly, 2006, as cited in Levy, 2008). The arts are among the most important vehicles to get young people to discuss their feelings (Robinson2001, as cited in Levy, 2008). Girls still lack adequate resources in school and the community to nurture emotional development and feelings of well -being. The film, This is My Body, is a video collage of student work, issues, purposes, body image, eating disorders, self-injury, boyfriends, sexuality and parenting. Their actions helped them to gain insight into their own lives. This article is a bit complicated to read, but makes a great point about empowering girls through the engagement of art, in this case filmmaking. Therapists would be inspired by the reading of this article, which suggests another way to work with those struggling with issues of body image.
Nayor, E. & Roberts, M. (2011). Project tolerance: The faces of Anne Frank [Web site]. Retrieved from http://www.projecttolerance.com/
Artist Myra Roberts created 30 paintings featuring written excerpts from the Diary of Anne Frank. She collaborated on this project with Florida journalist Ella Nayer, author of Faces of Tolerance. Nayer and Roberts both live in Florida. Myra’s own family members were victims of persecution in Poland and Russia, before coming to the United States. Myra also tells a story about a woman whose life was spared in a Nazi concentration camp because of her beauty. The project uses Anne Frank as a symbol representing all victims ointolerance, then and now. Anne’s words continue to provide inspiration and educate about the consequences of intolerance. Anne Frank’s diary continues to be the book of choice in schools when introducing students to the subjects of holocaust and genocide. Project Tolerance is the belief that we are all human and have the same needs and desires. The collaborators continue to question why we destroy others over different religions, sexual preferences, skin color, etc. Together they give multi-media presentations on their project. Myra Roberts paintings have also been shown in exhibitions in Ft. Myers, Naples and Cape Coral, FL. The website is easy to navigate. In fact, I wish the site would offer a bit more information as I would like to know more about the program.
AVODAH Members (2011). Rebuilding together New Orleans. AVODAH [Website and log post]. Retrieved from http://www.jews4neworleans.org/
AVODAH, the Jewish Service Corps, launched its New Orleans program in the fall of 2008. AVODAH engages young people in direct work on causes and effects of poverty in the US. In New Orleans this volunteer group of young people lives together and celebrates Jewish life. All are recent graduates of colleges or universities and experienced volunteers. AVODAH partners corps members with service providers and residents in low income communities. The program has been rehabbing over a hundred homes each year. Corps members emerge as lifelong agents for social change and their work is nourished by Jewish values. Members of this group keep a blog http://avodahblog.wordpress.com/ and express opinions ranging from oppression being mislabeled culture, to anger over history they didn’t learn in high school to the description of the placement of one participant at YAYA, Young Aspirations/Young Artists, where she works with local youth to create public art projects to raise awareness of social justice issues. Teaching creative young people art skills and entrepreneurship empowers these youth to become successful adults. What an amazing program with very interesting commentary on the blog site. College students and recent graduates would be enthused with this site.
Kjaergaard, M., Larsen, A. & Rigobert, L. (2009). Art and action: Defining a new paradigm for social action through the art of Alfredo Jaar, Humanity
in Action [Web site].Retrieved from http://www.humanityinaction.org/knowledgebas/68-art-and-action-defining-a-new-paradigm
Authors Kjaergaard, Larsen and Rigobert write about art as a tool for awareness and action which I strongly agree with. Kjaergaard has an MA in Anthropology of Development from the University of London and as is currently working on her doctoral thesis “Arab Spring” and aesthetic forms of uprising that are manifested in different forms of visual media online and in the streets of Cairo. Larsen is a graduate of Yale and currently a Lantos Fellow of the US House of Representatives. And Rigobert is a current fellow in Humanity in Action. Together they pose the question –“Are we as contemporary Americans overwhelmed or too distant from tragedies of war and genocide to take action?” Alfredo Jaar is an artist who challenges the culture of apathy that has allowed suffering and death to claim lives of our fellow humans. In his art he offers hope, human connection and action to rouse people to respond. Jaar is an architect, artist and filmmaker born in Chile. He has created the Rwanda Project and other projects which he deems as all coming too late. The idea of dealing with human rights issues through the arts is a departure from how we usually deal with these issues. Jaar believes that imparting information needs to be done in a way to create empathy for those observing his art and then to inspire them to take action. In Montreal he created a public exhibition that brought homelessness and invisible homeless people into the light. He is famous for his light installation in New York’s Times Square that challenges peoples’ national identity in considering who is left out through usage of certain terminology. And in an international project like Emergencia, about the AIDS epidemic, Jaar hopes to erase all lines of traditional community and identity that prevent identification with the suffering, bringing the viewer as close to that “other” as possible. He hopes to recuperate the lost humanity of human beings. He wants his art to“create cracks in the system”. He says if he can touch one person, he has reached his goal. This artist has truly put art where is heart is. The article is inspiring and easy to follow and certainly informs my research about art and issues of social justice. I would recommend this article to artists, art educators and community and global activists.
Pre–service teachers at Montclair State University, NJ (2011). Six elements of social justice curriculum [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.6elementssje.blogspot.com
This blog presents books for the elementary classroom organized by the 6 Elements of Social Justice Curriculum Design. Descriptions and research are provided by pre-service teachers at Montclair State University, for Grades K-5. I believe the idea of social issue involvement should be instilled in kids from an early age and what better way to interest them than through beautifully illustrated and well written books. Books highlighted in this blog contain stories of racism, natural disasters, poverty and environmental issues with excellent follow - up activities. In addition books are presented that teach about recycling programs, and “going green”. One book described, Giant Steps to Change the World (2011), by renown filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife Tonya, depicts challenges people have gone through with fear as an obstacle, but encourages one to push and be courageous to create impact and social change. Books about how kids can make a difference, by helping in human rights are also listed anddescribed on this blog. In The Unofficial Handbook of Good Deeds, L. Buller( posted by L. Kyzski), covers such topics as trash collection, adopting a highway and knitting a scarf for a homeless person. In the book Raising Awareness: Where you are, by Mem Fox ( posted by jesse), kids will learn that we live in a multi- cultural world and that people are not like who they are. Lynne Cherry, author of The Great Kapok Tree ( posted by M. Megan), presents a man who looks at the forest and animals with a “new set of eyes”. And Of Thee I Sing, written by Barak Obama, current president of the United States(posted by L. Collin), highlights historical figures that have impacted our nation to show the diversity and talent America holds. This site, easy to navigate, is a wonderful resource for anyone (educator or parent) who wants to teach kids lessons about social justice and also includes follow up activities..
