‘Facing Racism’ Exhibit to Open April 10

LINCROFT, NJ (March 24, 2015) – The Center for Holocaust, Human Rights and Genocide Education (Chhange) at Brookdale Community College will host an opening reception for its new “Facing Racism” art exhibit on Sunday, April 10 from 12 to 2:30 in Lincroft.

The exhibit is comprised of more than 200 interpretive “faces” created by students from 19 area elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and special needs schools over the last two months. The initiative began in January, when Chhange hosted a workshop for area teachers and presented them with materials to open up a dialogue with students about the roots and impacts of racism.

Students were then given oval-shaped foam discs and asked to express their own feelings and experiences through art. The finished pieces, which utilize paint, sculpture, glass, yarn, plastic and other materials, will be on display in the Chhange gallery throughout 2016. An accompanying book, featuring artist statements from each student contributor, will be available to the public as well.

“This initiative challenges our youth to confront racism – the victimization of individuals based solely on their unchangeable physical characteristics,” said Dale Daniels, executive director of Chhange. “The students’ artwork explicitly reflects their struggle with the pain racism engenders, as they ‘face’ it head-on and express their emotions as well as their commitment to battle it.

“In several schools, the impact of ‘Facing Racism’ was so successful that students and faculty elected to extend the program and create their own in-school exhibit,” Daniels added.

The opening reception will be held in the Chhange gallery in Brookdale’s Bankier Library, 765 Newman Springs Road Lincroft. It is free and open to all. Parking is in lot 5.

For more information or for gallery hours call Chhange at 732-224-1889 or visit www.chhange.org.