What Is and What Can Be:
 Women of Color and the Struggle for Justice 
 in Cincinnati 



EXHIBITION / 2018
co-Organized, co-Curated, and co-Designed in conjunction with The Cincinnati Project 

Curation & Design: Dr. Stephanie Sadre-Orafai, Matthew Wizinsky, Munazza Aijaz
project director: Dr. Jennifer Malat. Supported by Greater Cincinnati Foundation, The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. / U.S. Bank Foundation, and The Murray and Agnes Seasongood Good Government Foundation. Photos: Munazza Aija & Matthew Wizinsky

The Cincinnati Project engaged faculty and over 400 students across the University of Cincinnati in research projects examining structural barriers to equity for women of color in Cincinnati.This research was translated into a mobile exhibition that traveled the city to share this work within various local communities. The exhibition included large panels of quoted excerpts, “listening benches” featuring audio excerpts from oral history interviews with local activists, and a series of small books as takeaway publications with deeper coverage of specific topics and projects. The modular design framed these diverse perspectives of the experiences of women of color in Cincinnati within a series of thematic questions: What is Home? What is Community? What is Ours? What is Fair? What is Action?
    The exhibition was designed to be mobile and modular. From 2018-2019, it traveled to 6 sites across Cincinnati, hosting many programs, such as lecture series, workshops, and panel discussions. Venues included Tangeman Student Center, University of Cincinnati; Reverb Art & Design gallery; the main branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton Co.; Greater Cincinnati YWCA; and Cincinnati’s Historic Findlay Market.



BOOK SERIES / 2018
co-Edited and co-Designed in conjunction with The Cincinnati Project

editing & design: Dr. Stephanie Sadre-Orafai, Matthew Wizinsky, Munazza Aijaz
production: “Hot Takes,” student publication group with assistance from Prof. Jordan Tate, University of Cincinnati


A series of “mini” books accompanied the mobile exhibition. The series consists of 9 risograph-printed books that included summaries of interviews with activists and research projects conducted by faculty and students in the social sciences, on topics such as public health, eviction, and structural violence.

POSTER SERIES / 2018
Designed in conjunction with The Cincinnati Project. Produced by“Hot Takes,” student publication group with assistance from Prof. Jordan Tate, University of Cincinnati


A series of risograph-printed posters announced and promoted the exhibition as it traveled and created new sites for programming.

Mark