Alumna hosts “Arts of Defiance: Symbols of Hope,” a workshop to celebrate MLK
HFC and the University of Michigan-Dearborn will host “Arts of Defiance: Symbols of Hope,” which is part of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Week of Events, at 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, in the Rosenau Rooms on the first floor of the Andrew A. Mazzara Administrative Services & Conference Center (ASCC) (Building L on the main campus).
HFC alumna Alanna Grace-Marie Schwartz will facilitate this workshop.
“I have a strong relationship with HFC. As a graduate, I am honored to be involved in this event. Every event and initiative I have engaged with over the past seven years on this campus has been so fulfilling. So, of course, I keep coming back to support my community college!” said Schwartz, of Downriver. “I served on an alumni panel at the College recently. HFC Student Activities Associate Kayla Collins reached out to me during the event. I was talking about my creative and academic involvement during the panel, which inspired us to collaborate.”
First generation, non-traditional student
An alumna of Lincoln Park High School, in 2022 Schwartz earned her associate degree in liberal arts from HFC with a focus on sociology. Initially, she planned to major in studio art but that changed when she attended HFC sociology instructor Dr. Kalvin DaRonne Harvell’s lecture, “An Uncomfortable Alliance: Racial Microaggressions and the College Campus.”
During her time at HFC, Schwartz was an active member of the Henry Ford II Honors Program, the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and the Dr. Henry J. Bowers Focus Group. She also participated in the Mellon Research Scholar Fellowship, the Engelhardt Social Justice Fellowship, and the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program.
Schwartz transferred to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in intergroup relations education. While at U-M, she worked as a Transfer Student Ambassador for the Transfer Bridges program. She also worked with the optiMize moMentum Fellowship, Sociology Opportunities for Undergraduate Leaders, and Intergroup Relations.
“I am so proud of myself for achieving my degrees as a first generation, non-traditional student,” she said. “I thank everyone who has been so supportive of me, especially the leaders of the Bowers Focus Group: Dr. Harvell, Chardin Claybourne, and Dr. Courtney Matthews.”
Posters have the power to amplify voices
This is Schwartz’s first time teaching this workshop, so she tailored a presentation for it.
“I am curating a collection of symbols of hope to provide visual representations of power and promise, promoting connection between and across communities,” said Schwartz. “My intentions are to educate folks on the history of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., MLK Day, his legacy, and to inspire people to embrace their unique definitions of hope for collective empowerment.”
She continued: “Posters and poster art are visual aids to help us understand the world around us. By creating posters with positive messages and displays of hope, we are curating inspiration for collective consciousness. I created an inclusive presentation full of diverse symbols and representations of positive energy to help us navigate times of hardship and division.”
Schwartz is looking forward to giving back to her alma mater once again.
“I am honored to engage in this opportunity,” she said. “I am passionate about educating folks about Black history, honoring our ancestors, and art.”
Create your own posters as a tool for expression
Join us create your own posters as a tool for expression!
Lunch and art supplies will be provided. The workshop is free and open to the public. You do not need experience in art or poster-making to attend.
For questions or more information about the workshop, contact Kayla Collins at krcollins3@hfcc.edu or Jerrard Wheeler at jerrardw@umich.edu.