[2140] in UA Exec
Idea for a Campus-Wide Art Project
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Norman Cao)
Tue Mar 10 01:45:51 2015
From: Norman Cao <normandy@mit.edu>
To: "ua-exec@mit.edu" <ua-exec@mit.edu>
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 05:45:48 +0000
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Hello UA Exec,
I'm writing to try and solicit some feedback and help on an art project tha=
t I'd want to make happen across campus:
Working title: The Springtime Project
The Story
The idea is to have student, staff, and faculty make and post paper butterf=
lies to their doors all across campus, in dorms, classrooms, labs, and offi=
ces. These butterflies would be a physical reminder of three themes:
* A show of solidarity and togetherness as a community ("we are in t=
his together")
* A statement that there is beauty in life (...)
* A promise to recognize mental health as a serious issue and that w=
e can do better (i.e. no victim blaming, still trying to find a good way of=
putting this)
Additionally, these butterflies are explicitly not meant to be a campus-wid=
e memorial. Like how spring brings new life from old ground, The Springtime=
Project is about finding new ways for individuals and communities to cope =
with and find meaning in their lives.
The Plan
I hope to make the process of people making the butterflies a grassroots pr=
ocess, one that comes from the community itself (i.e. the students, staff, =
and faculty) rather than mandated from high-up. Hence, I do not want this p=
roject to be associated with any specific group on campus, although there m=
ay be many groups working in the background to make this happen. In the sam=
e vein as the Collier Memorial (but again this project is not meant to be a=
memorial), people would be encouraged to come together with their own livi=
ng or working groups to fold the butterflies. These could be great starting=
points for conversations about mental health and bring people across the e=
ntire campus together.
Undegraduate students would be the first ones to be told about this project=
, and they'd start decorating their living spaces with butterflies. They wo=
uld be encouraged to give these butterflies to their professors or staff th=
at they know, which could be a very positive experience for both (as a pers=
on-to-person experience for the student, and as a sign of trust for the fac=
ulty/staff). While this is happening I'd like to reach out to graduate stud=
ents, academic department heads and other campus groups to encourage their =
professors/staff to begin doing the same.
The goal would be to get all of campus covered by butterflies on the first =
day of spring (Friday, March 20th).
The Problems
Here's where I would like the UA's feedback and help:
Logistical Problems:
* Funding: To make sure this scales, and also to make it so that thi=
s project feels the most genuine, I'd like communities to come together and=
purchase their own materials for making paper butterflies (after all, you =
can make them from printer paper). However, I'd also like some Origami pape=
r to be available for people to either fold with on-site or take back with =
them to their living/working groups. If I can convince some more groups to =
join me on this (which I imagine I can), this would be no more than $50 per=
group. Is putting aside $50 for Origami Paper something the UA would be wi=
lling or capable of doing?
o I'm aware of the normal UA funding processes, but since this is informa=
l and on such short notice, I would like to know if there are any discretio=
nary funds that could be used.
* Access: Basically, the more dorms, labs, departments, offices, etc=
... that have a student who would like to actively push the Springtime Proj=
ect, the more of campus we could cover. Would you as individuals (i.e. not =
acting as a UA member) be willing to push the Springtime Project (e.g. orga=
nizing a time to fold butterflies, purchasing or bringing origami paper) to=
your dorm, living group, lab, sports teams, etc...?
o As some fine print, if the UA would like to hold a study break or somet=
hing regarding this project, then y'all are welcome to do it!
Other Concerns:
* Do you think this will actually reach the people who need it most?=
I'm concerned that by creating such an open and 'loud' atmosphere for thes=
e issues, the people who have the most trouble reaching out to others (and =
thus are most at risk) will be drowned out by the people who aren't as at r=
isk. Do you think this is a legitimate concern? If so, is there any way to =
mitigate these issues?
* Just generally, I'd like feedback on how you would interpret these=
butterflies, either as someone who has experienced mental health issues or=
as a friend of someone who has.
Thank you for your time, and I apologize for the long unsolicited email. Pl=
ease try and not spread word of this project too far yet, as some details a=
re still being worked out and I'd like a clear, unambiguous message to be s=
ent out when the Springtime Project is announced to the entire community.
If you are interested in helping out, please add yourself to the mailing li=
st springtime@mit.edu<mailto:springtime@mit.edu> here: https://groups.mit.e=
du/webmoira/list/springtime (alternatively, if you'd like to participate in=
this project as a group, could I add your exec mailing list to this list?)
