Gift of Respect Art & Dialogue Project - New England Center for Civic Life
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Transcript of Gift of Respect Art & Dialogue Project - New England Center for Civic Life
GiftofRespect
Art&DialogueProject2013NewEnglandCenterforCivicLife
TheboxIcreatedisdarkandtherearemanybrokenitemsonit.TheyrepresenthowtornIfeltafteracustomerdisrespectedme.Ialsopokednailsthroughtheboxtoshowthatdisrespectcanhurtothers.Thealuminumfoilsymbolizeshowonetreatsothersreflectsthekindofpersontheyare.Thestonesrepresentsthesaying“Sticksandstonesmaybreakmybones,butwordswillneverhurtme.”
Makingmyboxallowedmetoexpressmyfeelingsthroughart.AfterIwasdone,Ifeltlikeabigweightwasliftedoffmyshoulders.Theexperienceatworkalwaysbotheredme.NowIlookattheexperienceasalearningprocess.Itmademegrowasaperson,andcreatingthisboxmademerealizethis.
—CrystalColon
Ifelthappyandcalmcreatingthisbox,itwasnicetobeinthewarmlakesideclassroomonthecoldfoggymorningandsincemystorywasspecialtome,itbroughtmeserenityandcomfort.IchoosepinkcamouflagetissuepaperbecausepinkisthecolorforbreastcancerandmyMomisasolideragainstthisdisease.TherearefourstrandsofgoldtissuepaperforthelonglineofstrongwomenIcomefrom.OnmyMom’sgoldlinearefourstones,representingmeandmythreesisters.Asilverstrandofropeacrossthebottomoftheboxisanodtomybestfriend’smom,whowelostfrombreastcancer.
Thecamouflagepaperalsosymbolizesthatthisisagreatemotionalinternalbattleandalargegold“I”onastonerepresentsthatourstoryisonlyoneofmillions.OnthesidesarethenamesofwomenIknowwhohavefoughtorbeenaffectedbythedisease.Theyaresisters,mothers,andfriends,andtheyinspiremeandgivemegreatstrength.
—JacklynTherrien
Mystoryisaboutaphysicallyhandicappedboywhoslippedonapatchoficeandfell.Anotherboywentuptohimandofferedahand,butthendecidedtokickhiminthestomachinstead.IwishIhadbeenabletohelpthehandicappedboybutIwasincompleteshock,unabletoprocesswhatwashappening.Overcomingobstaclesinadifficultsituationisanopportunitytobecomeastrongperson.Thismessagecanapplytoanyonewhohaswitnessedotherpeoplegothroughatoughtime.
Rocksrepresentthatlifecansometimeshaveroughpatches.Apieceofstringlookslikeamazeandrepresentsthattheseroughpatchescansometimesbeconfusing.Thepiecesofthatpuzzlearestillnotputtogetherinmyhead,andIdonotbelievethattheyeverwillbe.
—LeahHoard
Handsdown,mygiftofrespectgoestomyDad.MyfatherisacaptainintheArmyreserves.Atthebeginningofmyfreshmanyear,hewasdeployedtoKhost,Afghanistan,for18months.IwouldgetaphonecalleveryThursdaynightandsometimesitfeltlikehecouldfixarainydayjustbythesoundofhisvoice.OtherdaysIwouldn’tgetthatphonecallandIwouldjustsittherewaitingforthephonetoring.
Idon’thaveanytattoosonmybody,butifIdidIwouldgetatattoothathasthecaptainemblemwith“Capt.Kellough”onmyrightpeck.EverytimeIseesoldierIgladlyshaketheirhandandsay“thankyou.”Theygotohealandbacksowecanliveinpeace.
—DonnieKellough
MybrotherJakeisasuperherotohisstudents.Thechildrenlookuptohimasateacherandafriend.Jakeis23yearsoldandteachesinacognitivelearningclassroom.AlthoughJakeisteachingtheclass,heislearningevenmorefromhisstudents.Thesechildrenshowothershowtoappreciatelife,behappy,andloveeveryone.
