Gina Stucchio
Diversity Statement
It is important to remember that individual students exist within an institution. By educating myself on the history of the structures of oppression, systems, constructs and ideologies that exist within the education system I am better able to understand how my students are affected. As an instructor I see the definition of success as flexible. Goals and outcomes may differ and evolve for individual students and courses. Although there is this state of flux a successful classroom environment must include equity, community and understanding.
I am an active advocate for diversity and equity in my personal life. Bias is inevitable and I work to combat that by attending as many lectures and community building events within my surrounding neighborhoods. I understand that students can learn a lot from this too in my classroom. I show them that community building projects like painting murals, rebuilding community centers and using their own voice are all ways of using art to foster community. Some events that have stood out to me throughout my time in Knoxville have been painting murals for the Black Lives Matter movement, attending community events at The Bottom (a local nonprofit community center and black affirming bookstore), and helping to organize local pride events with fellow co-workers. All of these experiences have given me the opportunity to communicate with people of all ages and many different cultural backgrounds. Through this community based creativity I've also developed long lasting friendships and collaborators.
I encourage camaraderie among my students and facilitate group discussions during critique, and emphasize the value of knowledge and relationships that come out of the classroom. My experience teaching has shown me that art classes are the space where students often seek an outlet to express their innermost feelings. As a professor it is my job to create the most complete and inclusive learning experience possible. In every course I put emphasis on the fact that my classroom is a safe place for individuals to speak openly, make sensitive work, formulate ideas they feel they can't normally or even ideas they don't know how to express fully. The value of community, peer to peer learning and open dialogue to students is immeasurable. Through individual meetings I am able to create a learning environment that is equitable and personalized for each student. This gives me the opportunity to check in for the understanding of the project as well as point students towards all resources available to them throughout the university. This can be as simple as telling students about local swim spots or informing them of clubs and organizations filled with like minded people. Other times, it has been informing students in need of food pantries or guiding them to seek help from the school’s mental health clinic.
One-on-one conversations grant me the ability to connect with students on a more personal level. I can better understand their strengths and struggles within the class, whether that be from a monetary standpoint, a physical one, or a mental one. It gives us the opportunity to trust one another. I facilitate the building of a community that explores creativity together. Through group critiques the importance of conversation and language among peers is emphasized. Each student brings their own background into a conversation which allows for a multitude of ideas and opinions to be absorbed into the critique. During a normal semester, I usually involve my course in a group show or schedule class outings to local galleries. I was able to revise my approach and restructure the classroom during the Covid-19 crisis. This modification included movie screenings as a group over Zoom or in a large auditorium, holding class in person through social distancing, as well as informing them of any local exhibitions at galleries. This maintained and fostered a sense of community during the pandemic while also providing them the opportunity to view work in person.
For each assignment I give examples of artists who come from different backgrounds and who have a wide range of studio practices. By including as many women, people of color and LGBTQ+ artists students begin to create a more complete lexicon of art knowledge and can pull from those sources. In any given semester, I have a diverse range of students with different experience in artmaking. After getting to know the skill level and approach of each student, I begin to tailor the class for the individual. This includes giving some students readings on a particular subject, lists of contemporary artists who may inform their work, and using materials that they are drawn to that are not always in the syllabi.