"We realized the necessity of understanding the community in which artwork is being presented," writes one student. "Prior to this class I wasn't even aware that there was such a deep and rich African American community and history in Newark," notes another. "This class has changed my perspective on cultural diversity and the community," states a third.

The aim of "Art as Social Activism" was to reach out to the members of the local African-American population and to offer University students the opportunity to broaden their horizons in an affirmative, proactive way by expanding their engagement with diverse groups of people and the multi-ethnic life of an African American neighborhood adjacent to the University's Newark campus. This goal was achieved through oral, written, and visual work. Students interviewed members of community; they drew studies of the sites visited, and produced artwork and essays that reflected upon their relationships with the community.

Students' final responses to the public art project acknowledge the complexity and the rewards of such an undertaking; they list a wide array of skills and insights gained. These range from "tangible skills such as using a video camera and editing a video" to "what it was like to funnel many people's creative ideas into one cohesive design." They also offered ideas about ways to better reach the community and new ways to manage large art projects. By being directly involved in the undertaking, many students learned the importance of coordination and planning, skills that they now recognized are necessary for their future work as artists.

The effect that the project had on students and their career goals as artists is well summed up by the statement: "I felt proud to be part of a project that seeks to change a relationship . . . between a local community and the University. I am impressed with the idea of using art to promote strong social relationships."