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Salt Lake students use art to showcase ethnic diversity found at their school

A group of East High School students are turning their school “Inside Out” this weekend by showcasing the rich ethnic diversity found at their school.  Their intent is to encourage mutual respect and unity and to spark conversation about the changing face of Salt Lake City.

The students are members of the new Clemente Humanities course taught at East High and led by Jorge Rojas.

Through their study, Rojas introduced the students to the work of French street artist JR and his international Inside Out project.  This introduction inspired the students to come up with the “We Are One Inside Out” project.

The project will include over 100 photos in large poster format that will be hung on the exterior walls of the school along 1300 East and 800 South.  Each black and white photo was selected to reflect the current demographics of East High’s student body (63% “minority” consisting of Latino, Pacific Islander, Asian, and African American students and student refugees from around the globe).

March 21st at 4pm students, teachers, and volunteers will hang the exhibit.  The exhibit will be unveiled on March 22nd from 10:30am to 11:00am.

 

 

The We Are One Inside Out Project is a project of the Utah Humanities Council in partnership with East High School. The Clemente Course that inspired the project is a partnership between UHC, East High, East High AVlD, the University of Utah Honors College, Westminster College’s Honors Program, and University Neighborhood Partners. Alternative Visions has provided the generous support to UHC that makes the Clemente Course possible. For more information, contact Jean Cheney at cheney@utahhumanities.org or 801.359.9670.

About The Utah Humanities Council: The Utah Humanities Council empowers Utahns to improve their communities through active engagement in the humanities. UHC is funded through gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations, the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks Fund, the State of Utah, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Each year, the Council underwrites hundreds of educational and cultural programs throughout Utah. For more information, visit www.utahhumanities.org
or www.facebook.com/utahhumanitiescouncil.

All photos credited to: Trisha Empey