Goldman Sachs Sponsors 2018 Salt Lake Student Art Project

31 JUL 2018

In partnership with the Inclusion Center for Community and Justice (ICCJ) and its 2018 student art education and engagement sponsor, Goldman Sachs celebrated the artwork of 30 Salt Lake City students now on display. Over 80 individuals, including guest speaker Mayor Jackie Biskupski, attended the event to view 42 banners along Main Street.

“When we centralized our campus in downtown Salt Lake City, we saw an opportunity to give back to the community in a creative way. The Student Art Project offers a free arts and education program related to topical issues within our community,’ said David Lang, head of the Goldman Sachs Salt Lake City office. ‘This year we explored diversity and inclusion, a topic that is important to both the city and the firm. It is exciting to walk outside of our offices and see the artwork of such talented students and know that Goldman Sachs is contributing to building a community that values arts, education and diversity.”

Together, Goldman Sachs and ICCJ created a custom curriculum for students around the topic of diversity and inclusion. This year’s exhibit titled “Our World(s)”, focused on fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for differences in our shared community.

The students participated in four free workshop sessions. The first two sessions were targeted towards young student ambassadors (ages 16-22) who participate in Camp Anytown, a summer camp hosted by the ICCJ. The student ambassadors learned about expression through art and mentoring younger students.

“At Anytown, we learn how to navigate our differences through productive and respectful discussion as we work to create communities that are welcoming and equitable for all,” said Yulia Goff, ICCJ Executive Director, “During ‘Our World(s)’ project, we saw young people from very different backgrounds come together to learn from each other and create art that reflected that experience.”

The second phase of the program paired the student ambassadors with 23 public school children at the Central City Community Center to engage in conversations that celebrated diversity, dismantled stereotypes, and worked to cultivate young leaders. Students created a mural of Salt Lake City and individual puzzle pieces that represent who they are and how they enrich the fabric of our community.

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