Opening on March 13th at the DAAS Gallery in Haven Hall (Room G648), the exhibition “Ujima: Collective Activism at the University of Michigan” will be showing throughout the month of March and until the end of April. The title is derived from the Swahili concept of ujima, meaning collective work and responsibility, the exhibition highlights the community’s storied part in cultural change and collective activism throughout the years. The exhibition features articles and photos pulled of decades of engagement in Ann Arbor, showcasing the power of togetherness in the face of adversity, shifting paradigms and eventual gradual transformation of the status quo.
Through the collection of historical documents and artifacts pulled extracted from sources such as the Bentley Historical Library and the Michigan Daily archives, the exhibition takes a closer look at how community engagement is crucial in making transformative and effective change in times of monumental movement. The use of campus resources in the building of the exhibition gives a unique perspective on the cultural movements of the last several decades, allowing the students, faculty, and staff of the past to tell their own stories through a chronological timeline.
This organization of the exhibition allows those interacting with “Ujima” in the present to simultaneously engage with the past, adding to the collective power of activism on campus in any era. The exhibition is dedicated to the community members who have represented ujima in the University space throughout the years, collectively furthering change and growth where it matters. This new show will be celebrated with an opening reception from 3-5 PM on March 13th, to which all are welcome.
