Students express themselves through art
By Dyuce Woodson
March 21, 2023—Knight Middle School teacher Emily Snyder said the best day of her week is when she gets to see her Justice Now kids.
The Justice Now club give students an opportunity to come together to solve systemic issues, create a more just community in Louisville, and express their ideas through art.
"I really look forward to it every week," Synder said. "They're fun and weird in the best ways."
"I notice growth in their definition of what justice and injustice is," Synder said. "I think a lot of times when we bring up social justice, the students immediately think of Black Lives Matter and don't realize how many more things that there are."
Whether it's air pollution in predominately minority neighborhoods or gender-affirming healthcare, students in the Justice Now club are able to express themselves in new and inventive ways.
"Personally, I don't really like art, but I like the process of it," one student said. "I like being able to express certain things through art, and even if I'm not the one doing the art, it's amazing to watch it."
No medium is off limits for the students—clay figures, drawing, and even animation are some of the tools the kids use to express their societal concerns.
The main purpose of the club is to make sure students are part of a populous that's truly aware of the world around them, Snyder said.
"Their boldness and confidence grow," she said. "They feel educated enough to speak about things and that their opinions are informed. We have a lot of our students keep saying things like, 'Well, we want what we say to be based on facts.'"
Students are happy to be part of a club where they get to put truth at the forefront of their projects.
"Originally, I just wanted something, like, an after-school club because I wanted something to be on my high school record," one student said. "But now, I've learned that I joined an amazing community."