What/Title: Resilience

Who: BIPOC Youth Artists 

Where: Majestic Theatre Lobby (115 SW Second Street, Corvallis)

When: February 17-February 28, 2022

HOURS Open to the Public: Tuesday – Friday, 12 – 5 pm

This show collects work created by local youth artists who participated in workshop sessions with me in partnership with the NAACP and The Arts Center. In our sessions, we discussed Black History and what it means to the artists’ own identities and empowerment for resiliency. The workshop sessions and this display has been our chance to engage in the conversation around youth and BIPOC equity, to see these young artists for the amazing artists that they are, and to receive their expression.

Zina Allen

The idea for the workshop and the show arose from discussions with The Arts Center during the 2021 Black Matter exhibitions held there. Zina’s participation in Black Matter programming inspired her to think about the voices of other artists, particularly young BIPOC artists who have been her students. She wanted to find a way to help those artists be seen as powerful forces in our community. She connected with these students through the NAACP and by hosting workshops through The Arts Center. Displaying the artwork created in these sessions at The Majestic Theatre is a culmination of this work to unite our community and hold space for BIPOC youth and artists where they have historically been underrepresented. 

Through this show, Allen aims to encourage resiliency and unity through displaying the resilience that has shaped our past and the hope that is our future. This has been a way to highlight individuality and for everyone to have a chance to come together. It’s been important for these students to connect with each other and hopefully build lasting friendships.

This project was a collaborative effort of Zina Allen, Linn Benton NAACP, Majestic Theatre, and The Arts Center.