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Brittany Gonzalez-Barone, Maple Hill Jr. Sr. High School, Capital District Writing Project

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This is a collection of my words as well as words of my peers, presenters, artists, and authors. In addition to art, writing was a major component of our Freedom Dreaming experience, a way to process, reflect, and express. We had the opportunity to look back at our words and curate the ones that stood out to us from our time together. My favorite line is “co-conspiring in kindness”. The poem itself is a reminder of who I aim to be as an educator and what I wish for my students. After the exhibit, I look forward to hanging it by my desk.

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Tammy Ellis-Robinson, Touhey Family Fellows Program

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This self-portrait was inspired by writing connected to my personal dreams for liberty and the connection from my own schooling experience to my work as an educator. At the heart of it, liberation comes when our vision for justice is about being who we are and being seen as ourselves. The tangled web of injustice is set free through the locks of my own natural hair, a style I never chose until middle age.

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Rana Hughes, Dorothy Nolan Elementary School, Capital District Writing Project

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When I created this I thought about how crucial it is for every student to feel safe, included, and seen. The classroom environment, the supports provided, and the opportunities  in classrooms for children  to find their voice, to be themselves, and feel accepted is so important. It  is at the foundation of how children feel about school and how they see themselves within that community. Unfortunately, the obstacles that are often  in the way of getting kids what they need can feel insurmountable at times. This comic is a visual representation of one of my freedom dreams -  cutting through all the “red tape” so every child can be successful.

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Dannetta Mormon, Shenendehowa HS, Grade 11

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Azhar Batrane, Pine Hills Elementary, Grade 1

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I wanted to create this portrait of me because I used to be afraid to be in school. I thought the kids would laugh at me and I would feel sad because of my Hijab. We read a lot of books about freedom and I was inspired to do this self portrait  and I named it ME, because I can wear my Hijab and be gorgeous. I like wearing my Hijab and I feel free and I am proud of who I am. I am free to be me.

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Isabella Lombardo, Shenendehowa HS, Grade 11

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Rae Johnson, Touhey Family Fellows Program

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For this piece I was really inspired by the constructive aspect of our revolutionary discussions. I am an optimist at heart, and instinctively solution focused. I felt most connected with the feelings of a brighter future for the ones who walk after us, but I was also battling my own desires to remain blind to all the injustices of the world. To be aware is at times a burden, but one we must accept to instill change and to know what we will not repeat. To be loudly anti-racist, and supportive of students from all walks of life is its own form of radicalism, which shows truer each day with the attacks on education. As easy as it is to be ignorant of the current issues facing educators and students alike, that is a privilege we must denounce to support those who have no choice but to know, as they face the repercussions each day.

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Michael Craven, Howard L. Goff MS, Grade 7

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My project is based on me and how I’ve grown as a person. In my project I appear flying above the stars to show that I am dreaming. The reason for this is because I love the night sky and I hope that I can go to space at some point because I want to be an astronaut to visit space so we can expand our world of knowledge. I also drew the sun because I dream about beautiful days and I wish the entire world was like the bright sun, happy and peaceful. I cut out the leaves and the trunk of the tree and glued them together. I then put the words on the leaves that represent me.

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Isabella Cafarelli, Shenendehowa HS, Grade 11

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Caleb Johnston, Shenendehowa HS, Grade 11

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A vast land without boundary, chaos and confusion are swarming around. This is my mind. It’s subjective, complex, explosive and ultimately my own. When I created the mind portion I wanted to portray my mind and how it works. It’s freedom in the form of creativity, while the heart on the other hand is dense, filled with emotion, it’s honest. It’s human, fresh, and whimsical. This piece makes me feel. The colors were deeply thoughtful, representing anger, malice, sadness, love and joy – all together, because that’s the truth. I hope the person viewing this piece opens their mind and soul. Seeing it as a mirror, letting them know they’re not alone in how they feel. Think. Live.