Jakedemonstratesrespectinhisclassroomeverydaytohisstudents.IrespectJakeandallthathedoesforhisstudents.Whengivenachance,childrenwithlearningdisabilitiescanaccomplishgreatthinks.Respectandpridemakethesepeopleactivemembersofsociety.
—NicoleGalewski
Myboxiscoveredwithblackandwhitepaper.Thesezebralinesrepresenttheworldofblackandwhite.Theseashellsrepresenttranquility,butmixedalongwiththemarerandompuzzlepiecesthatdon’tbelongtogether.Thereisheavyandthickmetalchain...showingthatthereisalinedrawnandthatitcannotbebroken.
Myboxshowsmyjourneytoself‐respect;ajourneyoutofdisrespectanddiscrimination.Itvisuallyrepresentstheneedforpeaceandacceptanceinasocietywhereblackandwhitelinesaredrawn.Chainssymbolizeself‐baggageandhowthatweighsdownthevictim.Onesideisdisrespectandtheotherisalackofself‐respectandtheyearningtofitintoananimalisticsociety.Iwastryingtoexpresswhatdisrespectcandotoyou.
—PatienceTurkson
WhenIwas11yearsoldthecoachoftheopposingteamusedunethicalpracticestogaintheupper‐advantage.Ourteamlostthegameandtheseason.Wemaintainedourcomposure,actedasprofessionals,and“tookthehighroad”inaterribleandheart‐breakingsituation.
Theblacklinesontheboxjumpout,especiallythethirdbaselinewheretheopposingteamwaslocated.Thatlinewaspurposefullydrawnina“crooked”manner.Thebuttonsrepresenta“circleoftrust”whichwasalsobroken.Greenducttaperepresentsthegrassandhowvividthedaywas.Mynameatthebottomisinsmall,adhesive“stickyletters”becauseIfeltnonexistent,irrelevant,anddisrespected.IwillsavemyboxforaslongasIlivetoshowmychildrenandtoremindmyself.Ihavelearnedtopositivelydealwithadversityandthat,unfortunately,everythingdoesnotalwaysgoaperson’sway.
—JustinJamesHopkins
Thisboxtellsthestoryofacomplicatedrelationship.FormanyyearsIdancedwithagirlwhowasanon‐again/off‐againkindoffriend.
Theplacesonthetopthatintertwinerepresentwhenourfriendshipwasclose.Theareawherethepathsspreadapartrepresentstimewhenshedisrespectedmyfellowclassmates,ourinstructors,andme.Thepathscometogetheragaintoshowatimewhensheseemedtohavechanged.Attheendthepathsgotheirseparateways,justlikewhensheleftourstudioonbadterms.Theribbonsmirrorthefriendshipwehad.Ononesidethereisaspacesewntogethertoshowreconciliation,butontheoppositesidetheribbonisalmostcompletelysevered,whichishowsheleftthings.
—MarissaMoore
Christinawasafreshmanatmyhighschool.LastMayshepassedawayinhersleep.Throughoutthistragedy,thefreshmenstayedstrong.Theytalkedabouthowtheyfeltaboutherpassing,andworkedthroughtheirdifficulttimes.
Theupside‐downicecreamconerepresentssomethingupsettingtoachild.Thebrokenclockrepresentshowsuddenlyyourworldcanchange.Theplayingcardsshowhowlifecansometimesnotbefair.TheYalekeyrepresentshowChristinacouldhavegrownuptobeaYalegraduateandthesnakecharmshowsthatsomethingcouldalwaysgowrong.Irepresentedthefreshmenwithchildlikeelementsandthecommunitywithadult‐likeelementstoshowhowdifficultitwasforthefreshmentoactlikeadults,buttheyseemedtodothisalmosteffortlessly.Theykeepheraliveandintheirheartsbytellingherstory.
