{"id":1149,"date":"2021-11-16T10:17:17","date_gmt":"2021-11-16T15:17:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/?p=1149"},"modified":"2023-08-07T10:07:18","modified_gmt":"2023-08-07T14:07:18","slug":"a-new-mural-gives-high-school-students-the-chance-to-show-what-fighting-inequality-means-to-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/2021\/11\/16\/a-new-mural-gives-high-school-students-the-chance-to-show-what-fighting-inequality-means-to-them\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Mural Gives High School Students the Chance to Show What Fighting Inequality Means to Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Art moves, inspires and connects us, encouraging us to embrace new perspectives and see the world in a different way. \u201cRevolutionary Philadelphia,\u201d a new mural now on display on Temple\u2019s Main Campus, does just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sponsored by the university, its Office of International Affairs (OIA) and the Global Philadelphia Association<\/a>, painted by a Temple alumnus and inspired by artwork created by high school students in North Philadelphia, the mural is a unique piece of public art that confronts inequality\u2014and challenges viewers to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Global Philadelphia invited Temple\u2019s OIA to commission and sponsor the mural, one of several across Philadelphia that depict one of the U.N.\u2019s 17 Sustainable Development Goals<\/a>: objectives ranging from affordable clean energy to eradicating poverty that are part of the U.N.\u2019s blueprint for building a better society by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hai-Lung Dai, vice president for international affairs and a member of Global Philadelphia\u2019s Board of Directors, chose to illustrate goal No. 10: reduced inequalities. \u201cAt Temple University, our mission is access to excellence,\u201d Dai said, \u201cmeaning that we want to provide access to an excellent education for all who wish to learn.\u201d A higher education institution\u2019s purpose is to help people not only improve their lives through education, but also the lives of those around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(L to R) Zabeth Teelucksingh, Executive Director, Global Philadelphia and Dr. Hai-Lung Dai, Vice President, International Affairs speaking at the mural unveiling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And ensuring everyone, especially those from under resourced communities, has access to education is in itself a means of reducing inequality. \u201cThis is exactly what Temple University is about. As many people say, it\u2019s actually in our DNA to address these issues,\u201d Dai said. \u201cReducing inequality, that\u2019s what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Choosing the mural design<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The university assembled a committee with representatives from departments across Temple\u2014including International Affairs; the Tyler School of Art and Architecture; Charles Library; Facilities Management; Strategic Marketing and Communications; and the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, Advocacy and Leadership (IDEAL)\u2014and put out a call for artists to present their ideas for the mural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCompetition was fierce. I think this is because Philadelphia is such a great city for mural arts,\u201d Dai said. \u201cIf you go around the city, there are so many inspiring and outstanding murals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReducing inequality, that\u2019s what we do.\u201d<\/p> \u2014Hai-Lung Dai, vice president for international affairs<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mat Tomezsko, TYL \u201909, heard about the competition and applied. A celebrated muralist whose work focuses on creating collaborative pieces and making art accessible, he immediately felt drawn to the project. \u201cIt was an opportunity to make something, using a method that demonstrates certain values and then to be able to have that exist in the world and have people experience it and view it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomezsko had already planned to teach a class he\u2019d developed, called Revolutionary Philadelphia<\/em>, to a group of high school students in North Philadelphia as part of Temple\u2019s University Community Collaborative<\/a> (a media-based social justice initiative for young people). He decided to incorporate the class\u2019s theme\u2014civil rights and social justice\u2014into his proposal for the mural project. The artwork his students created during the class would help shape his vision for the mural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Artist Mat Tomezsko, teaching his Revolutionary Philadelphia class<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working on including people into making art for many years,\u201d he said. \u201cEven though it was an insanely complicated way of approaching a straightforward challenge, I felt it was the right platform and the right method. And it was interesting to me to think about how to achieve it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomezsko\u2019s idea was unique. \u201cWhen I learned about the concept and the fact that the art was a compilation of the artwork of students in Philadelphia, that\u2019s what really sold me,\u201d said Tiffenia Archie, associate vice president and chief inclusion officer and a member of the mural\u2019s selection committee. \u201cThe artist is using their artistic and creative lens to create a piece, but the work is drawn from students in Philadelphia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposal won the committee over, even though no one was sure what the finished mural would look like. \u201cThe risky part is that we didn\u2019t know what was going to be the eventual product because he hadn\u2019t seen it. At that point, he [Tomezsko] hadn\u2019t taught the class and we did not know what the students would draw,\u201d Dai said. \u201cI couldn\u2019t wait to see the final product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe method in which [the mural is] made is important as a way of showing it\u2019s possible to not have all the answers, but to arrive at a destination. To offer different points of view and have them be presented side-by-side. To have a dialogue and to learn from one another. And to have that be the actual subject of a work of art.