Just Us program teaching kids through art unveils artwork at UNCW

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — UNCW’S Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion partnered with The Harrelson Center to hold a program called “Just Us”, that uses art to teach youth important social-emotional skills.

The program engages middle-school students in art classes or after school programs to explore the concept of empathy, then apply their new understanding to create quilt panels out of tissue paper. Artist Maya Freelon gathered the quilts, made by hundreds of students across the area over the last 6 weeks, and combined them into a community quilt. Seventeen local schools, nonprofit organizations, and after-school programs participated in the program.

The quilt was displayed in a one-day installation in atrium of the Watson College of Education at UNCW.

“My artwork is all accessible, meaning, everybody can do it. It’s not hard to learn, but once you learn you realize you start a conversation and you get inspired, and you’re really excited. So I’m all about the community. Especially now, since we’ve been apart, it’s been beautiful to come together in a way that’s fun and creative,” said Maya Freelon, artist.

The Just Us program began last year, with a goal of building resiliency skills among students during the pandemic. The curriculum introduced students to skills on understanding how they manifest stress, how to practice resilience and how to use art as a way of expressing one’s feelings and telling stories.