Stories of Your Neighbors: Free photo exhibit opens at the Paine on April 20

Fit Oshkosh, Inc., an organization dedicated to improving racial equality and building a welcoming and inclusive community, has announced a photo exhibit celebrating the lives of People of Color in the Fox Valley area. The exhibit, titled “Color-Brave Photo Project: Black and Brown Faces, a New Narrative”, will be on display in the Carriage House at the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh from April 20 through 25.

“The goal of this project is to disrupt commonly-shared false ideas about why People of Color choose to live in Oshkosh,” according to Tracey Robertson, executive director of Fit Oshkosh. “Some of these are that People of Color come here exclusively from the ‘hoods’ of Milwaukee or Chicago, or that People of Color have moved to Oshkosh ‘because of the prison’, meaning that they have a loved one who is incarcerated or have a criminal background themselves. The last example is the most damaging and the most alarming, and prison data disproves that narrative.

The exhibit chronicles the experiences of 20 local Persons of Color with a portrait and story of each individual. Photojournalist Colleen Bies, herself a Person of Color and Oshkosh native, said “I wanted to capture the emotions and personalities of people in the moments between the smiles. I try to get them to talk about themselves, their hopes, what motivates them and why they are in Oshkosh as I am working.”

The individuals’ stories were compiled from interviews done by Roberta McGuire, chair of the English department at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; Alicia Johnson, director of the Women’s Center at UWO; Susan Resnig, associate professor women’s and gender studies and African American history and Robertson.

After leaving the Paine Art Center, the exhibit will travel to six additional locations in the area, including UWO, First Congregational Church, the Appleton Public Library, and others. For a detailed schedule of locations and times of related guided conversations, go to www.fitoshkoshinc.org/photo-exhibit-schedule . The exhibit is free and open to the public at all locations with the exception of the Color-Brave fundraising dinner.

The event is sponsored by: Fit Oshkosh, Wisconsin Humanities Council, The Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, The Paine Arts Center and Gardens, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, First Congregational Church, The Draw, Ebony Vision, Inc., Marion University, and Esther of the Fox Valley.

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About Fit Oshkosh
Fit Oshkosh is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that seeks to promote social transformation through Color-Brave conversations, education, advocacy, and research in order to achieve race equity and justice. We believe in the importance of a multicultural community and strength in diversity. We value a community where People of Color fit in without having to conform to the dominant culture. www.fitoshkoshinc.org