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Rana Hughes, Dorothy Nolan Elementary School, Capital District Writing Project

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Adriene Berrian, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake CSD, Grade 1

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Christina Pepe, Shenendehowa HS, Capital District Writing Project

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In writing this proposal, a voice bubbled up inside me that said, “You cannot do this alone.” I enact my dreams for educational justice in my classroom based on what I hope schooling will become for my own children. As a classroom teacher, I have the power to create the kind of communities of care that I would want for them. I hope that I am doing right by all mothers’ dreams for their children in doing so. But I only know what I know. Mothers dream of limitless potential for their daughters. But what does that look like, for them? An image of my grandmother’s head being pushed under water during swimming lessons until she came up speaking English comes to mind. Surely this is not the kind of schooling – the kind of liberation – that her mother, Liberata, dreamed of for her daughter. What does Dede’s mother dream of? What does Iyana’s mother dream of? What do they know, that only a mother knows, about their daughters?  Someone has indeed been successful in keeping us all away from one another. In the words of my fellow Freedom Dreamer, Fatima, our friendships can heal “generations of harm between white women and women of color”... and of course, generations of harm in our schools. We can’t do this alone.

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Kyle McHugh, Capital District Writing Project

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Kyle McHugh, Capital District Writing Project

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Fatima Shah, Capital District Writing Project

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Brittany Cantera, Niskayuna High School, Grade 9

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Scott Dymond, Howard L. Goff MS, Grade 7

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My project shows that everyone could do stuff that they think they can’t. I chose a quad because someone I love has always wanted to ride one but can’t for medical reasons.  Everyone should get to do what they love.

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Emily Hass, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk HS, Capital District Writing Project

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This two-sided piece is symbolic of a world in which student voices are centered, amplified, valued, and honored in every school and classroom. They are the stars and have a seat at the table where decisions that impact them are made. This piece is infused with my own love of theater and the stage and my desire to center student voices, experiences, thoughts, and dreams on our classroom “stage.” I’ve seen students shine and dazzle me like stars when they come alive and light up and speak up and think. I want to continue building a world that sparks their light. I want to continue making space for them to shine center stage like the stars in the night sky and stars on a stage.

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Margot Danziger, Bethlehem Central School District, Grade 9

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I was inspired by the lack of diverse voices in the school curriculum, especially the lack of Asian and Asian American voices.

I was trying to express my frustration about the Asian American experience not being a part of the school curriculum or culture.

As an Asian American, this lack of Asian and Asian American representation makes me feel unseen, unheard, and left out.

In my 10 years in the school district, I have never read any books by an Asian author or about Asian people or Asian families.

I hope that, after reading my piece and looking at my artwork, that school districts are inspired to revise their curriculums to include more diverse voices so that no students have to feel unseen, unheard, and left out. Schools should teach about all people’s cultures and histories.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_130 Margot Danziger My Asian American Dream School

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Neve Donohue, Bethlehem Central School District, Grade 9

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I created this with the experiences I’ve had as a student with depression and anxiety. This piece is my “dream school,” and in this, it represents students being top priority, students being listened to by everyone. I went into this not putting in my full effort artistically, but still having a meaningful thought behind it.  It’s simple and honest. I hope this will be a reality one day.  When I made this piece I also thought about how the classes of the future will have to deal with these issues.

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Jacquelyn Woods, Niskayuna HS, Capital District Writing Project

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Jacquelyn Woods What Are YOU Moved To Do?

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Amy Salamone, Guilderland HS, Capital District Writing Project

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My head is filled with dreams for what could be. Inspired by Robin Kelley’s work for freedom dreaming, and Sonia Sanchez, “This is not a small voice,” this self portrait reflects my hope for the future. It embodies my vision for a world filled with joy and my desire to live in the possibilities.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_016 Amy Salamone My Head is Filled with Dreams

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Dana Corcoran, Altamont Elementary School, Capital District Writing Project

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I endeavored to create a world that evokes a sense of endless possibility. I believe classrooms can act as portals for students to dream boundlessly as they begin to create the world they wish to see. Each square acts as a portal that transports them from one place to another. These portals are ever-changing and interconnected. The colors are blending, morphing, covering, and transforming what once was to what could be. The center translucent portal is especially transient. From one vantage point, it can create a reflection. From another vantage point, it can be a space where students can look through to envision the world they wish to create.

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Leah Werther, Niskayuna HS, Capital District Writing Project

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This piece was inspired by Alisa Sikelianos-Carter’s world building. The silhouettes are of two Pinay sisters. The colors in the background represent shades of the Filipino flag - yellow, red, and blue. In this world, there is no shame, only pride in their culture.