—HaleyNelson
MyboxrepresentshowIusedviolencetodemandrespectformeandmymother.Twohighschoolfemalescarelesslyandblatantlydisrespectedmymombycallinghernamesbecauseofhowshelookedduetochemoandradiationtreatments.Ilaterrealizedfrommymotherthatyoucannotcommandrespectfromothersjustbecausetheyfearyou;it’ssomethingthathastobeearnednottaken.
Ichosetogowithasmallerboxbecauseyoudon’tneedthebigobjectstodrawyouraudiencein;youcanusesmallerobjectstomakethemfocusongreatdetailsinyourstory.ThepinkcamopaperrepresentsBreastCancerAwareness;thepinkfuzzyheartshowsmyunconditionalloveformymom;theribbonisaconstantreminderthatweneedtofindacure;andthesilverchainshowsthatsheisasurvivorandafighterandbeatthisillness.
—SharyonWilliams
Thisboxallowedmetoexpressmyfeelingsonrespectthroughusingmyownexperiences.ThoseexperiencesarewhatshapedmeasapersonandbydesigningthisboxIcouldshowmystorythroughfiguresandsymbols.Ienjoyedcreatingsomethingthathadmeaning.
AfterfinishingIhadinsightsregardingmybrother.TheautisticawarenesssymbolsmademefeelgoodaboutwhatIamdoing.IprintedoutablankautisticpuzzlepieceandputTanner’snameinit,torepresenthimasakidwithautism.Hemightbeautisticbuthehaschangedmylife,andcreatedagreatatmosphereforkidswithsimilardisabilities.ThankstowhatTannerhasgivenme,Iwilltrymybesttomakethisworldabetterplaceforkidswithautism.
—HunterNiles
Respectissomewhatofanabstractconcept.Pinpointingtheexactmeaningisnearlyimpossible.Frommyexperiences,respectissomethingthatisearned,nothandedout,andbecauseofthisnoteverybodyearnsrespect.
Otherthanthegoalpoststhathelpmorerealisticallydisplayafootballfield,thereisnothingbutagreenfieldonmybox.Icreatedonlyafieldbecauseregardlessofeverythinggoingoninyourlife,thefieldiswhererespectwasearnedorgained.Itiswherepeoplerevealedtheirheartandcharacter.
—NicholasPark
Respectiswhateveryoneshouldbetreatedwithallthetime.ThisisexactlywhatmyhighschooldidnotshowmewhenIwasill.IreceivedallF’sbecausetheydidn’tbelievethatIwassickandthisresultedinmedroppingout.
TheF’swritteninredsharpiesymbolizethegradesmyhighschoolgavemewhenIwassick.Inaddition,thestickersillustratethatIwentfromhavingA’storeceivingallF’s.Ialsousedblueandgreencoloredtapetomakeplus,minus,andequalssigntoshowthatmyexperiencerevolvedaroundschool.Finally,thewirethatIusedtosealthelidsymbolizeshowcloseIholdthisexperienceandhowithelpedmebecomethepersonIamtoday.
—JohnSzalwinski
Myworkisaboutrespectbetweenbrotherandsister.Mysister,Jennifer,keptasecretaboutherhairbeingmessedaroundwith.Mysisteronlygavemehintsthatshewasbeingbullied,butshenevertoldme.
CreatingthisboxwasmoredifficultthanIthoughtitwouldbe.“AnhnEm”meansbrotherandsisterinVietnamese.Theboxhasblackandyellowribbons,whichrepresentsthelightanddarknessofthestory.Therearetwoofeachitemsonthebox.Thereisonethatisbiggerthantheother.Thebiggeronerepresentsmeandthesmallerrepresentsmysister.Thestarrepresentsthatmysisterisaspecialpersontome.Thematerialusedtoholdtheitemstogetheristheglue,whichrepresentsthestrongholdorbondbetweenus.
