By Daily Press staff
Local girls this month plan to show the community what they’ve learned about the inequities between genders and the challenges facing women today.
Over the past 10 months the Girl House Art Project has provided a small group of middle school girls the opportunity to explore gender issues such as women’s history, the wage gap between women and men, and media literacy. Using a small cottage and surrounding area on the YWCA property, the girls have created an art environment that reveals their findings and is aimed at educating the public. The results will be on display at the public exhibition on June 17 at the YWCA Santa Monica/Westside from noon to 4 p.m.
Volunteer project leader Kesa Kivel, inspired by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro’s 1972 “Womanhouse,” created “Girl House” to see how contemporary girls would artistically express their gender-based concerns. Kivel has provided a broad-based feminist curriculum in an interactive format with numerous art exercises, officials said.
Guest speakers have taught on a variety of subjects including self-defense, financial literacy and the Salem Witch Trials. A field trip to the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) resulted in a 4 foot by 10 foot digital mural, which will also be on display.
The YWCA Santa Monica/Westside provides community service programs to women and children in more than 10 westside communities. Preserving their mission to empower women and to work to eliminate racism, the YWCA offers a housing and education program for emancipated youth; an academic assistance program; ENCORE, an exercise and support program for breast cancer survivors; Girls in Action (G.I.A.), a comprehensive leadership program for middle school girls; and girls’ basketball.
The YWCA Santa Monica/Westside is located 2019 14th St. For more information, call Barbara Olinger at the YWCA (310) 452-3881.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 1, 2006. Read the original PDF.