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Shania Yearwood, Touhey Family Fellows Program

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In this piece, I was trying to bring more attention to some activists throughout our history that I personally believe are not talked about as much as they should be.  I ended up drawing Ida B. Wells, Claudette Colvin, Lucretia Mott, and Mary Church Terell in a realistic style.  I wanted to draw a section of each of their faces and put them together to show that they might have been different people, but they had all been fighting against the same thing: gender and racial injustice.  I wanted to do those who are lesser known so that I could teach my peers about some new activists who they most likely have not heard of instead of repeating the same people that we hear about every year.  I do think that the activists that we are constantly talking about are very important, but I wanted to bring some new people to the discussion.  I hope that this piece encourages people to take some time and learn about some historical figures that we don’t usually talk about in the classroom.

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Camille Ramos, Touhey Family Fellows Program

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Tim Jeffreys, Bethlehem Central HS, Capital District Writing Project

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I was inspired by the language my students were using toward their school experience. Many of my students felt that the majority of their daily learning existed within an over structured system that required strict adherence to protocols and normalcies that then compressed and diminished their sense of self and creative expression. So this led me to dream about a classroom where students could mentally and emotionally (and heck, if we’re dreaming here, even physically), escape the rigidity and creative doldrum that so many of my students associate with their learning experience. The lines, color, layout are all intentional to show the juxtaposition of the “typical school” structure of defined lines and shapes with the transformation students can undergo when they’re in a classroom that offers them an opportunity to be themselves and go new places.

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Janessa Vasquez, Howard L. Goff MS, Grade 7

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In this project, I learned that I could show myself with words. The butterfly represents how I have been through a lot and how I have changed through those events. I have a goal that I can show differences and that it is okay to be different.

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Azeeza Saafir, Touhey Family Fellows Program

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Brittany Gonzalez-Barone, Maple Hill Jr. Sr. High School, Capital District Writing Project

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This was one of the first works I created during the Freedom Dreaming experience. It was inspired by an actual student of mine who, at the time, was withdrawn, quiet, and resistant to work or communicate much, if at all. The student was new to our district and I wondered what it would take to bring him out of his shell, and, frankly, if he ever would. I imagined myself, over the coming months, reaching out to him, continuing to try and engage and understand him, to slowly bring him out of his hoodie (literally and figuratively). Today, I’m happy to report that, while he might not raise his hand as enthusiastically as the student in my comic, he is much more open and present than the day I began this piece, and it’s wonderful to see.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_167 Savannah Zheng My Life in a Bubble

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Allison Hutton, Howard L. Goff MS, Grade 7

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My project shows a black silhouette of a girl reading, as I am an avid reader. My goals and dreams show up in the words as well the fiction stories I read.

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Jade Basconcillo, Touhey Family Fellows Program

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I made this piece as a way of expressing what I feel, the vast majority of times, when I take a good, long look at myself in a mirror.

Fragmented intersectionality coming together to represent

Me.

All the parts that *don’t* feel like they fit, the parts that are missing, the parts that aren’t quite there yet, the parts that are there *now,* and always will be.

I should also note:

This is an entirely unfinished piece.

And I’m more than okay with that. ❤

Because I’m still an entirely unfinished piece.

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Brooke Haney, Howard L. Goff MS, Grade 7

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One half of this project is my good days, and one half is my bad days. They show how on my good days, my happiness is a whole lot, and I feel like I can achieve more. On my bad days, I’m pessimistic and resentful, sometimes pushing down other people (the flowers). The hope tree on the side shows its roots extending into the bad day, a little worse for wear, but still there. The blue represents serenity and calm.

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Christina Taylor, Corinth HS, Capital District Writing Project

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This piece demonstrates my desire to escape from the dark, debilitating hardships of the world; it expresses my desire to dream a way into the colorful optimism that can be created when we imagine a better place. As an educator, I hope to inspire my students to have such vision. Robin D. G. Kelley’s (2003) inspirational words help us maintain our focus. To make strides in education, we must be reflective of our own individual and collective histories so that we can continually grow and blossom as thinkers, learners and teachers!

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Snehaa Gopinath, Howard L. Goff MS, Grade 7

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My self portrait project shows the silhouette of a girl playing the violin. One of my big dreams is to become a professional violinist with my lifelong dream of becoming a doctor, which is embedded into the project as well. In this project, I opened up my horizon of words and that I myself can describe myself in many different ways.

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Harmony Trop, Howard L. Goff MS, Grade 7

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In my project I appear in the words on the rays of the sun and the raindrops on the cloud. I am also in the puddle looking at myself at the bottom of the cloud side of the picture. My dreams appear on the ocean side of my project because when the bad things overcome me, I think of all of the things that are the rays of the sun and those will help me through all of the hard times. The fish represent all of the people in my life who help me through challenging times.

