Ferguson Voices: Disrupting the Frame

In 2014, 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot twelve times by a white cop in Ferguson, Missouri. This tragedy sparked advocacy among ordinary people. Their actions are featured in a new exhibit called Ferguson Voices: Disrupting the Frame. In light of the perpetuated systematic racism evident in police brutality, students from the University of Dayton Human Rights Center and the Moral Courage Project worked together to compile photos and narratives for the exhibit, which will be featured in the Class of 1945 Library until Jan. 26. The exhibit features interviews discussing various contributions by community members in the wake of Michael Brown’s murder, ranging from hosting conversation about racism to leading protests and uniting communities under one cause. In an interview entitled “Act 3 - Doing It,” Marty Casey discusses her inspiration to found the non-profit Show Me Arts Academy, which provides over 1,200 children with a free art program through which they can express themselves. After Brown’s death, Justin Lewis, a law professor, protester and news editor in St. Louis, took action, described in the interview “Act 5 - Surrender to Transform.” He used his power as a professor and writer to voice his views and welcome others to his platform. Lewis led a delegation of lawyers, and Brown’s parents to Switzerland where they testified against torture in front of the United Nations committee. For students, these powerful stories are the most compelling aspect of the exhibit. Lower Genesis Baez said that the narratives were “very informative and explained a lot of people’s point of view and different abilities.” In order to gather stories, graduate students of the University of Dayton were trained in interviewing skills, employed during interviews with over thirty people. Reference and Outreach Librarian Virginia Elizabeth Rohloff helped bring the exhibit to campus and offered insight on the project. Rohloff said, “The people featured here are all ones that the [graduate] students decided fit under the larger theme of moral courage.” The exhibit utilizes photography and audio in addition to text, providing a unique experience. “You see their pictures, so you get to see them and their identity in that sense, you see the quotes from them there, and then when you hear the audio,” explained Rohloff. Reflecting on the individual experiences of those interviewed, Rohloff said, “In a way, all of these people are so different, but what they all have in common is that they felt the need to do something about what had happened and help their community and they all did it in different ways.” Lower Cristal Reyes echoed that she “really enjoyed listening to the interviews, and would really like to see more of these type of exhibits throughout the year.” As a member of the MLK Day Committee, lower Janalie Cobb also provided insight on the connection between the Ferguson exhibit and Dr. King’s message, which she stated as “equity in general for everyone.” She said, “I think it’s very important to have an exhibit like that on this campus because that showcases a very diverse range of people who are all fighting for the same cause and who were all doing the work that Dr. King wanted people to do,” said Cobb. When asked what her favorite part of the exhibit was, Cobb responded that she “thought the quotes from the white woman [Emily Davis] were the best for this campus to hear. Because the reality is we are half white, so it’s, in my opinion, more important for us to be talking about how to be an ally because more people on our campus will be allies.” The Ferguson exhibit was an educational and thought-provoking experience for everybody who viewed the boards or listened to the various interviews. Rohloff emphasized that “the theme of moral courage is the big thing... and the idea that all of these people are upstanders.” She hopes that students will search for a personal connection with the exhibit. “If you think about yourself, what would you do if something like this happened? Would you stand by quietly or would you take some sort of action?” Rohloff posed. She thinks one of the most important messages for Exonians to take away from the exhibit is the idea that “to be an activist, it doesn’t have to be something huge.” Cobb agreed, saying, “I think what people should really take away from that exhibit is that every small thing that you do leads to a huge movement. So we should do those small things.”