Cincinnati Project opens ‘What Is and What Can Be’ at UC
Collaborative exhibit highlights challenges and triumphs experienced by local women of color
Event Information (passed)
By: John(na) Jackson
A new exhibit focused on centering the experiences of women of color in Cincinnati opens Sunday, Sept. 16, in the Tangeman University Center atrium at the University of Cincinnati.
"What Is and What Can Be: Women of Color and the Struggle for Justice in Cincinnati," an initiative of The Cincinnati Project (TCP), will be on display through Wednesday, Sept. 19. The project highlights the stories and work of local activists, scholars and UC students.
The exhibit aims to draw attention to the myriad ways that women of color lead and support their communities while also being exposed to higher poverty rates and health problems than their white counterparts. Women featured in the project reveal the ramifications of these social inequities by “sharing their visions of, and hopes for the future,” according to the TCP website.
A panel discussion with members of the UC campus community takes place at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 18, in the TUC atrium. Panel participants include:
- Ariel Shaw, women’s, gender, sexuality studies student
- Brittany Bibb, program coordinator for the African American Cultural and Resource Center
- Anjali Dutt, assistant professor of psychology
- JT Roane, assistant professor of women’s, gender, sexuality studies
- Stephanie Sadre-Orafai, associate professor and co-director of the critical visions certificate program.
They will elaborate on their roles in the construction of the exhibit and the value of projects that amplify the voices of women of color.
Jennifer Malat, associate dean for social sciences and director of TCP, believes the exhibit is as inspiring as it is necessary.
“The project was important for TCP because it demonstrates what faculty, students, and community can do when working together on a common goal” says Malat.
“In this case, the goal was to amplify the voices of women of color. Based on conversations with community organizers and organizations, we understood that there would be value in collecting and raising up the multitude of experiences of women of color in Cincinnati,” she said.
The exhibit asks viewers to consider what is home? What is community? What is ours? What is fair? What is action? Viewers are encouraged to contribute by adding their own stories to the exhibit, and oral histories gathered by Roane and Dutt are available to listen to on a Soundcloud page accompanying the exhibit.
Hosted by TCP and the UC Department of Anthropology, the exhibit originally debuted downtown at Reverb Art + Design Sept. 5-11.
The exhibit is funded in part by grants from The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. / U.S. Bank Foundation, The Murray and Agnes Seasongood Good Government Foundation, and UC's McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.
Related Stories
How AI might help nonprofits
November 7, 2025
University of Cincinnati Professor Victoria LaPoe examined whether people respond differently to AI-created messaging in nonprofit advertising.
Shining like a disco ball: Rachel Hoermann’s story of finding passion and purpose at UC
November 6, 2025
Rachel Hoermann has dreamed of becoming a writer since childhood. But like many who grew up in Ohio’s rust belt, the idea of going to college felt out of reach. For years, she cycled through work that never quite satisfied her creative drive. That changed when she came across a box that once belonged to her father—a discovery that would alter the course of her life.
New hires reflect UC’s commitment to research, innovation and impact
November 6, 2025
With the 2025-26 school year in full swing, the College of Arts and Sciences has welcomed five faculty members to lead departments that span from chemistry to journalism. Dean James Mack said these new hires “reflect our unwavering commitment to ‘Discovery in Action,’ as we continue to enhance our academic and research excellence”. With these additions, the future of UC is in good hands, and students can look forward to new opportunities for learning, research, and innovation.