Words Matter: Young Creatives Launch Gender and Sexuality Inclusive Campaign

By: Jeff M. Poulin with SJ Hemmerich

This spring, Teaching Tolerance – a program of the Southern Poverty Law Center – provided a platform for educators and young creatives to make art and build campaigns in their schools and communities through the #USvsHate project. We were thrilled to see the several winners announced last week and to feature some of their work on our blog.

We got a chance to catch up with SJ Hemmerich who is an art teacher and GSA advisor at Randall Elementary School in Madison, WI to learn about the project:

Creative Generation (CG): Can you describe the message of the artwork you created and why you made the choices you did?

SJ Hemmerich (SJ): My district, Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin, celebrates “Words Matter” week, previously called “No Name-Calling Week.  The message of the video is “Words Matter” and was initially created by our GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) for our school.

CG: How did you first get into creating art?

SJ: I’ve enjoyed art since a young child. I was always drawing rainbows on everything and loved bright colors.  

CG: How would you describe yourself as an artist?

SJ: I enjoy the problem-solving aspect of working with found or natural materials. I personally love creating environmental artwork inspired by Andy Goldsworthy.  I enjoy watching my students’ creativity on “Rainbow Days,” a class-wide behavior incentive earned 2-3 times per school year, in which they get to do some sort of Recycled Arts project; arcade games, musical instruments, and kinetic sculptures are a few examples.   My art as an art teacher is weaving social justice issues, culture, and identity into the students’ work so it is meaningful and pertinent to them.

CG: How do you think your message and work may change your community, people's minds, or the world?

SJ: Language is changing all the time.  So much of our language is exclusionary.  So much of how we talk about others and what we expect of others is based on stereotypes about their perceived race, gender, ability, sexual orientation, and other identities.  Words have the potential to hurt and harm, but also uplift and unite people.  I hope this video brings to light new and impactful ways to think more carefully about how we use words

CG: What advice do you have for other young artists and change-makers around the world?

SJ: Use your privilege, voice, and creativity to uplift and celebrate those around you with less privilege.  

SJ Hemmerich is a queer gender nonbinary art teacher and GSA advisor in their third year at Randall Elementary School with 8 total years of teaching experience. They are also a Welcoming Schools facilitator, providing district-wide professional development on Embracing All Families, Bias-based Bullying, Creating Gender Inclusive Schools, Intersectionality, etc. SJ grew up in Sparta, WI and attended UW-Madison for my BS in Art Education.  This year, they won the title of GSafe Educator of the Year in Wisconsin for their advocacy with LGBTQ+ youth.