The art they shared New exhibit displays pieces of personal history

VANESSA ARREDONDO

Copy Editor

@v_anana

They carried clothing, watches, books or photographs of their loved ones. They carried anxiety, fear, and hope for a better life. Some couldn’t carry anything at all.

Pierce students, faculty and staff were asked to lend personal artifacts that symbolize their family’s journey to the United States for the Pierce Art Gallery exhibit “The Things We Carried.”

As part of One Book One Campus, and in partnership with the Diversity Committee, the exhibit will display items that show heritage and culture, adding a personal touch to the campus-wide reading of “Enrique's Journey: The Story of a Boy's Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with His Mother” by Sonia Nazario.

Pierce Art Gallery Director Monika Del Bosque-Wee said they try to have programs that further contextualize the theme of the year, so that students are not just reading the book, but actively engaging with the themes.

“Enrique’s Journey” tells the true story of a boy who goes through hardships to reunite with his mother in the United States.

Enrique’s mother Lourdes leaves Honduras to work in the United States to bring back money to her poverty-stricken family. Her return is delayed, and he sets off on his own to find her with only a North Carolina phone number as a clue.

Outreach Librarian Lisa

Valdez said that they are trying to be more conscientious about the books they choose so that they are inclusive and dealing with universal issues.

“It’s gaining more ground.

More people are feeling personal connections to the books that we are reading. Even if they haven't gone through it, they know someone who has,” Valdez said.

Del Bosque-Wee said that the key thing about this semester’s exhibit is that it is Piercegenerated. Usually outside artist's work is brought in to be displayed in the gallery.

“This show is being created by things people of Pierce have submitted. It’s a Pierce cocreated project,” Del BosqueWee said. “I think having it here at Pierce shows that, as a community, we are looking at the issue, and we are saying that it matters and we are not turning our back on the subject.”

Crystal Hall is an intern at the Art Gallery and said “The Things We Carried” was created with the intention to unite the campus community by showing that many have an immigration story at some point in their family’s history.

“There were items that came with us on that journey. We are sharing that item and sharing that story and finding that similarity between us in the Pierce community,” Hall said.

“We all have a story behind our items, and while some may just see a pocketwatch, to another it signifies their family’s origins.”

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