—BrandonNguyen
IfeltasthoughIwaswalkingaroundwithaballandchainattachedtomyfoot.Thecardwithan8onitrepresentsmyluckynumber.Itisisrippedinhalfshowingthatmyluckisnomore.Thereisalovenotewiththewords“Iloveyou”onit.AgirlIhadstrongfeelingsforrippedmylovepoemsthatIhadwrittentoherintopiecesinfrontofmyface.TherustykeyrepresentsthekeytothefuturethatImustfindinordertoachievemytruehappiness.Lastbutnotleastistheteslacoilstandingperfectlyerectinthecenteroverlookingeverything.Itisasymbolbeingmorepowerfulthantherest.ItshowsthatIhavethepowertotakechargeofwhoIreallyamandknowingwhoIreallyamishalfthebattletobeinghappy.
—DevonAvery
Startingwithablankcardboardboxcanbedifficult.AsIsiftedthroughtheimmenseamountsofmaterials,Ifoundthegray,gleamingribbon.Iusedthisribbontorepresentbraincancer.Ifoldedtheribbonintheshapeofatypicalcancerribbon.ThenIsetthechainupina“Z”figure,makingtheboxappearlocked.Theoveralluseofthecolorgrayrepresentsthecolorofbraincancer,whichmydearfriend,Sam,had.Tosome,grayisaveryneutralcolor.Itdoesn’ttakesides.
MyboxholdsthetypeofrespectSamandherfamilysharedwiththeworld.Thechainlocksmyboxandprotectsthiskindofrespectbecauseitisabeautifulthing.Thekeycanbeseenasthe“keytorespect.”ThestarrepresentsSam’ssoccerteam,theStarsofMassachusettsandthefactthatshewasastarinallaspectsoflife.
—SydneyStengel
Five years ago my family moved from Florida to a small town in New Hampshire. I went from having a lot of close friends living nearby to none. The same day we moved in we met our neighbors and their son, Eli, was my first new friend. In middle school and high school, people complained about how they did not like him. It always annoyed me because it came from people who barely knew him.
At my family’s Christmas party last year, my aunt’s brother-in-law’s heart stopped. We all watched him go from being fine to dying in a matter of seconds. My friend ran next door to get his father, an EMT. During the whole situation Eli did what he could to help. Even though I never questioned why I was friends with him, that night made me respect him and appreciate being friends with him a whole lot more. —Andrew Toscano
Lifegivessomekidschallengestheycannotgetthroughalone.TheMake‐A‐WishFoundationofVT&NHstrivestomaketheirdreamscometrue.IplayintheAll‐StarHockeyClassic,oneoftheirfundraisers.AtthegameIwasinterviewedbyareporterwhokeptinterruptingmewhenItriedtotellhimmybrotherwasmyreasonforplaying,nottherivalrybetweentwostates.
Goldhasalwaysseemedlikeacolorthatwouldrepresentrespect,asitisbrightandasgoldasthestarsintheskythatsymbolizedreamsandwishes.Thisgoldcanalsobeappliedtothebrightnessofthevideocamera,whichseemedtoglareatmeasIwasbeinginterviewed.
—JennaLancour
Inevertrulyrespectedofficialsbecauseofhoweasyitwasforthemtocompletelychangetheoutcomeofagamewithonecall.Butmyfatherurgedmetolearnhowtoumpire.SinceIknewprettymucheverythingtherewastoknowaboutbaseball,Ihadsomeconfidencepriortoumpiringmyfirstgame.ButImadeafewterriblecallsandwasthemosthatedpersonintheMoosupLittleLeaguecomplexthatafternoon.
Thelargeplasticeyesrepresenthowmyeyeswereopenedtohowharditistobeanumpire.TheeyesalsorepresenthowblindIwasinmissingseveralobviouscalls.“Boo!!!”and“Yousuck!”representphrasescomingfromoutragedparents.Themustacherepresentsmywishtobeincognito.Irippedadollarinhalfinordertosymbolizehowlittleumpiresgetpaidforwhattheyendure.Puttingmyselfintheirshoesopenedupmyeyesandimpactedmybaseballcareersignificantly.NowIgivethemrespect,andtheygivemerespect.
—GageGriffin
Toseeinterviewsonrespect
conductedby
FranklinPiercestudents
pleasevisit www.YouTube.com/user/HeatherTullio