\u201d<\/p> \u2014Mat Tomezsko, artist<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Bringing the mural to life<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nine students joined Tomezsko for Revolutionary Philadelphia<\/em> over the summer, learning about historical and contemporary figures who have made revolutionary contributions to society. \u201c[The concept] goes beyond the founding of the country and delves more into the history of civil rights and the LGBTQ movement in particular. And other movements as well, [including] public health, the labor movement and voting rights,\u201d he said. \u201cIt explores how the culture that exists in Philadelphia has produced all of these things that have influenced the history of the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Samir Ross, a University Community Collaborative student, presenting his work<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The class was a perfect fit for the collaborative, which aims to empower the young people who participate in it. \u201cThey know what the issues are around them, but sometimes it\u2019s a matter of naming things. You might know something is not right. But until you can name it, it\u2019s hard to talk to somebody about that and hard to get change,\u201d said Barbara Ferman, director of the University Community Collaborative. \u201cThe idea of Revolutionary Philadelphia<\/em> is they\u2019re looking at their predecessors and maybe even some contemporaries who are fighting in Philadelphia for more just conditions for people of color.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The University Community Collaborative<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Established in 1997 by Barbara Ferman, a professor of political science at the College of Liberal Arts, the University Community Collaborative helps high school students grow into confident, active community leaders. \u201cUsually in the programs we start with some political education. They learn about power and privilege, issues of racism, sexism, homophobia, and the like,\u201d Ferman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey work collectively as a group and identify an issue that impacts them as young people in Philadelphia,\u201d she said, \u201c[and] they can use media as a tool to raise awareness amongst their peers and stakeholders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each student\u2019s final project was a collage based on people or organizations they researched during the class. Together, the pieces served as the basis for Tomezsko\u2019s mural. Zenaya Mason chose Rebecca Lee Crumpler and Rebecca J. Cole, two pioneering African American female physicians. \u201cI chose them because I\u2019m going to become a doctor in the future,\u201d she said. \u201cI feel people should know where I\u2019m going in life and why I\u2019m choosing that role.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samir Ross illustrated a concept. \u201cI chose to go with the theme of Black liberation. It wasn\u2019t just about the Black Panthers,\u201d he said, \u201cbut more the social and economic aspects of it like housing and the wealth disparity of jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Zenaya Mason, a University Community Collaborative student, presenting her work<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Revolutionary Philadelphia<\/em> meant a lot to both of them. \u201cWhat I enjoyed most about this class is learning who I am as a person,\u201d Mason said. \u201cRevolutionary art is just another aspect of knowing who you are, not just the people around you.\u201d The class also gave Ross the opportunity to learn more about Philadelphia\u2019s history. \u201cI\u2019ve never heard a lot of the Black history in this city,\u201d he said. \u201cLooking more into local history has taught me a lot more than about [just] the revolutionary history of the founding of America.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomezsko is proud of how much the students grew. \u201cIt really felt like all of this information was just clicking and meshing and they were building on one another and what they were interested in exploring,\u201d he said. \u201cOne of the reasons I wanted to do [the class] in this way was because I don\u2019t know everything. I wanted to learn more and I wanted to do it together. And I saw my contribution as equal to the students\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[Young people] know what the issues are around them, but sometimes it\u2019s a matter of naming things. You might know something is not right. But until you can name it, it\u2019s hard to talk to somebody about that and hard to get change.