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Anonymous, Human Development

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Reagan Jordan-Alfano, Shenendehowa HS, Grade 11

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I was inspired by how I met someone over snapchat and we were really close friends. They lived in Greece and we were both fascinated by these pictures we would send of the city and it being so different. They were one of my closest friends, they supported, trusted, and accepted me. We both could easily stop talking to one another but we didn’t. I was trying to express that even though the phone isn’t the best way to meet someone it is possible to find someone to connect to, even if you never met them in person.

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Estefany Guevara, Shenendehowa HS, Grade 11

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My whole life I’ve never truly have felt appreciated. I’ve tried looking in many different places to fill that void but nothing has worked. Nothing worked until I met someone. Someone who I didn’t have to beg for them to care for me nor love me and most importantly ask to feel appreciated because that person makes me feel everything that I’ve been looking for. This draw is trying to express how one single person can change everything and give you so much more than what you were looking for. During drawing this I realize that sometimes it just takes one person to feel supported, loved, belonged, accepted, respected, cared for, and most importantly appreciated.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_057 Natalie Newton Friends on the Beach

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Connor Newton, Grade 1

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The figure is me, with its big blonde hair and brown roots. It’s not a silhouette but more if my skin was completely in shadow, where you can’t see any key features except my jawline, collarbone, and necklace. The words in white are a projection of who I am, from words I like to what I’ve been called, words that have a meaning to me, and words that I think are a pretty accurate representation of my personality and my actions. The entire piece is supposed to be me but in a more vivid and bright way where nothing is confusing and everything is clear and colorful. Some words may be negative but they are who I am and what I think of a lot.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_164 Max Peiton Words that are me

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This one-pager was created after reading the chapter “Tree” from Torment: A Novella by H.D. Hunter. It includes one quote that showcases imagery and one that highlights characterization.

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This piece explores the many things that make my identity as a person, such as my qualities, traits, and things/expressions that characterize me. The piece encompasses the authenticity of me as a person with bold letters and colors that show a story in an almost lyrical way. The self-portrait has a very simple design yet it includes very bold lines that creates emphasis on the drawing whilst having words along-side it. This piece sheds light on my personal identity rather than my social identity, and that's what gives it such raw and thoughtful meaning to the piece in both an artistic and thought-provoking way.

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This piece was inspired by the flurry of expectations and emotions I feel on a daily basis. The feeling of instead of enjoying hobbies becoming them. Like your personality is becoming just a collection of skills. It's the first self portrait I’ve done in a while and I wanted to illustrate both how I view myself and how others view me. For most of it I just did what I felt like since it's supposed to illustrate me. I added in the face hole both things that I like and what I’m good at. Everything is tossed around because I can’t pick one thing.

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I had thought about some things that probably don’t seem much to anyone, but make up who I am as a person. The pattern is something I taught up on when I was younger and this specific pattern has stuck with me forever. Then there’s Garfield. I love Garfield. He’s been a favorite since I was little - his personality, love for pasta, and so much more. I usually always have an apple Snapple on my desk and it just became a thing about me. One of my favorite singers' nicknames was Peep. Their songs have always helped me through tough times and being connected with music I felt like this peep had to be a part of my piece. Then there’s my dog, DJ. He has comforted me everyday and he doesn’t even know it. Finally is the hair and the little heart. The little heart is an inside thing between me and my partner, which is self-explanatory. The words in my hair - whether it was quotes, places, colors, phrases, all the above - have something to join pieces of me together, hence the puzzle pieces on my face. I expressed myself through these simple odd things; it catches attention to make myself known.

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In order to make this, I used the “Where I Am From” poem I created earlier in class. I took inspiration from something similar to a volcano for the drawing part. I had the silhouette made out of some words from my poem, and that was supposed to be the base of the volcano, while the things that I think are part of my identity are represented by pictures in the smoke. I tried to make a contrast of the black and white silhouette vs. the very colorful upper part of the image. I also tried to include more specific things that I liked in the drawings, while in my poem I gave more general and vague parts of my identity. I didn’t include all of my poem, but I included some of it because I actually enjoyed writing it, even though I usually dislike and struggle writing poems. It was interesting to write about my identity because I don’t think about it that much. In my poem I tried to focus more on feelings and things that aren't tangible, I tried to contrast that vagueness with more specific, tangible pictures of objects in the drawing portion of the self portrait.

