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BIPOC art installation unveiled at Sudbury high school

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A new piece of art has made its way home to Sudbury Secondary School and the minds behind it are hoping it will send a message for generations to come.

During the last school year, Future North’s Culture of the North project, worked with the school’s BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) community to create this student-driven project.

There’s a new art installation, now in place, at Sudbury Secondary School. Officials are hoping it will spark change but also celebrate the equity and inclusion the school has come to know through its diverse student population. (CTV News Northern Ontario)Standing seven feet tall, the circular piece features people holding hands at the base of a globe, with the North Star to lead their path.

The metal sculpture, set on a wooden base, was created by northern Ontario artist Benjamin Hermann while the art was designed by Shaylah Shawongonabe during the 2022-2023 school year.

“I’d say it’s really important because it adds more, well first of all it adds more art in Sudbury and makes it more lively but it’s important to add more BIPOC representation everywhere,” said Shawongabe.

Sudbury Secondary School Principal Heather Downey says when she looks at the project, she sees students immediately coming together in a global society.

“We really value equity and harmony within our school community,” said Downey.

“They really wanted to focus not only on the Black, Indigenous, People of Colour in our school but they really wanted to work on a legacy project and to me, that’s fantastic.”

The piece will now take its place in perpetuity on the school campus.

Downey said it is a piece of artwork that will continue to make an impact for generations.

“Our strength as a school comes from unity in diversity, with each student in the link inspired to reach their full potential,” she said.

The project was funded through Tamarack Institute’s Communities Building Youth Futures Community Innovation Fund.

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