Racine, WI – State Representative Angelina Cruz (D–Racine) is proud to announce the upcoming unveiling of THE PASSIONS PROJECT | Racial & Social Justice (RSJ) Racine, a portrait gallery celebrating the voices and experiences of forty public school students from the Racine Unified School District. The Gallery Event will take place Saturday, May 31, from 3pm–6pm at Festival Hall, 5 Fifth St, Racine, WI 53403. Admission is free.
As the Wisconsin State Legislature enters critical deliberations on the biennial state budget, Rep. Cruz is using this event to highlight the urgent need for increased investment in public education statewide. The gallery is not only an art show—it is a community call to action.
This year’s exhibition includes portraits and personal stories from students at Case High School, Walden III, and, for the first time, ten elementary students from Knapp Elementary Community School. The project is a collaboration among local artist and activist Heidi Wagner, the National Education Association (NEA), the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), and Racine Educators United (REU)—the local union of which Rep. Cruz also serves as President.
“This exhibit is about more than art—it’s about justice and equity for every child in our public schools,” said Rep. Cruz. “At a time when privatization efforts and voucher expansion threaten the future of public education in Wisconsin, THE PASSIONS PROJECT is a reminder of what’s at stake. These portraits put a face to the need for bold, equitable investment in our students.”
Organized by a student committee and their union teacher-advisors, the event amplifies student voices at a time when they are too often ignored in education policy debates. Through the lens of visual art and narrative, the exhibition invites community members to connect, reflect, and take action.
“Since I started THE PASSIONS MOVEMENT in 2011, it has always been a goal to amplify the voices of those who are often unseen and unheard,” said Heidi Wagner, founder of the movement. “When you see people engaged in their passion, you no longer see how they are different from you. You see a way to connect.”
THE PASSIONS PROJECT | RSJ Racine is free and open to the public. Tickets can be reserved at bit.ly/knapptickets.
Photo copyright Heidi Wagner Photography / THE PASSIONS MOVEMENT