Sincerely,
Norman
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<p class=3D"MsoNormal">Hello UA Exec,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">I’m writing to try and solicit some feedback a=
nd help on an art project that I’d want to make happen across campus:=
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><i>Working title</i>: <b>The Springtime Project</b><=
o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><b>The Story<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">The idea is to have student, staff, and faculty make=
and post paper butterflies to their doors all across campus, in dorms, cla=
ssrooms, labs, and offices. These butterflies would be a physical reminder =
of three themes:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoListParagraph" style=3D"text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level=
1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style=3D"font-family:Symbol"><span style=
=3D"mso-list:Ignore">·<span style=3D"font:7.0pt "Times New Roma=
n"">
</span></span></span><![endif]>A show of solidarity and togetherness as a c=
ommunity (“we are in this together”)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoListParagraph" style=3D"text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level=
1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style=3D"font-family:Symbol"><span style=
=3D"mso-list:Ignore">·<span style=3D"font:7.0pt "Times New Roma=
n"">
</span></span></span><![endif]>A statement that there is beauty in life (&#=
8230;)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoListParagraph" style=3D"text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level=
1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style=3D"font-family:Symbol"><span style=
=3D"mso-list:Ignore">·<span style=3D"font:7.0pt "Times New Roma=
n"">
</span></span></span><![endif]>A promise to recognize mental health as a se=
rious issue and that we can do better (i.e. no victim blaming, still trying=
to find a good way of putting this)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">Additionally, these butterflies are explicitly not m=
eant to be a campus-wide memorial. Like how spring brings new life from old=
ground, The Springtime Project is about finding new ways for individuals a=
nd communities to cope with and find
meaning in their lives.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><b>The Plan</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">I hope to make the process of people making the butt=
erflies a grassroots process, one that comes from the community itself (i.e=
. the students, staff, and faculty) rather than mandated from high-up. Henc=
e, I do not want this project to be
associated with any specific group on campus, although there may be many g=
roups working in the background to make this happen. In the same vein as th=
e Collier Memorial (but again this project is not meant to be a memorial), =
people would be encouraged to come
together with their own living or working groups to fold the butterflies. =
These could be great starting points for conversations about mental health =
and bring people across the entire campus together.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">Undegraduate students would be the first ones to be =
told about this project, and they’d start decorating their living spa=
ces with butterflies. They would be encouraged to give these butterflies to=
their professors or staff that they know,
which could be a very positive experience for both (as a person-to-person =
experience for the student, and as a sign of trust for the faculty/staff). =
While this is happening I’d like to reach out to graduate students, a=
cademic department heads and other campus
groups to encourage their professors/staff to begin doing the same.<o:p></=
o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><i>The goal would be to get all of campus covered by=
butterflies on the first day of spring (Friday, March 20<sup>th</sup>).<o:=
p></o:p></i></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><b>The Problems<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">Here’s where I would like the UA’s feedb=
ack and help:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><i>Logistical Problems:<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class=3D"MsoListParagraph" style=3D"text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level=
1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style=3D"font-family:Symbol"><span style=
=3D"mso-list:Ignore">·<span style=3D"font:7.0pt "Times New Roma=
n"">
</span></span></span><![endif]>Funding: To make sure this scales, and also =
to make it so that this project feels the most genuine, I’d like comm=
unities to come together and purchase their own materials for making paper =
butterflies (after all, you can make them
from printer paper). However, I’d also like some Origami paper to be=
available for people to either fold with on-site or take back with them to=
their living/working groups. If I can convince some more groups to join me=
on this (which I imagine I can), this
would be no more than $50 per group. <b>Is putting aside $50 for Origami P=
aper something the UA would be willing or capable of doing?</b><o:p></o:p><=
/p>
<p class=3D"MsoListParagraph" style=3D"margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in=
;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<![if !supportLists]><span style=3D"font-family:"Courier New""><s=
pan style=3D"mso-list:Ignore">o<span style=3D"font:7.0pt "Times New Ro=
man"">
</span></span></span><![endif]>I’m aware of the normal UA funding pro=
cesses, but since this is informal and on such short notice, I would like t=
o know if there are any discretionary funds that could be used.<o:p></o:p><=
/p>
<p class=3D"MsoListParagraph" style=3D"text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level=
1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style=3D"font-family:Symbol"><span style=
=3D"mso-list:Ignore">·<span style=3D"font:7.0pt "Times New Roma=
n"">
</span></span></span><![endif]>Access: Basically, the more dorms, labs, dep=
artments, offices, etc… that have a student who would like to activel=
y push the Springtime Project, the more of campus we could cover.
<b>Would you as individuals (i.e. not acting as a UA member) be willing to =
push the Springtime Project (e.g. organizing a time to fold butterflies, pu=
rchasing or bringing origami paper) to your dorm, living group, lab, sports=
teams, etc…?</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoListParagraph" style=3D"margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in=
;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<![if !supportLists]><span style=3D"font-family:"Courier New""><s=
pan style=3D"mso-list:Ignore">o<span style=3D"font:7.0pt "Times New Ro=
man"">
</span></span></span><![endif]>As some fine print, if the UA would like to =
hold a study break or something regarding this project, then y’all ar=
e welcome to do it!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><i>Other Concerns:</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoListParagraph" style=3D"text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level=
1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style=3D"font-family:Symbol"><span style=
=3D"mso-list:Ignore">·<span style=3D"font:7.0pt "Times New Roma=
n"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b>Do you think this will actually reach the=
people who need it most?</b> I’m concerned that by creating such an =
open and ‘loud’ atmosphere for these issues, the people who hav=
e the most trouble reaching out to others (and thus
are most at risk) will be drowned out by the people who aren’t as at=
risk. <b>Do you think this is a legitimate concern? If so, is there any wa=
y to mitigate these issues?</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoListParagraph" style=3D"text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level=
1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style=3D"font-family:Symbol"><span style=
=3D"mso-list:Ignore">·<span style=3D"font:7.0pt "Times New Roma=
n"">
</span></span></span><![endif]>Just generally, <b>I’d like feedback o=
n how you would interpret these butterflies, either as someone who has expe=
rienced mental health issues or as a friend of someone who has.</b><o:p></o=
:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">Thank you for your time, and I apologize for the lon=
g unsolicited email. Please try and not spread word of this project too far=
yet, as some details are still being worked out and I’d like a clear=
, unambiguous message to be sent out when
the Springtime Project is announced to the entire community.<o:p></o:p></p=
>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">If you are interested in helping out, please add you=
rself to the mailing list
<a href=3D"mailto:springtime@mit.edu">springtime@mit.edu</a> here: <a href=
=3D"https://groups.mit.edu/webmoira/list/springtime">
https://groups.mit.edu/webmoira/list/springtime</a> (alternatively, <b>if y=
ou’d like to participate in this project as a group, could I add your=
exec mailing list to this list?</b>)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">Norman<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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