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Rae Johnson, Touhey Family Fellows Program

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When creating this piece, I felt especially called by Alisa Sikelianos-Carter's art that helped me envision cosmos in which all is the ocean, the moon and sun share the sky and the trees of life grow alongside the sea's greenery. The scene is surreal, and it is my visual representation of nature to express how we all exist as one under the same sky, the same moon and the same stars, connected by the roots that grow beneath us all. This piece is much more ethereal feeling, to be thought provoking of our connectedness as people; each of us so unique but at the core of it all, the same. This place I've created exists outside of space and time as we know it, it is my vision of a world that has transcended constructs such as race and gender and as a result, its cosmic nature has prospered.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_066 Rae Johnson All As One Together

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Throughout this project, I asked myself who am I? I thought about what I tell people when I first meet them and the memories that come along with them. I have a collage where my face is covered in black and white photos. Ever since I could remember, I was at the library every Saturday reading and studying for school. I had a streetlamp because I remember all those days I played outside until I saw the street lamps turn on. I wanted to have bright colors to contrast with black and white. I used watercolor paints on my afro to have all the things people said about me pop out.  I asked the people close to me what they think about when they see me. The ones that overlapped the most were the ones that I ultimately decided to put in my hair. How to put the words on was what I struggled with the most. In the end, I decided to put them on like strands of my hair and I used a metallic marker to write down the adjectives. There was empty space on the bottom that needed to be filled up with so I used my favorite lines from my “Where I am from” poem. I drew small drawings of the things I talked about in my poem to add some color. I think this project shows my identity from my perspective and others about mine.

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Gianna M. Robinson, Bethlehem Central School District, Grade 9

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When I created this, I thought about my school experience over the last year,  from going from a small private school to returning to a large public school.  My mindset surrounding school has changed drastically. At my private school, the goal of preparing girls for leadership was of the highest quality. Today, that same dedication to the education of girls as leaders of tomorrow still thrives and animates the school. This school believes that confidence and inner strength are the ultimate determinants of a successful, rewarding, and fulfilling life, but deep down I wasn’t feeling like this.  Behind all the masks, I felt a sense of loneliness. I felt constantly bullied, put down, and other feelings I don’t know how to even put into words, and it’s not that the teachers didn’t care.  It was just never brought to attention to just ask how a student was just out of the kindness of their hearts. It was almost as if they felt that the money and the integrity of their job came first. From all the rumors spread about being lied to, social media accounts being made about people, and continuously being put down by other girls around me who I thought were my friends, turned out to be one of the hardest years of my life.  I don’t regret meeting those girls because some of them were my real friends and some taught me lessons, but now I’m someone who’s not the loud, funny person I used to be. Most days, I just keep to myself. Just like right now, as I’m writing this, I’m eating lunch by myself.

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Lanija Williams, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk HS, Grade 10

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_174 Lanija Williams My Black Angel 3

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Zainab Alfatlawi, Guilderland HS, Grade 9

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_114 Zainab Alfatlawi The Memory of Things

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Zainab Alfatlawi, Guilderland HS, Grade 9

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Zainab Alfatlawi, Guilderland HS, Grade 9

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Zainab Alfatlawi, Guilderland HS, Grade 9

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When I created this piece, there was the main idea first—and how to execute it second. Since I am a quiet person, I think there’s a lot of joy in creating some kind of media where you don’t have to explain so much, that people can understand silently, and relate. As I am writing this, my art isn’t finished. In a way, no piece of content is ever fully complete. For the idea, I wanted to cram in as much as I can. The paper is small, but ideas can vary. If someone reading this is blind or has poor vision, my art piece is a photo of a plus size fat woman. The word fat is an adjective, not an insult–fellow fat person. There’s a hijabi girl with a rainbow flag on the shoulder–ish. I’m not a good writer. When I made this piece, I didn’t have an exact plan. I just went in and did whatever felt right. This is sometimes an obstacle, though I first began with a rough sketch and later refined it. I should’ve laid down base colors first now that I look back. This is because I taped down these magazine letters first. I wanted to add something to my work that is complementary and ties in with the idea. Maybe I went through hell trying to find all appropriate words,and cutting out the letters one by one. I flow with many ideas. In my life, I’ve tried many forms of artistic expression: pencil drawings, chalk, pastels, watercolor, video editing, composing silly graphic design stuff….acrylic painting is the most new to me. Things that help me a lot is taking inspiration from other people’s creations. Each style is unique and derived from the person’s favorite traits of art. It’s the same for me. In the art, I wanted to mash up the different styles. Colored pencils, markers, painting, magazine—those magazine thingies—BY THE WAY! All magazine cutouts used in my piece are from womanwithin.com and roamans.com, inclusive clothing for people, plus size and all (pricey though).

