Christa Boske has devoted her life to education.
鈥淚鈥檓 currently a professor at Kent State University. This is my 15th year,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was at the University of Houston before that, and then I spent 18 years in public schools, K-12.鈥�
In 2018, she founded the nonprofit Art for Resistance Through Change, or ART-C, which partners with K-12 schools, small businesses and surrounding communities to help them understand the complexities associated with diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
A recent partnership challenged students to create art around social justice issues and culminated in 鈥淥ur Voices Matter,鈥� an exhibition at Akron鈥檚 Summit Artspace.
鈥淔or this particular exhibition, we鈥檙e focused on an intergenerational school community connection,鈥� Boske said. 鈥淪o the connection between community and schools and justice, equity, inclusion and belonging issues.鈥�
One of the participating schools was Lakeshore Intergenerational School in East Cleveland. The fifth and sixth grade students chose a justice or equity issue that concerned them.
鈥淭hose particular issues ranged from police brutality to colorism to slavery to segregation of schools,鈥� Boske said. 鈥淧ersonal experiences children had being ostracized from white students or white families or being followed by the police or being followed into stores.鈥�
Boske said she was also surprised by the number of students who didn鈥檛 know what colorism is, hadn鈥檛 heard of slavery or civil rights or couldn鈥檛 name a Black figure from history who made significant contributions to this country.
The project began with each student researching their chosen topic, then working with Boske to get their concerns documented through writing. Each paper started with an introduction to their topic followed by research and supporting facts.
鈥淵ou have to persuade me that this is important,鈥� Boske said. 鈥淗ow are you going to convince me that I need to pay attention to this? It鈥檚 not about your opinion, it has to be about facts.鈥�
The students then described their art-making process: How and why they chose certain colors and materials and how the imagery illustrates their chosen topic.
The final portion of the project is activism, guided by the students.
"If you tell me to call a politician, what if I don鈥檛 know how to do that? You have to tell me,鈥� she said.
Students also chose whether or not they want to sell their art, and, if so, the proceeds go to an organization that is aligned with their concerns.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor and privilege to hear people鈥檚 stories and to work with children,鈥� Boske said. 鈥淭he common theme throughout all the schools I've worked with: Children want to not only be heard, but they want to be valued. They think that adults don't believe that they actually think about these things. But they do. They do see racism. They do see classism. They do experience the 鈥榠sms鈥� in the world, and they want an opportunity to talk about it.鈥�
鈥淥ur Voices Matter鈥� is on view at Summit Artspace until March 18.
