Tell Us How UC It: A Living Archive debuted with an exhibit in the UC San Diego Library from February 1 – March 31, 2017 that included a history of student activism timeline, a selection of the creative work from students expressing their experience of the campus climate, and an area for visitor feedback.
For accessibility, the exhibit photos are also available on the UC San Diego Library’s Digital Collections website at: https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb0482848p
The exhibit also featured:
- The UCSD Strike Flag created by Ilene V. O’Malley
- The “strike flag” is made of red peau de soie, with a black peau de soie “clenched fist” emblem appliqued on it. This stylized fist was emblematic of the various protest movements that were strong in the late 1960s, including the anti-war movement and the black power movement, and in a generalized way symbolized leftwing opposition to the status quo.
- A mural created by Thurgood Marshall College in spring 2010
- Project spearheaded by Demetra Matin (Marshall College Dean Intern) and Justin Glover (Coordinator of Student Activities).
- Justin Glover: That art piece was from Spring of 2010. The Visual Arts Department was doing an installation where they were providing each of the Colleges and other departments with a large canvas. They asked that the college represent itself however it saw fit. The Dean of Students at Marshall, Dr. Mentha Hynes-Wilson, asked me if I knew any students who might be interested in creating the piece. This was at the same time that Demetra Matin had been wanting to produce more programming to ignite the original Third College spirit in the current students, remind them of the history and look forward. She had been a Frosh when the DOC “protest” from 2006 brought out so many students and faculty to critically examine the purpose and presentation of education. (sidenote: those “protests” had so many different sides some with selfish aims, some with more altruistic, but was posed as a dichotomous fight between “academic freedom” and “militarized history”; the reality is much more complex with co-opted causes and energies.) Demetra remembered that time and the pride it gave her in being a part of a social justice focused College. She seemed like the right fit to coordinate this project and accepted the commission. Working with input from other students (I remember Donald Zelaya involved, but not sure who else) she imagined the mural as you see it now. Using symbols, figures, and words important to the college, the piece exists without actually stating the name (Third, LZ, or Marshall) of the College. I never saw how/where VisArts used the mural, but it was returned before the end of the year, folded up ready for storage. Not having a better home for it, I put it on my office wall for folks to see.
- Demetra Matin: Entirely inspired by Fnann [Keflezighi], the sit-in and the amazing student collective activism led by students from our college. I turned to art installations during that rough period and it was just my way to contribute and also provide a place for others to contribute through art. Countless students came and colored in parts of the mural behind the deans office. I applied for funding for the paint through the deans office. Same goes for the other installment.