Students Celebrate Diversity at OKC Museum of Art

            Students from eight schools gathered at the OKC Museum of Art to celebrate diversity through poetry and visual art.  These students, participants of the Respect Diversity Holocaust Art Education Project, first attended art workshops in their own schools, led by Vicky Jackson.  Students learned about the art of Marc Chagall and other Holocaust survivors and the music and writings of people who endured the Holocaust.  In addition they learned about the rescuers, those who were willing to risk their own lives to help others, especially American Varian Fry.

            The students learned many of the elements and principles of art, while each designed their own unique mandala pattern to add to a larger mandala:  a three-dimensional mixed media collage titled Rising in Unity.  The collage is a collaborative work designed by Vicky Jackson, Artist in Residence for this project.  “This piece visually represents unity.  The mandala is a perfect symbol since circles are universally perceived as symbolizing unity.”  Said Oklahoma Arts Council artist Vicky Jackson.

A circular form reminiscent of a star is the backdrop for the smaller mandalas encircling it.  Dozens of ribbons are attached, with messages of understanding and respect written on them as Haiku.  The many colors represent people of all cultures throughout the world, a symbol of respect for diversity.  Each mandala is unique.  Together, each mandala enhances the beauty of the whole.  This is quite a metaphor for unity, for peace.  The beauty of this art piece reminds us that out of the darkness there can be light.  That beauty is stronger than negativity. 

The workshop at the OKC Museum of art was an opportunity for the participating students to celebrate diversity with new friends.  Students from Edmond, Midwest City, OKC, and Moore gathered to complete the art and poetry project they each had begun in their own schools.  “It was wonderful to have these students from several schools gather at the museum for the final assembling of the collage.  They could see how the piece as a whole became so much more than the individual parts.  This made it a true community-building effort.“  Said Vicky Jackson.

            By creating a visual image – the 36 students and their teachers collaborated on a mixed media collage that will become a traveling art piece with a framed information sheet – a lesson for thousands to learn about the Respect Diversity Holocaust Art Education Project.

Vicky Jackson, known for her mixed media designs, created art lessons and designed the collage.  This collaborative effort was joined by Santa Fe High School’s Coach Herron who cut the wood on which the mandalas and ribbons were placed.  Mandarin Village of Edmond donated food.  Teachers from several of the schools created mandalas with the 36 students explored diversity through discussion and the arts.  

The Respect Diversity Holocaust Art Education Project was kicked off in each school with an assembly presentation by Michael Korenblit, Author of UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN (Scholastic), the true story of his parents who were teenagers during the Holocaust.  The students learned how the Holocaust is relevant to their own lives.  Michael relates experiences during the Holocaust to many issues of today such as bullying, school shootings, racism and intolerance towards people of different cultures.

            “I never before could relate to the number 6,000,000.  By hearing about how two teenagers and their families were affected during the Holocaust, it becomes so real.”  Explained a Brinks Jr. High student to her classmates.  

            The most valuable lessons of the Holocaust are the importance of respect for diversity and tolerance, and the importance of standing up against intolerance.    The study of the Holocaust encourages examination of what it means to be a responsible citizen.  Through the study of the Holocaust, students can come to realize that silence and indifference to the suffering of others, or to the infringement of civil rights in any society, can perpetuate the problems.  The Holocaust was not an accident in history; it occurred because individuals, organizations, and governments made choices that not only legalized discrimination but also encouraged prejudice, hatred, and intolerance to exist and grow.

            The Respect Diversity Holocaust Art Education Project was created to emphasize that one person can make a difference, and that everyone should try.  Schools involved this first year are Sequoyah Middle School and North and Santa Fe High Schools in Edmond, Taft and Independence Middle Schools in OKC, Brink Jr. High in Moore, and Monroney Jr. High and Star Spencer High School in Midwest City.

After the assemblies came discussion.  And then, students explored diversity through poetry and visual arts.  Joan Korenblit, author on the Respect Diversity Foundation’s speaker’s bureau, facilitated diversity poetry workshops by teaching the art of Sonnet and Haiku writing, following diversity assemblies.

