Recently, I curated a shelf at the Frick Fine Arts Library titled “The Art of Engagement and Protest.” Broken into two sections, this shelf is in relation to my summer research project “The Black Struggle for Visibility,” involving Black protest signage dating back to the 1960s to 1970s American landscape. My interest lies in the ways in which this media not only engages with the community but challenges it.

The first section dissects the framework of activity, engagement. The art of capturing community through image across people, space, and time casts light upon the momentary beauty of interaction in its most vulnerable, uninterrupted shape. In turn, such interaction births thought.

The second section focuses on the efficiency of possessing a critical lens; protest within the public sphere. There is an innate brilliance to activism through its loud objection against the status quo, but most importantly its overflow of love and care for community.

This collection of books represents the work of various authors and contributors, providing photography, academic essays, poetry, interviews, and more. Passion flows through each binding. This collection connects draft to print, place to place, and vision to action. I urge you to explore and share!