Anyon, Y. & Naughton, S. (2003). Youth empowerment: The contributions and challenges of youth-led research in high-poverty, urban community. John Gardner Center Issue Brief. Retrieved from http://opendev.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/final
Yell, Youth Engaged in Leadership and Learning, is a program of the John W. Gardner Center in Oakland, CA. Students choose their own topic of research in this demanding program and train to be the mentors for the next group of youth chosen to participate in the program. They learn such skills as writing, analysis, time management, conflict resolution and develop a keener community awareness. The rewards of a youth empowerment program in a high poverty community are big. Yell participants become representatives for their school at conferences, sit on boards and receive academic credit in leadership. Some obstacles to involving participants in the the program are time commitment, difficulty with getting parents and families involved, academic disengagement in school as well as school violence and economic realities It has also been difficult to find appropriate adult mentors. Incentives of this program are the youth are paid stipends for the involvement and there are after school study groups. The staff is also culturally diverse. I can see future opportunities for involving the arts in Yell. This type of program needs constant adjustment and may not fit the needs of every low income or high poverty community. Many of the people in these communities who are getting killed are youth. They don’t realize how much of a better life they could have because the environment they are in is all they have ever known Youth that can help their community will ultimately help themselves and their families. This is such a unique but challenging program and the article is well worth the read for anyone interested in involving disadvantaged youth in the improvement of their own lives.
Peterson, G. (2011, November 17), Contest challenges youth to make impact on community. The Norfolk Daily News. Retrieved from http://www.norfolkdailynews.com/home/contest-challenges-youth-to-make-impact-on-community/article_31881caa-1131-11e1-9a7c-0019bb30f31a.html
In this article Peterson writes that today’s youth are our future. The Philanthropy Council of Northeast Nebraska has created a Youth Philanthropy Contest for youth from Kindergarten through age 25. The council wants the youth to tell them how they want to make a difference in their community. Eight categories with eight winners were chosen to receive $1000 each to implement their projects. The youth winners were paired with adult mentors. All project proposals were on display where everyone came to look and interact with the participants. Hopefully it was not just the funded projects that received attention. What an empowering idea for a community and one that can use the arts as a vehicle. I wholeheartedly believe kids should start young in efforts to make change in their communities so that by the time they are teens and adults it will be a habit. Offering money to create the project is also a great incentive.
David, E.A. and Mc Caughan, E.J. (2007). Art, identity and social justice. Social
Justice, 34(1), 5-27. Retrieved from http://www.socialjusticejournal.org/SJEdits/107Edit.html
Contributing authors to this issue discussed the role of various media including visual arts, theater and performance in the social justice struggles of different communities such as LGBTQ communities of color in New York City and San Francisco; North American and Mexican feminists; working class women in England and : other social challenges plaguing communities. One author, Victoria Foster, in her article The Art of Empathy: Employing the Arts in Social Inquiry with Poor Working Class Women, looks at how the arts can be utilized in social research with poor working class women. In this participatory project, the arts were employed as research methods through the use of poetry, short filmmaking and visual arts in data collection. Drama was used to disseminate the research findings. In the article, The Art of Social Justice author Maria Martinez tells why leaders should give public funds to artists to help solve our modern urban problems. Some neighborhoods have extreme amounts of family upheaval, death, disease and injury. Root causes of health inequities, if addressed. have been shown to reduce years of avoidable life lost and then communities can begin rebuilding themselves. This collection of articles provides many examples of how government could use artists to promote social justice and mitigate disparities.
Weissbuch, M.K. (2011) Podcasts for peace: Empowering youth through radio and digital storytelling [Web site and log post]. Retrieved from www.davisprojectsforpeace.org and http://podcastsforpeace.weebly.com/blog.html
Podcasts for Peace is a Davis Projects for Peace grant recipient and has several programs supporting youth development in Managua, Nicaragua. Americans Mika Weissbuch and James Reynolds are the programs’ coordinators. The programs include youth-produced digital media, English, dance, recycled arts, crafts classes, reading, homework sessions, social justice and life skills, workshops and movie nights. The central component, Podcasts for Peace, is the youth media program and promotes media literacy, social justice, activism, critical thinking and leadership. Members of the community are integral to the program. There is a ten person support team and democratic decision making, though at times challenging, makes the program more sustainable in the long term. The program has a two bedroom cement house that Mika Weissbuch, author of this article, found in great disrepair upon her arrival. Funds were raised and items borrowed in order to inaugurate the program. The biggest challenge to the program is keeping the community involved. With its history of economic and social politics this neighborhood of Managua has become one of the poorer in the city and as a result its citizens are disempowered and apathetic. Many youth in the program are abused and have violence in their homes. The Podcasts for Peace provide a space for youth to have peace with themselves and others. With a sense of ownership in the programs, hopefully the youth will continue to sense empowerment and become agents of social justice and masters of their own destinies. This is an easy to read and understand website and blog which would be of great interest to those who wish to work on issues of social justice in other countries.