DIVAS For Social Justice: Bridging the Digital Divide

DIVAS (Digital Interactive Visual Arts Sciences) for Social Justice is a grassroots community organization in Bed-Stuy that aims to:

• bridge the digital divide
• teach media literacy + cultural awareness amongst young women of color

Founders, Sha Sha Feng and Clarisa James decided to form DIVAS after collaborating during graduate school. James received her BA in Music & Media Studies and Feng received her BA in Computer Science & Music. Both are alumnae of the MFA program in Integrated Media Arts at Hunter College. They are actively involved in creating socially conscious media.

Through their personal experiences, Feng and James became painfully aware of the under-representation of women of color in the Information Technology and New Media fields. Hence, DIVAS was born!

Studies indicate that the Information Technology profession is made up of only 35% women and the number of women of color within that percentage is even less. DIVAS for Social Justice is determined to tear down economic and racial barriers to encourage young women of color to become future leaders in their communities and the Information Technology/New Media fields.

On December 1st, the DIVAs are having a fundraiser and lecture at the the Magnolia Tree Earth Center (677 Lafayette Avenue in Bed Stuy).  Marcia Harris will deliver a lecture on Imagery & Its Power.

Imagery & Its Power” is a presentation about the original
use of the N-word in its historical context using visuals, DVDs,
and a PowerPoint presentation to engage youth and adults
in an open, honest, and historically revealing interactive
discussion.

The purpose of this effective presentation is to critically
analyze history, propaganda, media manipulation, and
past/present-day caricatures in understanding why some of
us dislike ourselves, continuously distrust one another, and
kill each other so easily.

This event is great for educators and youth facilitators