My artwork is to show that there are so many women, so many minorities that are ignored when coming to society standards. I want people to feel a connection to this human piece. And feel at ease with yourself because this world is temporary. I hope this catches the eye of an audience like the ones I’m presenting. I’m not dazzling in any of these talents, I guess, but I’m happy to try and do my best. Thanks so much. –fin

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I worked to draw a creature, a mix of my own monster with the monster in the book. Also, I need a good grade so I can feel like a valid human being and so I can get praise from my mom. Also, if I don’t go to camp this summer I’ll spend all of it crying. When I went to the hospital back in September, I drew my demon over and over again. It looked safe, happy, and calm, but it always made me sad for some reason, maybe because I never was at the time…? I’m not sure. Anyway, that’s all. Thanks for reading.

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Hanee Coquillon, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk HS, Grade 10

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 “Even in the falling rain, flowers bloom. -Hwasa”

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 “Even in the falling rain, flowers bloom. -Hwasa”

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This art piece shows someone looking at a bush of flowers under a street lamp. It’s not somebody in particular so it could be anyone. Whoever is crouching over there with the umbrella in hand, seems to enjoy and find comfort in what they are doing, even while being by themself. The rain might’ve just stopped. But many of us hesitate to be in that person’s shoes, because of prejudice and stereotypes on what we ourselves enjoy and love. Eventually, we are the ones that will determine how we will live.

So, when your life is cloudy, and there’s some flowers blooming in the rain, will you go and get the umbrella?

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Hanee Coquillon, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk HS, Grade 10

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There are many major issues in our world today, including global warming, pollution, poverty, inequality, and more. These issues have been around for years, and many have even gotten worse in recent times. People in our society have become more divided, selfish, and spiteful, therefore forming these issues. When creating this piece, I wanted to symbolize the way that we can reverse this effect. If everyone came together, no matter our differences, we can create change and rebuild our world after tearing it apart for so many years. It is like a puzzle, assembling the pieces together to build a unified whole.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_132 Olivia Poveda With Unity Comes Formation

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This piece’s purpose is to encompass the resilience of any minority or group that has been, and continues to be, oppressed. Each hand holds symbolism; the fist represents black power; the hand holding the Earth shows how we “hold” influence over any being on the Earth, simply referring to the question “Why do some still choose to act with hate in their heart?”; the hand holding the dove symbolizes the peace that each group deserves. The chain & padlock sprawled on the base show “breaking free” of close minded barriers. The friendship bracelets are meant to be a humane touch, breathing life into these plaster arms. Some bracelets have the color of pride flags, which I felt was important to include the injustice towards both different minorities as well as people who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I hope whoever looks at this piece can feel even a small sense of comfort knowing that they will have support while fighting for their rights and fair treatment.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_206 Siena Pecora We Must Breathe

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I wanted to make my project a reflection of myself using objects from my everyday life. I bowl for school, so I painted my bowling ball on the left. I tried to capture all the details of it, and I added the yellow streak behind it to make the ball look more energetic and also to give it sort of a superhero effect. Below that, surrounded by clouds, is my name in Hebrew, since I often speak Hebrew at home. Above, in the top left corner, is a hamsa, a common symbol in the Middle East and North Africa, paying homage to my family there. Next to that, is my cat Dreidel. When I wake up in the morning or when I get home from school, Dreidel is always there to greet me. Below Dreidel, I added some flowers and leaves, which remind me of these cups that I have at home which are decorated in oranges and pinks with a similar pattern. I put my first initial, Y, on the right, drawn in my favorite color, pink! In the end, I drew sparkles over the entire piece for extra appeal.

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Similar to Ada, my artwork was originally made to represent a poem I wrote about my identity. In the poem, I discussed how I wanted to abandon my middle-school nickname, which I felt ignored both my true personality & my Italian heritage. In the artwork, You can see a golden tree sprouting from my ginger hair; on the left is the flourishing city of Siena, Italy. On the right, the scenery starts to fall apart, with unstable houses and watchful flowers. At the top of the golden tree are leaves made from material possessions. The unstable houses and noisy flowers were meant to illustrate how my own identity was being judged and abandoned by myself, which I regret now. Most importantly, the tree leaves are images you see in magazines, and each food item is edited to look delectable- similar to how I used to present myself

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During my English honors class my teacher asked us to create a drawing symbolizing ourselves. I choose to start off with the main image being a hand because I feel like all of the images are a “handful” of things that resemble me.

