CULTURAL IMMIGRANT Initiative with PS 86 

Lehman College Art Gallery is grateful to New York City Council member Eric Dinowitz for this designation. Workshops open with an overview of the project’s core objectives: to use storytelling and painting as tools for encouraging students to take pride in their cultural identities, express their emotions, foster a sense of belonging, recognize the U.S. as a nation of immigrants, broaden their perspectives, and celebrate diversity. At its heart, the program aimed to help students discover and appreciate their own voices.  Using pencils, acrylic paints, and paint markers, students created powerful artworks featuring self-portraits in cultural attire, national flags, traditional foods, musical instruments, text, and maps—each a reflection of their identities and personal narratives.  On the final day, students and teachers proudly presented their completed works to the class.