Projects

Onward

Exploring American’s history of racial injustice through art

The Problem

Four hundred years in the making, racism has been institutionalized into every corner of society. We know that structural inequities cannot be dismantled through technical solutions alone, or by addressing the biases of individuals, or even the inequitable practices of organizations. Healing will require truth and reconciliation individually and collectively.

The Work

In partnership with Onward, and four mixed-media artists, build a virtual pop-up museum to support people in better understanding their current beliefs and America’s history of racial injustice. Ensure that museum “visitors” have an opportunity to reflect and process what they’ve learned.

The Learning

As part of an interdisciplinary team of artists, designers, and educators, Franklin Street build learning experiences for museum visitors to:

Build community

We built tools to spark conversation and community among museum visitors who didn’t previously know each other.

Capture and tell stories

In working with musicians, visual artists, and digital designers, we captured stories of joy, love, trauma and healing so that others might see that their own experience exists among countless others.

Foster support and challenge

In building a museum for white visitors and visitors of color alike, our goal was to help visitors feel supported initially, but quickly challenging to grow and develop their understanding of racism in America.

The Outcome

The museum is live and is frequently visited by educators and professionals of all stripes. Teams from various industries utilize it as a conversation starter or an entry point for difficult conversations about race and social justice.