Conversations in the Arts- The Arts and Social Change

Dr. Nichelle Rivers, a multi-media artist and educator, is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. Her bold and vibrant depictions are not only inspired by her culturally rich childhood, but also by such iconic art figures like Faith Ringgold, Frida Kahlo, Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence. Her work is also inspired by her love of music and bringing to life spatial relationships and patterns. A social justice activist since she can remember, but it wasn’t until a little over two years ago that she realized that she must use her voice as an artist to convey the pain, the turmoil, the anger, the misunderstanding and lack of tolerance that exist in our society. She is still challenged by the diversity of her work and use this in preparation in what will be an explosion of creative passion on canvas. Simply put, creating art and being a voice for the voiceless keeps her sane.

Ruthie Pincus, actress/director, theatre teacher & Executive Director of Stage the Change, has taken her cause beyond the walls of her high school. Stage the Change’s mission is to enable students to use their "arts voices" to create the world they would like to live in. STC’s work has been recognized by the Human Rights Commission of Suffolk County, & has been featured in Harvard’s theatre journal and Educational Theatre Association’s Teaching Theatre Journal. The work has been previewed in performances throughout New York State. As STC continues to teach and empower students and teachers, the goal is to help create global citizens who understand the power of their “arts voices,” as well as the power of theatre and all of the arts in our educational systems and beyond.