On Wednesday, March 27th, there was an art exhibition, “DISPLAYced,” held at Trism. Attending this event fulfills an academic requirement. DISPLAYced was a fundraiser art exhibit that featured artwork by refugees and immigrants. The event brings awareness to and celebrated the stories and cultures of refugees and immigrants. All of the proceeds raised from the exhibit went directly to two different local nonprofit organizations: Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) and Us Together. From attending the exhibit, I learned a lot about the fight that refugees and immigrants face along with their culture that they cannot leave behind.
The exhibit featured several artists, three of which included Bol Aweng, Said Tameem, and Denis Kasaza. Bol Aweng fled from Southern Sudan in 1987 and developed/began the beginning of his work in art while living in a refugee camp. He used his memory, imagination, and the material available to tell the story of the Lost Boys. This story later became “The Journey of Hope” which described the obstacles that he and the other boys that fled have faced and what they learned. Later on, he graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Fine Arts. Currently he has been working to raise money and funds for a clinic that he, along with others, built in Piol village, Sudan.
Said Tameem, Denis Kasaza, Bol Aweng’s and many others’ story are amazing and inspirational. I gained a lot from attending the exhibit. Not only was I able to support the refugee and immigrant community in Columbus, but I learned to be more grateful for what I have. . In fact, I am a mentor for the Community Refugee and Immigration Services organization. Being a part of the organization and spending time with my mentee has taught me a lot as well. Part of the reason I attended the exhibit was to support CRIS, however I learned a lot from it too. In CRIS, as a mentor, I have a mentee named Pabina. She is as sweet and kind as she is an inspiration and amazing. Much like the artists whose work were displayed at the exhibit, she has faced many hardships. She is still learning English and has a hard time connecting with people, but she never gives up. People like Pabina, Bol Aweng, Said Tameem, and Denis Kasaza are the epitome of hardworking. From the exhibit, I also realized that all experiences, good or bad, can teach one something.
Although the event did not particular correlate with much of my schooling, it did appeal to my interest. Being a first-generation college student myself, I really care about people’s stories. IN fact, my parents fled from their home country, Cambodia to get away from the horrific Khmer Rouge, a genocide. Also, I’ve yet to take any classes pertaining to such, but I am minoring in Humanitarian Engineering, which focuses on engineering to help people and communities in many areas that refugees and immigrants may come from.
Finally, per the connection to International Affairs, the exhibit supported the refugee and immigrant community in Columbus, which has a huge global focus. Also, CRIS focusses on integrating refugees and immigrants more into the community. The exhibit, which supports organizations like CRIS, is really advocation for a better international focus.