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8 I February 20, 2015
The Guilfordian
PEATURES
Jr
WWW.GUILFORDIAN.COM/FEATURES
Alumnae practice the
art of social change
BY VANESSA MADONNA
Staff Writer
You are walking downtown and suddenly pass a beautiful wall
mural. It is colorful, shows part of a large tree connected to a real tree
behind the wall and people looking like they are painting the wall. As
you stare at this work of art you wonder: who had the idea to create
this masterpiece?
In 2011, two Guilford College alumnae, Alyzza May ’10 and Katrina
Siladi ’10, were working in Edible Schoolyard at the Greensboro
Children’s Museum.
“We were friends and ... talking one day, (when we) realized we
both liked murals,” said May. “We’re both like ‘oh, let’s make this
more than a conversation.”
Soon afterward. May and Siladi pioneered the Greensboro Mural
Project. Within three months, their first mural, called the Lindsay
Street Mural, was created at the Edible Schoolyard.
“(The Greensboro Mural Project is) a creative arts project ... with
the aim of using murals as a tool for teUing stories, of connecting
with the community and of beautifying the community through the
installation of murals,” said May.
With the concept of bringing together a community through art,
the two continued brainstorming ideas of where and what to create
next.
After their first mural, which answered the question, “what would
make Greensboro a healthier city,” and with the help of Liz Seymour,
executive director at the Interactive Resource Center, they thought of
another community mural to start. This one examined the question
“what makes home?”
The group collected 100 responses from strangers, many who
received services from the IRC. By March 16, 2013, the team began
to work on the IRC mural with help from Greensboro artist Justin
Poe’s design.
The process to create murals such as these takes time and effort.
From planning what to create through to the final product, it is a
challenging yet rewarding task.
“You get a wall secured, (and) that sounds a lot harder than it is,”
said Alejo Salcedo, artist for the Greensboro Mural Project. “Then
once you have your wall, depending on how much freedom'you have,
you decide what issue is relevant.”
The process from be^nning to end includes agreeing upon a theme
based on a relevant community issue, posing a specific question,
interviewing the public, selecting a principal artist(s), proposing a
design that is then reviewed by the community and gathering diverse
artists with a passion for expression to paint the wall(s).
“I think it it’s really exciting to be able to share our individual
perceptions of Greensboro, how we exist in it and then have that
shape a collective knowledge and an experience that can be interpreted
into art,” said Isabelle Brace, artist for the Greensboro Mural Project.
So far the project has created three murals in total. This, however,
is not the end for the Greensboro Mural Project. Many of those who
are a part of the group have ideas on what they would like to see in
the future.
“I’m really passionate about doing a police brutality and a
black lives matter mural,” said senior Niki Gaines, intern for the
Greensboro Mural Project. “Anyone who is interested in art and social
transformation should definitely get involved.”
There is room for anyone to get mvolved.
“We would like more community members to help,” said Salcedo.
Examining social issues, creating awareness and problem solving
are the unifying mission of this artistic endeavor.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world,” said Margaret Mead, world-renowned
anthropologist. “Indeed, it is the only thmg that ever has.”
As a community, Greensboro is preparing for proactive change,
one mural at a time.
CAAP Symposium calls
for action and change
The CAAP symposium engaged community members in discussions of sexual health and the Black Lives Matter movement.
BY NICOLE ZELNIKER
Features Editor
On Feb. 11, students, staff and guests gathered in King
Hall to listen to the panel that would kick off the second
Community AIDS Awareness Project annual symposium.
The focus of the symposium: #BlackLivesMatter.
“We disproportionately represent the population
(infected with HIV and AIDS),” said Community
Organizer for NC AIDS Action Network Quinton
Harper. “There is a need for everyone to take action.”
CAAP board members junior Teresa Bedzigi,
sophomore Brandee Craig, senior Khadija Carr and
senior Jasmine O’Neill began the panel by explaining
why they put so much effort into CAAP in the first
place.
“I’ve had no less than 15 family members die from
HIV and AIDS,” said Bedzigi.
Many at the conference seemed to know someone
affected by HIV or AIDS.
“My dad tested positive last year,” said Craig. “I want
to find a cure.”
Panelists included Harper, director of Prevention
Services at the Triad City Health Project Kevin Varner,
Guilford senior and President of Guilford’s Ignite
North Carolina chapter Chelsea Yarborough and North
Carolina AIDS Network Community Organizer Thomas
Clodfelter.
“When I was diagnosed with HIV ... I wanted to be
an activist,” said Clodfelter. “My mission is to eliminate
HIV.”
Clodfelter has been positive for many years.
“I was diagnosed with HIV when I was 27,” he said. “I
want to be a positive role model in these young people’s
lives so they won’t make the same mistakes I did.”
The reason the symposium focused on
#BlackLivesMatter was because of the statistics related to
minorities and HIV and AIDS.
“A good majority of the clients we serve are
(minorities),” said Varner. “There’s such a growing
disparity.”
The conversation continued with a presentation
by Parker Hurley, LGBTQQA coordinator in the
Multicultural Resource Center, and Holden Cession,
UNC Greensboro ’ll, who focused on trans women of
color.
“We know that white, male cis bodies are desirable
because they dominate the media,” said Cession. “Where
is that value for trans women of color’s bodies?”
On average, trans women of color only live until their
late twenties and early thirties because their murder rate
is so high.
“These are conversations all people should have,” said
Cession.
Yarborough and sophomore Molly Anne Marcotte
presented in the afternoon about minority women in the
prison system.
Many agreed that the reason minorities end up
in jail more often is that they do not have the same
opportunities others do.
“If there isn’t an opportunity for us to better ourselves,
(we) still have to eat,” said Robyn Byrd, CEO of Cease
and Love Myself “We have degrees, but we can’t get a
job.”
The group discussed how to fix our broken prison
system.
“It’s not like we’re reinventing the wheel,” said
sophomore Phoebe Hogue-Rodley. “There are plenty of
wheels we can try.”
Guilfordians and guests alike are determined to make
a difference.
“Address stigma,” said Varner. “There’s so much we can
do in our community. When I encounter resistance and
stigma ... it’s an opportunity to provide that education.”
66
A talk bv Dr.
William Boone is an Associate Professor of English and
Africana Studies at Winston-Salem State University,
where he teaches courses on hip-hop, gender, popular
culture, African American culture and literature. His
research interests include music criticism, cultural history,
superheroes and race, and African American masculinity.
Follow him on Twitter (@afroblew).
The event is sponsored by OSLE, Honors Program, and the
English Department.