On Friday, April 11, Prism held an event called Chalk Back Against Harassment: A Workshop on Activism at Red Square. The event was led by Sophie Sandberg, a street artist, educator, and the founder of Chalk Back. 

Chalk Back is a global, youth-led movement that uses chalk art and digital media to fight gender-based harassment. Advocates for the movement say it helps empower individuals to reclaim public spaces and raise awareness through art. 

“It started with Catcalls NYC, and I started it when I was in college,” Sandberg said. “I started it because I grew up in New York, and I started facing cat calling and sexual harassment from a really young age, and I feel like there weren’t a lot of tools or resources on what to do, so I wanted to find a way to express myself and share my story and my friends stories.” 

“That’s why it started, and then it just turned into a whole thing in New York, and then it grew globally,” Sandberg added.

“We loved the idea of bringing an interactive speaker here, one who could channel many of Clark’s students’ artistic ability and desire for activism,” Prism President Makayla Towne said. “So Sophie’s workshop for chalking messages based on these desires and aspirations seemed perfect for us.” 

Students showed up for the event at 2 p.m., and several joined in as they passed through the Red Square over its two-hour duration. 

“We still got a good turnout of about 30 people,” Towne said. “People would walk by, see what we were doing, and then excitedly join in to help with our message or write their own. Sophie was excellent at getting people to generate ideas and be confident in their messages.” 

Some of the messages students wrote included, “Don’t just Talk, Actively Push Back,” “Protect Trans Youth,” and “Listen to Students about Menstrual rights.” Other writings addressed recent administrative actions, including phrases like “Live Love Studio Art,” “Clark by the Students For the Students,” and “Don’t Forget the Union.” One student drew 17 horses around Red Square, referencing President David Fithian’s horses.

“Everyone was so creative and so artistic, honestly, and the messages are so beautiful,” Sandberg said. “But I think also this event addressed really particular things, like the Studio Art department being shut down, defunded. There was more attention to the administration, and the Clark administration and calling them directly out, which I like.” 

“Sometimes students are more sharing about the student body, but this I liked because it was really taking the administration into account,” Sandberg concluded.

“The main goal was to get the campus to come together and spread their voices, which is why we led the event more for activism than anti-harassment, which is what Sophie usually tends to focus on,” Towne said. “She agreed with us with the current climate on campus and everything that has been happening, activism and people’s voices being spread was crucial in this time and should be the main focus.” 

“We filled the entire square with colorful, impactful messages, and it really left an impression, I think, and we were very proud of how the event ended up,” Towne finished. 

Prism representatives say they hope to hold the event again next year, with more people involved.