A COVID DEDICATION BORN FROM LANDON INSPIRATION

When Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg’s son Drew ’15 was in Middle School, art teacher Aaron Brophy offered a class for parents. She had never studied art, “but thought it would be fun,” she recalls. “Then something clicked.”

She spent the next two years studying and practicing art methods and materials, exploring art for beauty. Over time, inspired by societal issues of gun safety and drug addiction, she began creating works to generate conversation and raise awareness.

When the COVID-19 pandemic set in and the number of deaths approached 200,000, “I wanted to depict the magnitude of our loss and encourage people to help save lives,” she says. With that, the In America project was born.

Thousands of small white flags were first installed at the DC Armory and, one year later, the installation moved to the National Mall. Visitors came to reflect and to dedicate new flags for their own lost loved ones. As the pandemic continued, the installation grew to more than 700,000 flags.

Today, In America continues. An archival project, a documentary, speaking engagements, regional renditions, and a traveling exhibition fill Firstenberg’s days now as she continues to share the story and the importance of “creating space that transcends everything that divides us,” she explains. “The best art comes from deep inside to connect us.”