Students and faculty recently gathered in the Contemporary Art Gallery to learn about the artwork and activism of Shani Peters and Laila Stevens.

Peters and Stevens work with The Black School, a New Orleans-based organization that teaches Black history through art. The organization uses art and activism to reach the local New Orleans community and encourage people to become agents of change within their communities.  

Peters works as co-director and managing director. Stevens serves as the social media and communications director for The Black School.

Peters spoke about her use of multidisciplinary art to reflect on societal issues such as racism and the everpresent effects of colonialism on the Black diaspora. She showcased some of her work, including “The Crown,” a piece centered around crowns made of laminated paper with designs originating from historical African headpieces. The crowns are placed on a ceiling above a red carpet on the floor. The piece focuses on self-determination in the Black community and the importance of uplifting oneself in the face of adversity. 

“It’s very fascinating to me, the ways we’ve kind of pulled out certain stories to have something not shameful to latch onto,” Peters said. “It is this reformation of history that I feel like my people created for ourselves to boost ourselves, to give us what we needed to survive that time.” 

Utilizing photography, Stevens explores the experiences and representation of Black women and queer women. One of their collections, the “Clayton Sisterhood Project,” reflects heavily on queer kinship. Stevens explained the significance of one of their photographs of a lady named Anaïs. 

Anaïs sits alongside familial portraits and in front of a large mirror, which represents the self being reflected in ancestry one may not know. Stevens stated how activism intertwines with their photography.

“Activism is the main proponent of my work. I don’t do any project or work if it does not relate to speaking out about an issue that I believe is pertinent and should be spoken about,” Stevens explained.

Shaniah Herrera, a senior graphic design major, expressed her opinion on the event and her favorite piece.

“I like how there were two Black women; you don’t really see that in the art world. Shani really stuck out to me, I like how she presented her work. Laila’s photographs with the kids riding on the bike, I like that one and I keep thinking about it,” Herrera shared.

Students interested in learning more about the work of Peters, Stevens, or The Black School can visit their respective websites.