On Thursday, March 9, from 4:30 - 7:00pm the Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice will host A Dream Deferred, an exhibition curated by Youth In Action students who participated in the Uncovering the Institute program. The exhibition illuminates the school to prison pipeline through the eyes of students and is the culmination of their exploration of the intersections between the educational and criminal justice systems. The exhibition serves as a space for reflection about how the built environment, discipline, curricula, and stereotypes continue to challenge young people of color in the state’s public education system.

During the the first week of August 2016, eleven high school students from Youth In Action moved onto Brown’s campus for a week of Uncovering the Institution, a program at Brown University’s Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice. During the week, students engaged in discussions concerning the American Dream using four guiding pillars; optimism, individual liberty, freedom from fear and economic opportunity. For many of the students, the American Dream is closely linked to their education. Through the course of the week students considered the struggle between power and freedom that shapes the educational system. How does the school-to-prison pipeline impact students of color in the state of Rhode Island today? How might students of color exist and function in a society and system that views them as a “problem”?

A Dream Deferred will be on display through May 12, 2017 at the Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice, located at 94 Waterman Street in Providence. Gallery hours are Monday - Friday, 10:00am - 4:00pm.