The annual Clothesline Project hosted by Utah Valley University’s Center for Social Impact (CSI) took place on October 27 and 28, 2021, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in UVU’s Grand Ballroom.
Above: The Clothesline Project at UVU in 2019.
The annual Clothesline Project hosted by Utah Valley University’s Center for Social Impact (CSI) took place on October 27 and 28, 2021, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in UVU’s Grand Ballroom. An addition to this year’s display included a special interactive exhibit acknowledging Murdered Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) and ongoing violence at the southwest border.
“We decided to have MMIW and sexual violence at the southern border be our special exhibit because we feel these are two issues that are widely overlooked,” said Priscilla Villasenor-Navarro, community organizing and activism fellow for the CSI. “Many people I talk to about MMIW and sexual violence at the border don’t even know that these things are going on in the first place. This exhibit raised awareness for these special emphases through exposure to the issues.”
The annual portion of the Clothesline Project exhibit combines visual and auditory elements to raise awareness for survivors of assault and abuse. Thousands of colored T-shirts are displayed, each with handwritten text from a survivor or in remembrance of an assault or abuse victim. All T-shirts on display this year were submitted by someone living in Utah County.
Each shirt color in the 2021 exhibit represented a specific form of assault and abuse, including:
The Clothesline Project exhibit was free to the public. We invite those who were unable to see the display in person to view the online gallery.
“I hope that this project will make people empathize more with the victims and survivors of sexual and domestic violence,” Villasenor-Navarro said. “While it can be extremely difficult to talk about these types of assault and violence, it is so important to hear the stories of those willing to share.”
Utah Valley University offers resources to help those impacted by violence and abuse. To find out more, contact the Title IX Office at (801) 863-7999 or email titleix@uvu.edu. Help is also available 24/7 with Utah Domestic Violence Coalition at 1 (800) 897-LINK (5465). If you or someone else is in immediate danger or in an emergency, please call 911.
About the Center for Social Impact (CSI)
The CSI provides curricular, cocurricular, and extracurricular student experiences in six diverse pathways of social impact. Whether a student, faculty, or community member, all are invited to participate in various programs and events, volunteer or recruit volunteers, and enhance their academic experience through the CSI’s coursework and scholar distinction.
The CSI offers a variety of events, programs, academic opportunities, and connections to community partner organizations and basic needs resources. Regardless of discipline or interest, there is something for every student at UVU who wants to make an impact.
