Stopping gun violence, racism and caring for the environment were some of the themes that hundreds of students from different schools in the city chose to paint various benches displayed in Washington Square Park and thus express the concerns that haunt them.
“I feel happy that we are doing this to change the world,” said student Catherine Diaz.
Diaz and her classmates chose racism and gun violence as themes to paint a bank.
The students are part of the art project of the Center for Educational Innovation or CEI, which in its first exhibition after the pandemic brought students from 32 schools in the five boroughs.
“They are the future of our world and to give them the voice of our project we are happy with life,” said Alexandra Leff, director of CEI.
The director added that with social problems, especially the shooting in Texas where 21 people and the suspect in the shooting lost their lives, it is crucial to hear the voices of children.
“I felt very scared,” Madeline Pérez, another student, said of hearing about the shooting in Texas.
She says that she and her sixth grade classmates started painting a bench against gun violence four weeks ago.
At the exhibit, one student from each group spoke about their project in front of the audience. David and his group also painted a bench against the shootings.
Sánchez.
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“We don’t want any more shootings,” said David Sánchez, also a student.
Fearful, these students want the rulers to find solutions, but David says there is a solution.
“We need to stop selling weapons.”
For her part, the councilwoman from the 18th district of the Bronx, who came to support this event, says that the nation’s representatives must seek solutions quickly.
“We need to work harder for student safety,” said Councilmember Amanda Farías.
The 35 benches will be seen throughout the city as they go on display in parks across the five boroughs next week.
The Washington Square Park Conservancy posted a message on social media about the student exhibit.
“We love this exhibition of local New York City students working with @theCEI to speak about issues they care about through art!” reads the message from the nonprofit group that helps maintain the CEI. Washington Square Park.
Loving this exhibit by local NYC students working with @theCEI to speak out on issues they care about through art! pic.twitter.com/6tUPBXBiW0
— Washington Square Park Conservancy (@WSPConservancy) May 26, 2022
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