Abstract
Since the fall of 2021, Carnegie Mellon University’s LEAP program has taught historically resilient high school students about social justice through storytelling in the arts and humanities. Students connect with professional artists, activists, and scholars to learn how they leverage their expertise to create impactful narratives that benefit their communities. One such collaboration involves the National Opera House (NOH), a historic center of Black arts and culture in Pittsburgh. Over time, NOH fell into disrepair and was named one of the country’s most endangered historic sites. Today, there is an effort to physically restore NOH and continue its legacy of celebrating artists and musicians of color in the steel city. Through the LEAP program, students met with Jonnet Solomon, the executive director of NOH, to discover the organization’s rich history, its future plans, and the challenges it currently faces. Inspired by this partnership, LEAP students developed illustrative designs that captured NOH’s story. Assisted by a local printmaking collective, students screen-printed their designs onto promotional materials that were used to raise awareness and funds for NOH’s restoration efforts. This case study demonstrates how institutions of higher education, local arts organizations, and youth can collaborate to foster community empowerment.
Presenters
Sarah CeurvorstLEAP Program Director; Academic Pathways Manager, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
The Arts in Social, Political, and Community Life
KEYWORDS
Community, Partnerships, K-12, Arts, Humanities, Social Justice, History, Preservation
