At Smith College in Northampton MA, following results of the election, campus, and the surrounding community, have reacted with Art.
At the heart of Campus – across from the Student Union – displayed on a fence is a large college of acrylic sheets engraved with the thoughts and feelings of students and community members.
This collection of notes represents the thoughts and feelings of several members of the Smith College and Northampton community in the first few days following the results of the 2016 election
This is not the first time we’ve seen students at liberal arts college react to the election with art.
Here are a few of their thoughts and feelings, as well as the thoughts of students who have disagreed with, and defaced a number of the sheets.
My hands are shaking
I feel really scared of a fascist government
It’s okay to cry
I feel dead inside
My heart is aching
I feel ashamed to be American
I wish I could go back to swinging on the swingset, and flying through the sky
I hope I wake up soon
Love in the face of hatred (Defaced: Jan 2016, Trump admin decides to defund Planned Parenthood)
Dance it out (Defaced: Obama care repealed . . . How many people will go w/ out Health Care?)
I feel shell shocked
I feel a lot
It’s always darkest before the dawn (Defaced: Yeah I mean with media censorship we’re all gonna be kept in the dark)
I feel nothing
I feel numb
I feel like I don’t know how to put my feelings into words anymore
Keep Moving Forward (Defaced: Can thousands of families fighting for citizenship and opportunity keep moving forward with Trump’s active plans of deportation?)
I hope my body will remain mine and no one else’s
One day, the sun will rise and the skies will clear
We as Smithies must come together
No matter what you are loved
I hope for progress and I hope for hope in progress
I feel that time is standing still
I hope this country will end its own self terrorism
I feel better after Ice Hockey Practice
There is power in being soft, gentle and tender
You are beautiful
The sun is still shining we’re still fighting
Keep moving keep dreaming keep being (Defaced: Dreaming won’t grant POC human rights . . .)