The second cohort of the JustArts Fellows will be giving their final presentations on March 25 at the University of Arizona Museum of Art.
Program participants identify challenges and promote collaboration with peers and Arizona Arts mentors to bring work to life.
The 2023-2024 fellows include:
- Joseph Campos, a third-year undergraduate studying music production and audio engineering. He has collaborated with the Tucson Hip Hop Festival to create a series of events for university students to gain direct experience in rapping and music production.
- Diego Gonzales, a third-year dance major. He is working on bringing dance and movement into local schools
- Sophia Harrigan, a third-year film student, double majoring in classics and film. She is working to raise student awareness about gender-based violence and bias in the filmmaking industry
- Semoria Mosley, a second-year graduate student studying photography, video, and imaging. She is working on an installation that will foster intimacy and recognition between students from “different sides of the tracks,” culminating in a campus-wide pop-up event where students can hear one another.
- Anni Peng, a graduate music education major. She is working to connect undergraduate student musicians with elders in the Chinese immigrant community of Tucson.
Five JustArts Fellows answer five questions
We asked the five Fellows five questions to learn more about their experience in the program.
What’s your experience been like so far?
DIEGO | “My experience has been amazing. I am beyond thankful to be given the time, space, and support to make my art form more accessible to all people. Being that the Dance building is not in the same location as the College of Fine Arts it has been amazing to connect with other like-minded artists that all have excellent ways to make their art more inclusive for all.”
ANNI | “My experience has been deeply rewarding and transformative. Working with elderly Asian immigrants through our choir project, “Harmonies Across Generations,” has allowed me to witness the powerful impact of music on social connections and emotional well-being. It’s been inspiring to see participants from diverse backgrounds come together, share their stories, and create something beautiful in unison.”
SOPHIA | “My experience has been incredible and eye-opening. With the support of the JustArts grant, I have had the opportunity to explore topics that are vital to theatre and film education, all while being academically, financially, and mentally supported. I’ve gotten to collaborate with so many dedicated changemakers, both students and staff, and make real inroads towards a lasting impact.”
What inspired you to do your project? What’s the latest news on your project?
DIEGO | “I lost my father at the age of three and was raised by my mother, who had me when she was 16. I did not truly understand what losing a parent meant until around the age of 14. Around this age, I was completely overwhelmed with all of the events happening in my life and needed a space to help me cope and accept all that I had been holding in. My mom enrolled me in an affordable week’s worth of dance classes that she got from Group On, and I quickly realized that dance was my therapy. I want to be able to give other people what my teachers gave to me. I do not want cost or transportation to ever be a reason that someone cannot fulfill their dream.”
ANNI | “My project was inspired by witnessing the isolation and challenges faced by elderly Asian immigrants. Music, a crucial part of many of their cultures, emerged as a natural medium to foster community and combat loneliness. The latest news is that we recently completed our first original composition, a song that reflects the collective experiences and cultures of our choir members. We’re preparing for a community performance that promises to be a celebration of diversity, resilience, and harmony.”
SEMORIA | “I wanted to institutionally challenge the idea of belonging, ritualistic camaraderie, and archival practices. Making those who seem like just a number, see how imperative their presence is.”
JOSEPH | “What inspired me to do my project was the fact that I didn’t have an outlet for my personal art or a way to meet other people and gain better knowledge. I felt as though I was alone, maybe not completely isolated, but in a sense. Once I found out I could bring some change and help carve out a path for others like me, I thought it’d be a really good idea, so others don’t have to feel like I did. Currently I’m holding weekly meetings for a club I started helping each other in the process is the how things are looking right now.
What inspired you to become a JustArts Fellow?
SOPHIA | “To participate in the school’s continued progress and advance student empowerment. I saw it as a precious opportunity to advocate for women in cinematic education, who will be graduating into a notoriously challenging workforce in the film industry.”
DIEGO | “I was inspired to become a JustArts Fellow by former Fellow Arianna Aquino and my own life experience. Throughout my entire freshman and sophomore year, Arianna and I worked on different ways to make the dance department more inclusive. We held Diversity, Equity and Inclusion meetings that emphasized giving marginalized students a safe space that not only gets their voice heard but gives them a space to exist as their most authentic selves. This as well as being a tall black male in an art form that was not made for me truly inspired me to start my project.”
JOSEPH | “What inspired me to become a JustArts Fellow was being able to bring change in something that mattered to me—especially considering the fact that you get paid to do it and you’re doing social justice work at the same time. It’s a win-win situation for me and I think all those things collectively made me eager to try and do something.”
SEMORIA | “My experience. I am formerly trained as a journalist and currently in-training as a contemporary artist. I have always made social justice-oriented work as a photojournalist. I saw this opportunity to marry my experimentalmethodologies with traditional media practices while trying new mediums. I wanted to create dialogue. And I think Itook that very literally haha.”
What do you have planned for your presentation?
ANNI | “For my presentation, I plan to share the journey of our project, from its inception to its current successes. I’ll include personal stories from participants, showcasing the profound impact of the choir on their lives. Visuals and videos from rehearsals will bring these stories to life, alongside a preview of our original composition. I aim to convey the joy, challenges, and transformative power of our work.”
JOSEPH | “For my presentation, I have a slideshow planned to talk about my overall project in a little more depth. I have some information about the club that I started and all the details going on with the hip-hop event as well. I’ll go into how everything connects along with some other things as well.”
What advice would you have for future Fellows?
ANNI | “My advice to future Fellows is to deeply engage with the community you wish to serve and listen to their needs. Be open to learning and adapting, as flexibility is key to addressing real-world challenges. Most importantly, pursue your project with passion and patience, remembering that the most meaningful changes often take time to unfold.”
SOPHIA | “Your intuition knows right from wrong, and your voice is yours to use as you please—when you hear the call, act!”
DIEGO | “Some advice I would have for future Fellows is to be ok with the unknown. When starting your project, you will not know every single thing you may need to know about your project, and that is not only okay but that’s a good thing. This entire experience is about learning new ways to break barriers and create safe spaces, and a more inclusive environment. It takes time. Live in it. Embrace the journey.”
JOSEPH | “For any future Fellows, all I have to say is just to focus on time management and have a clear idea of what change you’re trying to bring about. As long as those things are in order you should be golden with the help you’ll get from staff and everyone else around.”
SEMORIA | “Use this opportunity to do what seems impossible and let JustArts help you make it happen.