National PTA has been seeking and actively listening to input from students and communities across the United States on how to best act in support of social justice and racial equity. In particular, the 2020-2021 Reflections program theme I Matter Because… took on new meaning in the wake of a national reckoning around systemic racism in our country.
As part of this important work and because we know that the arts are a vital platform for children and youth to elevate their voices, National PTA launched a new initiative. We invited PTA Reflections artists of color and their allies to share artwork that expresses and affirms their beliefs and identities, as well as the importance of Black lives.
Our open call for artwork was answered with nearly 150 student submissions from 19 different states. The entries included deeply personal and heartfelt pieces—ranging from collages and photographs to poems and dance choreography, and more. The thoughtful artworks allowed National PTA to connect and uplift the feelings of so many of our Black and Brown children.
We invite you to explore a selection of these pieces in an interactive, immersive virtual gallery: The National PTA DEI Exhibit. Visitors can navigate through the 3D space to engage directly with students’ art. If a particular piece moves you, you can click on it to learn more about it and tap the “heart” button to express your enthusiasm and appreciation.
Curious about the kind of art you’ll encounter? Take this piece in the exhibition as an example—a self-portrait titled, “I Am Just Like Me.” Created by Carissa Montier, the artist shared her inspiration for the painting.
“As a young black girl in today’s world, it is hard to feel worthy and beautiful; hard to understand that I am good enough. I don’t need to fit the standard of society to be amazing, I need to be myself and embrace my blackness. I AM good enough because I Am Just Like Me.”
Each piece in the exhibition is as thoughtful as the next. Collectively, the virtual gallery urges viewers to consider students’ diverse experiences and what it means for them to ‘matter’ today.
In the first 48 hours of The National PTA DEI Exhibit’s launch, it received over 1,000 views from around the world. Reflecting on her personal experience in the gallery, National PTA President Anna King shared, “I love seeing how our children have expressed themselves. One poem brought tears to my eyes, because it’s a true reflection of what many of our children face every day.”
We invite you to find inspiration in these students’ unique perspectives by immersing yourself in The National PTA DEI Exhibit at PTA.org/DEIexhibit and on our arts education and advocacy webpage at PTA.org/ArtsEd. The virtual experience is available through summer 2022.
This initiative could not have been possible without the collective support of dedicated PTA volunteers across the country, PTA Reflections sponsor BAND, and of course, our talented student artists who were willing to express their feelings and experiences.
Stay connected to National PTA on our website and social media (@NationalPTA and #PTAReflections) and continue to visit our Arts Ed Resources for more ways to celebrate diversity in the arts.
