We are columbiaCOLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
This project began in the Fall of 2016, when I had a conversation with the Dean of Students about the portraits of our faculty emeritus. These portraits came with honor and a distinguished title. They celebrated the faculty and staff that made significant contributions to the campus. Whether they were teaching, working in the library or building relationships with students this meant something to them. When I looked at these portraits they did not reflect the current body of students nor the faculty that left before given the honor of joining the wall. Visual storytelling is powerful in every institution, even if the story is not perceived to be positive. So with the help of the Dean of Students I created this project to show the diversity of our campus. Not just diversity in color, but also diversity in gender, sexual orientation, and for every cohort level. I knew this project would one day be a conversation starter for our campus and could showcase that our community is changing. So that a women of color like myself could see someone that looks like me on the walls everyday. Everyone is invited to reflect on Columbia’s history. Where have we been? What stories are contained in the visual imagery around campus? And we also want to reflect on Columbia’s future. Where are we going? How can we ensure that the visual imagery on our campus reflects our commitment to creating a community where all are welcomed, named, and heard? |