Activism Through Art

Simone Moore, Founding Art Teacher for East Harlem Scholars (elementary and middle school)

The scholars at EHTP are currently reading about a strong woman or girl every week for Women’s History Month. They just read about Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan and they were so enthusiastic about her. At ten years old, she had already started her activism work — pushing for girls to be able to get an education. She is one person they can really connect to because she was so close in age. Her story definitely got them thinking “I’m not just a kid, I can have an opinion about that world, I can start to do things to change my world, just like Malala did.”

And the Build Love banner was the perfect way for many of them to get started. They have a strong sense of social justice and in the wake of recent political activity they felt they had to do something to show their support for families from all over the world.

They were able to work on this banner with local artist (and hero), Manny Vega who designed it. Mr. Vega suggested that I take a photo of each scholar while they were painting, and that was such a great idea because all of them had so much pride in their faces while they were painting. They were so proud that they were able to contribute to something so special.

EHTP scholar working on banner

And the banner sends such an important message. Because love is the answer. I think art is love because the process of creating is love and it activates other parts of your sensibilities and your brain. Just the practice of doing art is building love because it connects you to the world in a different way. So a message that I would want to send is to do art, be creative, spread love, and really try to be present and engaged in the world. I hope that people will see the Build Love campaign and be inspired to make their own positive statement through art. Just throw some students some crayons and invite artists in to talk. Because artists are, or we should be, on the pulse of being present and alive in the world. That’s our job.

“…love is the answer.”

EHTP scholar with Manny Vega

I think this community shows love and builds love because the community encourages us to tell the truth, and we support each other in that, regardless of what that truth may be. The people who work here at EHTP, or live in East Harlem are willing to be present in a different kind of way, to accept everyone. This environment helps to foster true empathy and genuine care. That’s definitely building love.

EHTP scholar working on banner

#BuildLove is a project of East Harlem Tutorial Program, which has supported students to graduate college and realize their best possible selves through our network of community after-school programs and schools. Sign up here to get the latest EHTP news.