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Ryan Fontaine, Dorothy Nolan Elementary School, Grade 3

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I was inspired when I went to the Grand Canyon. It was so cool and gigantic. I had to make it.

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Hadley Meier, Dorothy Nolan Elementary School, Grade 3

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The quote makes me think of all the people who made change in the world. I was trying to achieve what makes them feel like they could make change.

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Scarlett Lucarne, Dorothy Nolan Elementary School, Grade 3

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My inspiration is the place me and my family found. We call it the “rock.” There are trails and water to swim in.

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Landon Travis, Dorothy Nolan Elementary School, Grade 3

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My inspiration is Wildwood. It is beautiful there. I put sandcastles because I have seen them there and my favorite part is the beach.

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Evalise Vyent, Altamont Elementary School, Grade 4

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I was inspired by my sister, Trinity, because she is always telling me to follow my dreams. I want people to feel that they can do whatever they want at any time or any age, just like me. The rainbow colors represent me because it shows me that I can do whatever I want at any time. I was also inspired by the books What Would You Do in a Book About You by Jean Reidy and Joey Chou, and Change Sings by Amanda Gorman and Loren Long because of the illustrations.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_159 Evalise Vyent Life is a Book

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Serenity Jackson, Altamont Elementary School, Grade 5

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I was inspired by my cockatiel, Eliot, for my self-portrait because he was very smart and because he flew on my arm if he wanted to. He got a lot of treats for doing it too. He’s like me because I’m smart like him, and whenever I feel like flying, I feel free like him. The colors inspired me because it reminded me of my stepdad, Pedro. He’s Ecuadorian. And the books (Change Sings by Amanda Gorman and Loren Long, Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle and Rafael López, Say Something and The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds) inspired me because the words are very perfect. The book that inspired me the most is The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds.

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Oreoluwa Afolabi, Touhey Family Fellows Program

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Isis Jackson, Altamont Elementary School, Grade 4

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When people look at my self-portrait I want them to think life is tough but so are you. I was inspired by my mom and the book Say Something by Peter H. Reynolds. The colors show my family’s favorite colors.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_161 Isis Jackson Life is Tough but So Are You

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Tammy Ellis-Robinson, Touhey Family Fellows Program

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Tammy Ellis-Robinson, Touhey Family Fellows Program

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This piece invites a window into a safe space. An open door where flight is possible, color is vibrant, and the landing is soft. It is a metaphor and representative of the place that evokes a feeling of safety and possibility in me. I envision a world where each of us has a home behind a door we can close for peace and quiet, but that can be flung wide to share the serenity of a safe harbor with everyone else. It is in that spirit that a beloved community is built.

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Nana Afua Anto-Asare, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk HS, Grade 11

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I was inspired by a book I read called Punching the Air. The book made me realize the different perspectives on ourselves that exist and depend on others. No matter how you view yourself, others will always view you differently. With what I created under “How Others See Me,” I was trying to express how different I am to everyone. Some see me as that quiet kid who doesn’t do much and others see me as jovial, funny, or that goofy girl. It honestly all depends on how much I show people. The heart also symbolizes me being a good person. “How I See Myself-” this is actually my favorite part of the creation I made because I truly know what it is to be me. I know what I am and what I feel. Among those creations, one stood out to me the most: the play button with the big “X” over it. It’s me wanting to do stuff, but my anxiety stops me. Anxiety is a really big deal to me, so I wanted to find a way to incorporate it into my work, and I feel like what I made was the best way to describe it. The arrows are symbols of indecisiveness, and the very bottom of the drawing shows how I allow people to take advantage of how soft-hearted I am, with my anxiety also playing a part.

