Free, Virtual Program
This panel discussion will offer a conversation around identity, lived experience, and representation from a panel of diverse practitioners who will question what is ‘American’ about the images presented by Walker Evans. Whose stories are shared? Whose stories are not represented? What do these images tell us about our personal and national histories?
Arabella Pérez is clinical faculty at the University of New England’s School of Social, the coordinator of the Trauma-Informed Certificate program for UNE’s Westbrook College of Health Professions, and UNE's teaching scholar on Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In addition to her teaching and research responsibilities, Ms. Pérez provides local and national consultation on Trauma Systems Change, Cultural and Linguistic Competency issues, and Organizational Leadership.
Locally Ms. Pérez has worked with the University of New England implementing trauma informed higher education practices, the Portland Public System creating a Trauma-informed social work department, and the Maine Primary Care Association Center supporting the creation of a Center of Excellence in Trauma Informed Primary Care. She is the former and founding Executive Director of THRIVE, an independent nonprofit, providing training and technical assistance to providers, organizations and communities seeking to become trauma-informed.
Ms. Pérez holds Masters and Doctorate Degrees in Social Work from Tulane University and has been a practicing social worker and therapist for 27 years.
Libby Bischof is Executive Director of the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education at the University of Southern Maine, as well as a Professor of History, where she specializes in the land we now call Maine and visual culture, especially photography. She has written a variety of articles and books related to Maine, including Maine Photography: A History, 1840-2015, with Susan Danly and Early Shettleworth, as well as Maine Moderns: Art in Seguinland, 1900-1940, the catalog for an exhibition she co-curated with Susan Danly at the PMA in 2011. At USM she teaches courses in the History of Maine, Maine Art, Photographing American History,19th century American History and Popular Culture, and Visualizing History. She also enjoys working with educators on teaching with maps, photographs, and active and experiential learning. She resides in Gorham with her family.
Grace Hager is an observational painter currently living and working in Portland, Maine. In 2015, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting with a Minor in Art History from the Maine College of Art & Design. She has spent the past six years living in the New Haven, Connecticut area, and recently relocated to Portland to return to MECA&D to pursue her Master of Fine Arts. As a representational painter, her interests in image making and object making intersect in what is being depicted and how.
Kristin Schardt is a teacher of ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Portland Adult Education. She has taught secondary English, ESOL, and elementary Spanish at schools in Maine, Pennsylvania, New York City, and Venezuela. She has a BA in English from Macalester College with concentrations in Creative Writing and Art History.
Kristin has worked with the PMA to talk to docents about effective strategies for guiding adult English Language Learners through the museum. She has also created a dynamic guide for Portland Adult Ed teachers to use when taking students to the museum. Incorporating art into language instruction is one of her passions.
This fall, Kristin is not teaching in the classroom, as she is partially deaf and cannot hear well when students are masked. For now, she is tutoring students on Zoom and is working on special projects at Portland Adult Education. She is looking forward to getting back into the classroom soon.
Catherine Mullen grew up in Portland Maine attending public schools. She is a graduate of University of Southern Maine 2002 (BSW) and University of New England 2007 (MSW). Currently, Catherine is a Senior Director with Opportunity Alliance, where she has worked since 2004. Her experience Is working with children and families ranging from case management, foster care, corrections, crisis and residential. More recently her work is focused on the aging population experiencing severe and persistent mental health symptoms in residential treatment.
Walker Evans American Photographs is based on an exhibition originally organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York and organized by Sarah Hermanson Meister, former Curator, with Tasha Lutek, Collection Specialist, Department of Photography, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Support provided by Art Bridges
