Last year, Restorative Justice at Alternatives, Inc. took our RJ youth interns from 2011 & 2012 to see Richard Ross’ photography exhibit Juvenile-in-Justice, featuring “hauntingly beautiful” and heartbreaking images of youth in court rooms and detention centers. The exhibit was hosted by Roosevelt University.
RJ Youth Interns debriefing at the Juvenile-In-Justice exhibit
In Philly, the exhibit is growing into a project of community engagement: Youth are responding to the exhibit with their own art and acting as community ambassadors. Further, a youth expungement clinic and a juvenile justice panel discussion will be held in conjunction with the exhibition! To learn more about the new exhibit and project, check out the InLiquid’s website here.
“Art is always seen as the Band-Aid after the fact, after these kids get into trouble. I think we’d like to see art more as a preventative thing, more diversionary — not just a thing that comes in and fixes all the problems, but also helps before the problems even exist.” — Rachel Zimmerman, InLiquid founder
This month, Senn RJ Peace Ambassadors will be exploring how art and justice intersect. What does “justice” mean? What do “peace” and “just” schools and communities look like? How do others (and how can we) illustrate these ideas through words and pictures?
More info and media to come!
Have any thoughts or know of any resources to get the dialogue rolling? Give us a shout!
