Echoes of Empathy: Navigating the Baker Act Experience Through Art
What’s Your Elephant, CSC Broward and Niki Lopez Presents:
An interactive exhibition in collaboration between the Children’s Services Council of Broward County and What’s Your Elephant™
The Echoes of Empathy exhibition stands as a testament to the power of art to illuminate the human experience, especially in the face of challenging circumstances. In collaboration with the Children’s Services Council of Broward County (CSC), What’s Your Elephant™ (WYE) presents a cultural arts experience aimed at visualizing key data and outcomes from the Youth Baker Act Community Participatory Action Research (CPAR) project. From August 16 to September 19, 2024, this innovative exhibition will be on display at the Hollywood ArtsPark Gallery in Broward County, offering a multifaceted exploration of the Baker Act process and its impact on youth and families.
Featuring a blend of works from local artists, commissioned pieces, community art derived from WYE’s signature workshops, and interactive installations, Echoes of Empathy creates a space for reflection, dialogue, and advocacy.
Join us in an impactful collaboration as we delve into the heart of humanizing systems of care through art. We are building an innovative exhibition that aims to shed light on the experiences of youth and families navigating the Baker Act system. Through powerful artistic visualizations and engaging panel discussions, we aim to spark meaningful conversations, foster empathy, and drive positive change.
Exhibition Details:
The exhibition will also feature a hybrid talk, broadcasted live from the Hollywood Arts Park Gallery and online, providing platforms for cross-sectional discussions involving families, researchers, artists, and community stakeholders. Additionally, a gallery tour and impact conversation will engage agencies, hospitals, policymakers, law enforcement, educators, and commissioners in dialogue around the exhibition’s themes.
Exhibiting Artist
Harper Prato
Magda Love
Shanna L. Woods
Carla Acosta
Rob Stone
Ariel Collins
Ronnie Greenspan
William Quigley
Juan Sebastian
Halya Shaw
Holly Forbes
Niki Lopez
Commissioned Artist:
Loui Davis
Louiveste La Croix
Shawna Moulton
Echoes of Empathy Art Exhibition Dates
Tentative dates: Subject to change
Friday, August 16, 6- 9 PM – Opening night, live performance + light bites – CLICK TO RSVP
Thursday, August **, 1-3 PM commissioners, stakeholders, policy-makers (+ wellness circle) ((INVITE ONLY))
Thursday, September 5th 6- 9 Community Talk (hybrid in-person and virtual) CLICK TO RSVP
Saturday, September 14, 6- 9 PM – WYE art-making workshop & closing CLICK TO RSVP
Curated and produced by Niki Lopez and Andy Ruffner of What’s Your Elephant™. A nonprofit and movement that uses the arts to address the unspoken.
About WYE – What’s Your Elephant™
The Florida Mental Health Act, commonly referred to as the Baker Act, focuses on crisis services for individuals with mental illness and allows for involuntary transport and examination for psychiatric services.
Each year, approximately 1,900 Broward County children are referred for involuntary psychiatric examination under the Baker Act.
About CSC Broward – Children Services Council of Broward County
The CSC’s mission is to provide leadership, advocacy, and resources necessary to enhance the lives of the children of Broward County and empower them to become responsible, productive adults through collaborative planning and funding of a continuum of quality care.
About WYE – What’s Your Elephant™
What’s Your Elephant™ is a transformative 501(c)(3) charitable arts and educational organization established in 2014 as an arts movement and a nonprofit as of 2023. We are dedicated to catalyzing awareness and fostering vital dialogue around under-addressed topics through the power of art.
Our mission is to utilize a dynamic combination of art exhibits, interactive installations, talks, and workshops to provoke awareness and facilitate discussions on pressing issues. Through cultural programming, community engagement, and collaborations, we create an inclusive environment where voices are heard, stories are shared, and healing begins.
What’s Your Elephant™ collaborates with community groups, artists, nonprofits, and corporate organizations.
Call for Artists: https://bit.ly/ArtCall_EchoesofEmpathy DEADLINE: July 3, 2024 – 11:55 PM
Funding for “Echoes of Empathy: Navigating the Baker Act Experience Through Art” comes from CSC Broward and Wayne and Lucretia Weiner Fund at the Community Foundation of Broward
Featured community partners:
Disclaimer
The content presented in this exhibit has been made available for information and education purposes only. The content has been presented in its original form as submitted by its creators and may include information, views or opinions that are inaccurate, incomplete, inflammatory or offensive to others. The content presented does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of CSC and has not been reviewed, edited, censored or endorsed by CSC. CSC does not make any representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness or completeness of the content, or the performance, effectiveness or applicability of any sites or content listed or linked within the content.
If you would like to join the eList for Niki Lopez to get updates on upcoming programing and other creative happenings: http://eepurl.com/eqUc
The Circle:
The Circle: LIVE with Niki Lopez is a series sharing stories of our creative community, activists & social entrepreneurs. The 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month 8:30 PM EST on: facebook.com/nikilopezcreative or youtube.com/c/Nikilopez19 or linkedin.com/in/nikilopezcreative. Click on some of the interviews below to learn more about the artists:
