What if artists were invited into institutions of higher learning to lead conversations about safety, community, and change?
Artist Shaun Leonardo was invited to be the visiting fellow at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and he's been organizing a series of events that are trying to break down the barriers between various aspects of the Pratt community.
I invited him, along with Jane South, who is the chair of the Fine Arts Department within the School of Art at Pratt Institute, to discuss the challenges and goals for such an initiative. And we discuss their big event on April 9 titled "Open Exchange: Belonging."
A special thanks to Jonathon Jircitano for allowing us to use his new single, "Falling Into Place," which is available on iTunes, Spotify, and other music services.