“One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai
Many people underestimate the minds of children. Children are looked down upon in society as too immature, too distracted, too inexperienced to contribute anything of value to the communities that raised them. It is only by hammering their minds into mindless obedient followers that they will then transform from the nuisance of a child to the blessing of an adult.
The Migros Aid Summer Art Camp of 2025 defied that. From June 16 to July 28, a total of ten young girls from the Migros Aid community attended ARTIVISM Art Camp directed by Sarah Grace Wiggins.
ARTIVISM, standing for Artists Responding To Injustice, Violence, Inequality, & Systemic Marginalization, aimed to empower these young students to not only lift their voices and stories through the medium of art, but to also empower these young women to create a change in their lives and their communities.
Learning from six diverse contemporary artists, the students of ARTIVISM Art Camp explored themes of culture, heritage, power, history, oppression, displacement, and self-empowerment.
Painting with Nigerian-American artist Kehinde Wiley taught students about history and power, as well as the strength it takes to be a leader. By referencing Wiley’s work, artists painted the portrait of someone they believed would be a good President. Students discussed the importance of documenting history when sculpting in clay with Chinese American artist Maya Lin.
By looking at historical and contemporary examples of historical monuments, artists sculpted their own monuments commemorating impactful historical events.
Creativity poured out of students as they designed fashions representing their cultural heritage with Indian fashion designer Gaurav Gupta. Fabric, feathers, ribbons, and beads covered worktables as artists embraced their cultural pride, displaying it unashamedly to the world.
The young students did not shy away from discussing heavy topics, such as immigration and displacement, with Cuban artist KCHO. By empathizing with the refugees of war-torn Cuba and the millions of people fleeing their homes around the world, artists built sculptures of cars, buses, and airplanes to celebrate immigrant strength. Women, who, like children, are often devalued in society, took center stage when students painted with Congolese artist Rhode Makoumbou. After reflecting on the countless contributions the women of their families and communities make to their lives, artists collaboratively painted a mural thanking those women for their labor and sacrifice. By acknowledging and accepting every facet of their selfhood, students unified their identities of culture, race, religion, and history through the practice of henna art with Moroccan artist Lalla Essaydi. Like Essaydi, artists used the medium of henna to celebrate their heritage and the beauty and strength within them.
To those who believe that a mere child is too young to engage in discussions like these, ARTIVISM Art Camp might seem like a lofty fantasy. Those who recognize a child’s intelligence, curiosity, and wonder know that the robust art making and discussion coming from ARTIVISM Art Camp planted the seeds of hope and change in these children’s lives.
While discussing the importance of documenting history via monuments when studying Maya Lin, one student aged 10 said, “Art helps people rebuild their countries after a war. They can use art to remind people never to do that bad stuff again.”
In a time where the grown-up leaders push innocent lives further and further to the margins, the words of a “mere, immature, distracted, and inexperienced” young girl have the power to rewrite our futures.
As we fight with words, action, labor, sacrifice, song, dance, and yes, art, to protect and empower one another, let us draw from the stories of the Migros Aid children. Art gives children voices. Art gives people hope.
By Sarah Grace Wiggins, a college student in Indianapolis.