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Elizabeth Baldes, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk HS, Grade 11

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When I was making this piece, I wanted to express and show how I view myself versus how I think other people see me. I decided to display that by drawing shapes and lines to create a piece that reflects my character. My inspiration for this was my English class where we did a project that expressed views of ourselves. The different colors and different shapes all have their own personal meaning to me. I wanted to capture my personality through colors and my feelings through the creative shapes and lines. Even though the piece might seem a little chaotic, I think it beautifully reveals how I think and view myself.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_118 Elizabeth Baldes Look Through My Eyes

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Anonymous, Pine Hills Elementary, Grade 1

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The author Liz Zunon made learning about different things you can use for art was fun. I was so excited when she told us her favorite book was The Snowy Day. I was so excited I said out loud we just read that book, too. My pictures are all about cars and alligators.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_125 Saad Alharbi What Makes Me Happy

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Camille Ramos, Touchy Family Fellows Program

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Nour Ali, Pine Hills Elementary, Grade 1

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Freedom Dreaming is nice. I listen to all the books we read and we had the author Liz Zunon share with us her favorite book  when she was little. I was inspired to make this collage with things that make me happy. I like shiny things and fashion. When  my mom lets me dress up in a pretty dress everyone smiles at me  and I feel good inside.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_126 Nour Ali What Makes Me Happy

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Egypt Fox, Pine Hills Elementary, Grade 1

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I had so much fun with Liz Zunon making this project because I know that I can make art in my own way and it will be beautiful. I love my family so I got these pictures of people and made it gorgeous! Like, Wow! I did this.
Freedom Dreaming is fun to learn about different people.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_127 Egypt Fox What Makes Me Happy

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Lakima Husband, Pine Hills Elementary, Grade 1

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I really liked meeting Liz Zunon and listening to her read her book to our class. She showed us how to make different things and to use all kinds of stuff. I made this collage to show that I want to be a fashion girl and I want my family all around me.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_128 Lakima Husband What Makes Me Happy

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Anonymous, Pine Hills Elementary, Grade 1

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Meeting the author Liz Zunon, I was inspired to make this beautiful collage with flowers and more flowers. It was fun to hear her read her book to our class. She shared her favorite book when she was little and she showed us how to make a project so I made up my mind with flowers. They make me happy and I like flowers because they are pretty and they smell nice too. Flowers make me smile.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_129 Samia Hossain What Makes Me Happy

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Nicholas Spiezio, Pine Hills Elementary, Grade 1

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I like the projects I did during the Freedom Dreaming. I really like to be free and like to play a lot. I wanted to see myself as a nice and good person and who I can be when I grow up. Reading and listening to the Freedom Soup and how people got their freedom was amazing. The portrait of me shows that I like who I am and love my skin

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Anonymous, Pine Hills Elementary, Grade 1

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Freedom Soup by Tomi Charles illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara: “Every year, Haitians all over the world ring in the New Year by eating Freedom Soup. A tradition dating back to the Haitian Revolution. Freedom Soup is a celebration of family and history and passing down culture traditions from generations to the next.”

I think Freedom Soup was a great book. I learned why it is called that.  So I wanted to have some Freedom soup of my own and this is what I put in my soup. Pizza, tomatoes, carrots, and bread to get  all the juices up from the bowl.

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Anonymous, Pine Hills Elementary, Grade 1

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Freedom Soup by Tomi Charles illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara: “Every year, Haitians all over the world ring in the New Year by eating Freedom Soup. A tradition dating back to the Haitian Revolution. Freedom Soup is a celebration of family and history and passing down culture traditions from generations to the next.”

After listening to the story  I made this Freedom Soup Recipe Banner I thought about how my mom makes soup at home and I made this  recipe banner. I put noodles,ham, cheese, onions, and some water. Yummy! This is my freedom soup.

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Musab Astif, Pine Hills Elementary, Grade 1

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Freedom Soup by Tomi Charles illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara: “Every year, Haitians all over the world ring in the New Year by eating Freedom Soup. A tradition dating back to the Haitian Revolution. Freedom Soup is a celebration of family and history and passing down culture traditions from generations to the next.”

After listening to the story Freedom Soup, I was inspired by the colors on each page and how they made the pages come alive.  I created this Freedom Soup banner  recipe and these are the things I put into my soup, potatoes, ham,carrots, oranges, and lemons. I am free to eat my soup all by myself.

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Freedom_Dreaming_Exhibition_108 Musab Astif Freedom Soup Banner Recipe

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Ukraine Vs. Russia Project; Stepan the Cat

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Ukraine Vs. Russia Project; Stepan the Cat

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Dear President Zelensky,

I have made a clay tank with a Ukrainian flag on it. The reason why I did this is to show the strength of Ukraine in this conflict! I picked a tank because tanks have long been a symbol of strength because they are so big and powerful. I wish I could do more to help you guys out in this conflict but sadly I’m only 12. I hope Ukraine still goes strong.

Sincerely, Aiden Meyer