Rising in Unity was on display at the third annual Respect Diversity Symbol Exhibit at the Kirkpatrick Science and Air Space Museum at Omniplex in Oklahoma City.  The symbol is now on display at the Edmond Fine Arts Institute.

            The Respect Diversity Holocaust Art Education project, sponsored by the Oklahoma Arts Council and the Oklahoma City Jewish Foundation, is a project of the Respect Diversity Foundation (RDF).  Schools throughout Oklahoma are now scheduling Respect Diversity Holocaust Project talks and workshops with RDF for the Fall.  To place your classroom, school, or district on the list, call 359-0369 or e-mail rdfrdf@cox.net

The following are some of the students’ Haiku written on ribbons flowing from Rising in Unity.

Mandalahs

Lovely stars of hope

Rising high in unity

The essence of peace!

Color Me Human

We are all one race.

Black, white, red, tan, yellow, brown.

Color me human.

People

All people of the earth.

All uniquely created.

We are who we are.

Love

So many people.

Embrace our differences.

Love one another.

Togetherness

Lend a helping hand.

Imagine what we can do.

Let hope be with us.

Peace

Put aside your hate.

The world coming together.

A much better planet.

Neighborhoods

The more colorful.

The more beautiful they are.

Variety – the spice of life.

Remember!

From darkness to light.

Make this world a better place.

Learn from history.

Inside

Cocoons, like people.

You never know what’s inside.

Til they open up.

Quotes from junior high students:

*“Before I heard your talk about the Holocaust, I was a bully.  Ever since I learned about how the Holocaust began, I try so hard to be nice.  You’ve changed my life.”    KH, Eisenhower MS, Lawton

*“You’re right, one person CAN make a difference; and you have.”    DA

*“Thank you for teaching what you know about the Holocaust, so that history will not repeat itself.”    SB

*“I was in complete awe of all you spoke about!  Thank you for speaking at our school.”       JF

*“I now know the importance of voting.”    ST

*“Your talk made me realize that I do get rude to others and talk about others when I shouldn’t.  You also made me realize that we should appreciate everything we have.  I promise you I will do as much as I can to try to get everybody that is close to me to vote.”    KP, Central MS, OKC

*“When I got home I told my grandparents and my mother about your talk.  This sparked discussion about the Holocaust and why we as a human race treat each other like that, and what we can do to stop prejudice and racism.”    JB

* “I will do my best to not bully others.  Race shouldn’t matter, and don’t bully; that is the main thing you taught me.  Thank you for talking to kids in my school.  Your story really touched my heart.”   ZC  Crooked Oak MS

* “You taught me not to be racist against any people in this world.  You changed the way I look at things.  Thank you so very much.  SA 

* “Most people don’t like what they don’t understand, so they judge you because of it.  Well, your story made me think differently about religions and people all together.”   BB

* “I now understand that how I treat people actually affects them.  I will be sure to treat people differently now.!  Thank you again for coming.  It’s made me think differently about many things!”   AS

*“Thanks again; you made a difference!!”  EU 

*“After hearing you speak, I saw the importance in being ‘colorblind.”  It doesn’t matter what ‘race’ you are, it is WHO you are.”  ZA

* “I hope when I become a teacher that I can make an impression on my students like you have made on me.   My prayer is that you can continue for many years to touch people’s lives and each of them can pass it on so that we can reduce hate crimes.”    MS

*I think your talk during our assembly will have an impact on other kids and how they treat people, because I know it had a huge impact on me.  Thanks again.    HB

*“After hearing your talk, I won’t judge people or be prejudice.    AR

*“Your speech was very moving; it made me think about the Holocaust and about discrimination.  I will definitely think twice before I try to discriminate against someone.  Your speech has motivated me to stop all hate in the world.  I know this will be very hard, but your story has truly made a difference.”    JC

*“Your speech has inspired me to do my part so that something like this never happens again.  I learned a great deal about discrimination.”    TG

*“Thank you for taking time to come speak to students at my school.  You helped me to realize that such problems still exist today.”    CL

*“Because of your speech, I’ve realized something as simple as bullying can lead to discrimination and hatred.  It’s sad that we had to go through something so terrible to realize the simplest things.”    SH