\u201d<\/p>\u2014Barbara Ferman, director of the University Community Collaborative<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Art that makes an impact<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes the mural important isn\u2019t just its subject matter; it\u2019s the perspectives it represents. \u201cThe thing we should really pay attention to,\u201d Dai said, \u201c[is] that we are looking through the eyes of a group of high school students, the future of our society, the future of our country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ferman agrees. \u201cThis is a way, with Mat\u2019s help and expertise, to give students yet another tool through which they can take their message to larger audiences,\u201d she said. \u201cI also think it helps to build their confidence, their self-esteem, their sense of self-efficacy\u2014all of which are important for life, but also if you want to make any kind of a change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listening to the students is key. \u201cI think that adults, especially white adults, tend to underestimate, misjudge and make totally wrong assumptions about young people and especially young people of color. And what I\u2019ve learned as a white adult is that there\u2019s an enormous amount of talent, creativity, energy, ideas and so on in our young people. They know what\u2019s impacting them. They know how it feels,\u201d Ferman said. \u201cThese are young people who, through no fault of their own, have really hard circumstances to navigate. And for the most part, most of them are doing a pretty good job of it. So, just think if we actually gave them the resources and the proper environment and support. They would rise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A section of the mural focusing on racial justice<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tomezsko also feels the mural is significant because of how it was created. \u201cThe method in which it\u2019s made is important as a way of showing it\u2019s possible to not have all the answers, but to arrive at a destination. To offer different points of view and have them be presented side by side. To have a dialogue and to learn from one another. And to have that be the actual subject of a work of art,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie is happy Temple participated in the project. \u201cI feel this is such a great opportunity, not only for the students, for the artists, but I think for Temple University as well,\u201d she said. \u201cI really hope that we can think about how we engage these young artists even more closely and pull them into the Temple University community and family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Championing IDEAL<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the mural project, Global Philadelphia asked Temple\u2019s Office of International Affairs to select and donate to an organization whose work would help further the cause of reducing inequality. International Affairs chose IDEAL, which strives to dismantle inequalities on a daily basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The office intends to spend its $3,000 grant on creating scholarships for students to participate in its study abroad programs. \u201c[This grant] will allow us to supplement the funding for students and be able to take more students on for the study abroad opportunity,\u201d said Tiffenia Archie, associate vice president and chief inclusion officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Looking at the Mural<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/d-vWARrSRik\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The mural has been installed at the 11th Street entrance to Main Campus, near Anderson and Gladfelter halls, a spot that sees a lot of foot traffic and gives many people the opportunity to interact with the art. \u201cI hope that the reaction to the mural will be not only thought-provoking, but informative,\u201d Ross said. \u201cI\u2019m hoping that the mural will have people ask more questions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomezsko feels the same. \u201cI hope people like the mural. I hope that they want to know more when they look at it. I hope that it opens people up to different periods of history and different figures that they maybe didn\u2019t know much about,\u201d he said. \u201cThat they see themselves. That they see hope for the future. That they see that they can draw from the tools of the past in order to overcome the challenges of the present. And that we can place our present time in the context of a history as well\u2014and celebrate that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This story originally appeared on Temple University’s News Site<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Story by: Edirin Oputu
Photography by: Ryan S. Brandenberg
Video by: Joe Schreiber, Ian Prizer and Wes Haag
Layout designed by: Edirin Oputu<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Art moves, inspires and connects us, encouraging us to embrace new perspectives and see the world in a different way. \u201cRevolutionary Philadelphia,\u201d a new mural…<\/p>\n

Continue ReadingA New Mural Gives High School Students the Chance to Show What Fighting Inequality Means to Them<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":30058,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130,5,61],"tags":[46,76,66,55,68,65,71,70,67,69],"class_list":["post-1149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-faculty-staff","category-features","category-student","tag-arts-culture","tag-global-engagement","tag-global-philadelphia","tag-main-campus","tag-mural","tag-sustainable-development-goals","tag-temple-news","tag-tyler-school-of-art-and-architecture","tag-united-nations","tag-university-community-collaborative","ratio-16-9","entry"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Stephen Hesson","author_link":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/author\/tup74744\/"},"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30058"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1149"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2938,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1149\/revisions\/2938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}