Join us for the closing reception of “Wall < Enter,” an interactive immersive art installation produced by diverse New York City youth and families in collaboration with the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services Arts and Literacy Program, artist/AED Laura Paris, and teaching artist/art therapist planning team Tomas Manon, Frank Mena, Jenn Perez, and Rocko Seymour. Featuring music provided by 8 Ball Radio DJs and refreshments!

“Wall < Enter” offers an important opportunity to reflect upon the current climate of fear and intimidation faced by immigrant populations in our communities through an interactive collaborative art project made by those most affected by this climate and their allies.

For “Wall < Enter”, the 1,300 young people who attend the Arts and Literacy Program and their families were invited to reflect upon President Donald Trump’s proposed wall between the US and Mexico and then reimagine what borders between countries should look like. The result is a projected montage of images , writing, dance, music and monologues about borders, personal stories, inter-culturation and the impact of immigration policy. The project offers visitors an opportunity to hear from those most affected by the anti-immigrant sentiment fostered by the Trump administration, and, simultaneously, provides participants with an opportunity to imagine alternatives to the anti-immigration plans and policies laid out by our president.

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On the Fourth of July, we unveiled an interactive station in the form of a voting booth that visitors can use to contribute their own stories through writing, drawing, audio and video content. These contributions will be added to the final installation. The opening of the voting booth coincided with “The Real Fireworks,” a benefit concert for Make the Road NY featuring Marc Ribot and M.A.K.U. Soundsystem.

 These contributions will be on view along with the work by Coalition for Hispanic Family Services Arts and Literacy Program participants.