Since 2008, The Center of Leadership and Social Change has been putting on the With Words exhibition. With Words is a “museum style” exhibit that is geared towards teaching students, faculty, staff, and all members of the Florida State University and Tallahassee community, as well as aiming to connect individuals directly with social justice issues. Additionally, the With Words program seeks to inspire a sense of compassion in individuals for the issues presented, and then engage participants in meaningful conversations with an intent to create change.
With Words began with a graduate student from Mercer University. She was inspired by a similar exhibition there, called “Tunnel of Oppression.” Tunnel of Oppression has been ongoing since the mid-90s, originally founded at West Illinois University; since then many schools around the country such as Pennsylvania State University, University of Maryland, University of Arizona, and Ohio State University have started similar programs.
Tunnel of Oppression has historically been aimed to “introduce participants to the concepts of oppression, privilege, and power.” Through the exhibit, individuals are sent through a series of scenes that are designed to educate, as well as challenge participants to think profoundly about the issues they have witnessed.
When the Tunnel began in 1993 at Western Illinois University, it took inspiration from the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, California. Its mission, since its beginnings in the 90s, has been to provide a hands-on way to experience the oppressive issues of the modern day. The hands-on, interactive experience is achieved by engaging the emotions of participants. This way, individuals who have never been placed in these types of situations can obtain a sense of what it truly feels like to be put in these positions of oppression or discrimination.
Many have dubbed the Tunnel disturbing and controversial; it has proven to be an effective tool to teach students, as well as the community at large, about the social justice issues of the modern day.
Here at Florida State, “With Words” acts as our very own Tunnel of Oppression. Each year a set of topics are chosen, and then students work together to create interactive and stimulating rooms based around the year’s themes. Past years have seen topics such as HIV/AIDS, women’s rights, human trafficking, genocide, immigration, animal welfare, homelessness, child soldiers, men’s issues and masculinity, the opportunity gap, and eco-toxicology.
This year’s topics will be sexual violence, racial profiling, immigration, and HIV/AIDS awareness. Volunteers will be working tirelessly for the coming weeks, and the exhibit will open Monday, October 27th. From that Monday to Thursday, October 30th, the exhibition will be open from 10 in the morning, to eight in the evening. The final day of the 2014 With Words exhibit will be Friday, October 31st, and it will be open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For the duration of the exhibit, it will be held in the Globe Auditorium.
Thusly, Florida State University and The Center for Leadership and Social Change invite everyone to come and join the conversation.