There are many places where you can practice civic engagement: at the polling place, on the street, in your community. Add art studios to that list.
As part of this year’s Civic Engagement Week at Washington University in St. Louis, approximately 30 students created original works for the “The Queer Experience: Joy as Resistance” art exhibit. The show features photographs, sculptures, and paintings that explore themes such as the body, religion, love, and home. The opening night reception will be held at Stix House (6470 Forsyth Blvd) on October 20th from 5-7 p.m.
“In an increasingly hostile environment for LGBTQIA+ rights, we believe uplifting queer stories and triumphs are more important than ever,” said one of the show’s curators. , sophomore Sophie Lin said. “We wanted to create a space for WashU and the LGBTQIA+ community in St. Louis to come together, genuinely express themselves, and celebrate through art. For me, seeing a wide range of queer experiences at WashU meant It’s great to be able to do that.”
The exhibit is one of more than a dozen activities taking place during Civic Engagement Week, which runs from October 16th to 22nd. The annual series, hosted by the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement, provides members of the WashU community an opportunity to learn more about important issues and build connections for future work.
Other Civic Engagement Week events include:
A screening of “Finding Fellowship” explores how three isolated churches in rural Maryland were united into one congregation in the wake of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. The documentary is followed by a Q&A with Jason Greene, an alumnus of the filmmaker who worked in President Obama’s White House. Monday, October 16th, noon-2pm, Seigle Hall, Room 006.
The St. Louis Fellows showcase and reception will highlight the partnership between Gebhardt St. Louis Fellows and the 25 nonprofit and civic organizations they worked with this summer. Wednesday, Oct. 18, 5-7:30 p.m., Stix House.
WashU’s Graduate Student and Professional Vote Happy Hour provides graduate students the opportunity to check their voter registration status and learn more about the 2024 election season. 5pm to 6:30pm Thursday, October 19th, Stix House.
Visit the Civic Action Week website for a complete schedule of events and RSVP.