For today's session, I choose the first two posters. Not precisely because I think they are good in their visual language, but more because I am impressed by the structure behind the movement. That on the platform nowyouseememoria.eu are hundreds of posters; anybody could create, upload, print, and hang a poster on the wall in their city.
In that way, everyone can contribute a part to it. At the beginning of the year, I was asked if I want join hanging posters in Zurich in a night action. I had never done that before and went with them. At the same time, all over Europe's cities people did the same. The whole thing got documented on Instagram and the website.
I like that many people, across countries, are working together to achieve a better society.
Women_standing_up_for_Afghan_Women_AnnaDeer-3.pdf
Now_You_See_Me_Moria_Syafruddin_and_Rauch.pdf
The talks about Intersection got me thinking about the experience I had in South Africa two years ago. As I strolled around in Johannesburg during the day, I experienced being the one with the other skin colour for the first time in my life. After that day of strolling around in the city, I went to a concert by a white South African singer&songwriter. When I stepped out of my taxi, it was like entering another world, another city. I found myself back again in a white bubble. And funnily, I unconsciously felt a bit safer than during the day. I was really shocked about that little feeling. It showed me that the society we live in does mint something onto our minds. Nevertheless, I think we can be reflective and be conscious about patterns like that and not blindly act and going with them. I was a bit angry because I also felt that there was a lot of privilege in that white bubble at that concert. I also talked with some people there about this separation that is still around, although apartheid is over already. Within those conversations, I didn't feel that they were conscious about the privilege or that they were also in charge of changing something. It was more like, " Yeah, well, most of them go to other schools and live in other parts..."
I'm happy about that experience I had in South Africa, especially in Johannesburg. It lightened up an issue that wasn't tangible on the front page in my mind so far.
I would fight for easier access to scholarships and better financial support for students. Even if Switzerland is a safe, stable and wealthy country, there are many financial inequalities in education. For me, it is pretty hard to get financial support. I don't know if this happens because you fell out of the grid if you are a "normal"/"normative" looking family. There are so many stones that are laid to get financial support, which leads to educational inequality. There is also the case that when you have a side job, or even two, like in my case, you get less scholarship or none. It is kind of a punishment for being ambitious and trying to make it on your own. And for sure, this is a first-world problem. I mean, I still manage to study at an art university. Nonetheless, I see the difference between students from prosperous backgrounds and the ones without such a background.