Students take inspiration from Black history
Autumn Tilley’s illustration.
Aliyah Jordan.
Autumn Tilley.
Noah Sullivan.
Aliyah Jordan’s poem.
A still from Noah Sullivan’s video presentation.
Autumn Tilley’s illustration.
Aliyah Jordan.
Autumn Tilley.
Noah Sullivan.
Aliyah Jordan’s poem.
A still from Noah Sullivan’s video presentation.
Story Location
United States
Students wowed the judges with artwork, poetry and essays submitted to Tri-Town Against Racism’s Black History Month Creative Expression Contest.
A total of 38 students in grades seven through twelve in the Tri-Town submitted work to be judged by Tangi Thomas, the president of the organization, and three community members: Darrin Garcia, Jean DaSilva and Janis Johnson.
Aliyah Jordan, a Tabor student, came in first place for her poem titled “Heroes Unsung.”
“The judges were completely floored by both her poem and her reciting of it,” said Alison Noyce of the organization. “She perfectly embodied the theme of our contest, Beyond Martin and Rosa, by honoring a teenager [named Claudette Colvin] who refused to give up her seat in the front of the bus to a white person nine months before Rosa Parks did the same thing.”
Noah Sullivan, an Old Colony student, came in second place for his video presentation that celebrated Black history month with an emphasis on Black culture, including recent blockbusters like Black Panther and Spiderman Into the Spider-verse, which stars the first Black Spiderman.
Third place went to Autumn Tilley of Old Rochester Regional High School for her digital illustration that metaphorically depicts Black people’s struggle against racism.
The judges also awarded three honorable mentions:
Alia Cusolito of Old Rochester Regional painted Audre Lorde. Old Colony student James Pierson drew Malcolm X. Old Rochester Regional Junior High School student Sophia Cruz created an art piece celebrating Black leaders from different time periods who inspired her as a Black girl.
Nearly forty entries will be posted online as a virtual exhibit at the Marion Art Center at www.marionartcenter.org/virtual-mac/. Some of the works will be displayed in-person at the Marion Art Center and in the MAC’s window display at the Marion General Store.
Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, or other times Tuesday through Friday by appointment.
There will be a virtual reception for the exhibition from 5 to 6 p.m. on Friday, March 12. To attend, email info@marionartcenter.org with “Virtual Reception” in the subject line by Thursday, March 11.
For more information, email info@marionartcenter.org or call the MAC during regular hours at 508-748-1266.
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