Art Force 5 Joins Team

Alfred, NY – Alfred University’s Art Force 5 truly believe that they can be superheroes to the City of Rochester. After spending 2016 as the ambassadors of the Democrat & Chronicle’s Unite Rochester Challenge, the team is building new partnerships for the summer of 2017. Their primary mission is to contribute their talents to “Creating Hope: Beyond the Front Row,” an educational/inspirational video produced by numerous Rochester agencies.

In 2015, agencies including the Rochester Police Department and Rochester Community Television produced the film “The Front Row.” The film became a powerful tool to forecast how youth choices may lead their families to sitting in one of three front rows; at a graduation, a courtroom sentencing, or a funeral. The sequel “Creating Hope: Beyond the Front Row,” will highlight the power of identifying hope and those obstacles that stand in the way of achieving success.

Executive Producer Susan Morehouse and RPD Deputy Chief Wayne Harris invited the Art Force 5 to create a visual backdrop to the new film’s stories of overcoming adversity. The team, which touts creativity over conflict, has designed a new activity using round magnets to physically represent both obstacles (red) and hopes (blue). Audiences will be asked to share their stories within these magnets and place them onto large metal plates, forming words and images to be used to illustrate points in the film. Geneseo’s Twisted Willow Fabrication metal shop has constructed and donated the metal plates to serve as big community billboards of collected hope. Beginning in June, the team will be setting up the boards at various community events with intent to engage residents in productive dialogue and spotting hope from within the community. Some of the participants will be interviewed for use in the film.

Locations and dates for the activity will be posted on www.drawntodiversity.com and questions can be directed to Art Force 5 captain Mawia Elawad at ME6@alfred.edu.

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Tentative schedule of outreach (Magnet board activity launched in early June 2017)

  • Thursday, May 25, 1:30-5:30 pm TIPS: Aberdeen Square 321 Post Ave.
  • Tuesday, June 6, 5:30-7:30 pm Sacred Heart Cathedral, Maplewood Neighborhood
  • Thursday, June 8, 5 pm-7 pm Southeast RPD Outreach Only – Parsells Ave/ Greeley coordinate 441 Ministries and Connected Communities
  • Tuesday, June 27, 5 pm-8 pm Beach Bash Robach Center
  • Thursday, June 29, 1:30-5:30 pm TIPS: Pulaski Park
  • Tuesday, July 11, 5:30-7:30 pm Lake Ave Towers 4575 Lake Ave, Charlotte Neighborhood
  • Thursday, July 20,  5 pm -7 pm Southeast RPD Outreach Only Farmington Park and # 52 School
  • Saturday, July 22, Peacefest in Rochester
  • Tuesday, July 25, 8:30 am-? Southeast Uplift only – Copeland Street from Webster to Bay, Cummings to Rocket Ellison to Bay, Ellison to Webster and Stunz St.
  • Thursday, July 27, 1:30-5:30 pm TIPS: 524 Campbell St.
  • Tuesday, August 1, 5 pm-10 pm City-wide NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
  • Saturday, August 5, 11:30 pm-4 pm Arnett Block Party 340 Arnett Blvd.
  • Tuesday, August 8, 5:30-7:30 pm Lyell Ave. Library , Lyell/Otis Neighborhood
  • Thursday, August 17, 8:30 am-12 Southeast Uplift Only – S. Clinton from Goodman to Rockingham both sides of the street
  • Monday, August 21, 5 pm-6:30 pm “Southeast RPD Outreach’s Back to School event #23 School, 170 Barrington