Revelatory Aspirations and Dreams: Striving for Generational and Artistic Connection and Co-Creation

Humanizing Acts is a series of essays and artworks that examines the impact of COVID-19 on the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Each contributor writes about the ethical quandaries of conducting research at the border, living amidst the vulnerability and violence of pandemic times, and navigating complex interpersonal relationships and responsibilities. The scholars and artists share compassionate stories of people, including friends, loved ones, and neighbors alike, ultimately asking: How can academic research be a humanizing act?

The past exerts an unwavering grip on my present as I experience my current reality as an interconnected web woven by lived experiences. Throughout my educational journey, the relentless presence of the global COVID-19 pandemic, with its uncertain and isolating shadows, has challenged and inspired me in unexpected ways. The abrupt onset of the first shutdown led me to experience pivotal milestones such as my high school graduation in June 2020 virtually. My transition to online classes and the physical separation that emerged among fellow UC Irvine undergraduate students, professors, and peers presented daunting hurdles, evoking uncertainty about the potential impact it would have on my undergraduate student experience and education. Nonetheless, from the virtual halls of academia to the present day, the pandemic has deeply influenced my growth, presenting me with unforeseen obstacles and pushing me to reevaluate and adapt my goals, particularly during my undergraduate coursework and research at UC Irvine. This ever-changing landscape has inspired me to listen, co-create, and learn with fellow undergraduate students in navigating this shifting pandemic and its impact on my educational environment.

Outwardly, the prolonged periods of isolation and social distancing made for moments of introspection, highlighting the profound importance of human connection and the value of nurturing meaningful relationships. More specifically, I realized that the uncertainty of the pandemic led people to become more guarded about their personal lives. The need for self-preservation and a heightened awareness of potential risks further fueled this protective nature, motivating individuals to prioritize their well-being and privacy more diligently. These realizations ignited my desire to forge genuine and deep connections with those I could connect with, transcending superficial interactions to foster more compassionate and profound relationships. Acknowledging our shared vulnerability amidst the pandemic has infused my current Imagining America Joy of Giving Something Fellowship project, “Revelatory Aspirations and Dreams: Striving for Generational and Artistic Connection and Co-Creation” with a heightened sense of purpose, transforming it into an overflowing wellspring of connections, creativity, and empathy.

As I reflect on my experience, I seek to shed light on the influence of public scholarship connections and spaces on my Imagining America project.¹ In my striving to resist the isolation, disconnects, and silences of the pandemic, such connections, creativity, and spaces revealed the importance of connecting with fellow undergraduate students to co-create with each other as a humane response to the pandemic.

Influential Connections

In the Fall of 2020, my journey into co-creating with fellow UC Irvine undergraduate students began to take shape. After thoughtful and stimulating courses and public scholarship seminar discussions with students and professors, I developed a more profound understanding of challenging subjects and the urgency of connecting and co-creating with fellow students. This experience allowed me not to become entirely discouraged by the limitations of connecting and learning online. Instead, listening, sharing perspectives, and discussing readings carefully and virtually inspired me to realize that the virtual dialogue and spaces we shared, especially in the public scholarship seminars Dr. Ana Elizabeth Rosas taught, could lead to meaningful connections and work. The public scholarship seminars were spaces in which I contributed to share time and moments with fellow students, in which we listened to each other and shared our ideas about seminar readings, experiences, and approaches to creating and researching as a way of navigating the challenges of the pandemic together.

By the end of the summer of 2022, I had completed the UC Irvine Public Scholarship Summer Institute taught by Dr. Rosas. The institute enhanced my thinking, research skills, and experience when working with fellow students to complete archival research and discussions on research methodologies. Our institute research team’s archival research focused on textually analyzing and discussing the El Sol Science and Arts Academy of Santa Ana’s Letters Archive. This institute research team experience was not only a personal endeavor but a shared and collective one, laying the foundation for my appreciation of collegial and inclusive research practices that have influenced my current Imagining America project.

Delving into this vast archive and working with fellow research institute team members as we developed connections to and an understanding of El Sol and its history paved the way for my learning more about the power of connections, collaboration, and research. El Sol is a dual-immersion K-8th grade public charter school in Orange County, California, and our institute research team experienced the value of connecting across different perspectives, insights, and strengths while learning from their letters archive. We contributed to the development of an exhibition on these letters and its relationship to El Sol’s history.

By completing my public scholarship institute research team experience, I gleaned an understanding of El Sol’s goals of instilling courage, creativity, honesty, and kindness in its students, empowering them to assume leadership roles in the future. In my collaboration with institute research team members to consider the essence of the El Sol Letters Archive, I have gained an appreciation for the elements of language and power embedded within this archival collection. It has made it possible for me to learn from the power of writing, textual analysis, and preservation. Among the exhibit project’s goals is to share a history of El Sol’s Letters Archive that captures the accomplishments of its students and community members, especially in challenging moments in the school’s history. Being a part of and contributing to the institute research team’s archival research and meetings influenced my current project, guiding me to pursue collaboration, diverse perspectives, and an approach to co-creating that values meaningful listening, connection, and the telling of a story.

The Meaningful Impact of Imagining America’s National Gathering

In August 2022, after completing my UC Irvine Public Scholarship Summer Institute research team participation, I applied for the Imaging America Fellowship to pursue my project that would become “Revelatory Aspirations and Dreams.” When I was awarded this fellowship, I thought of it as another meaningful opportunity to develop and carry out a project that would make it possible for undergraduate students to feel listened to and connected with fellow students. By focusing my project on listening to fellow undergraduate students from throughout California, to co-create in an authentically supportive environment that recognizes the impact of the pandemic on our education, households, aspirations, and dreams, I sought to build on my coursework, public scholarship seminar, and experiences of working with fellow undergraduate students to pursue creative and research endeavors as we navigated the pandemic.

With much excitement, I began to conceptualize and pursue my Imagining America project as my way of prioritizing a collaborative approach to learn more about the ongoing impact of the pandemic on fellow students’ educational journeys. I enthusiastically began this project to assert my deep appreciation for co-creating with fellow students with boundless imagination and innovation. In October 2022, as part of my Imagining America award, I had the opportunity to travel outside of California for the first time since the onset of the pandemic to New Orleans to attend and participate in the annual IA National Gathering. This gathering made it possible for me to meet with other fellows and connect with remarkable people from across the United States to learn from their approach to supporting each other during the pandemic.

During this three day gathering, learning more about the city of New Orleans’s history and cultural innovations such as Creole cuisine, gospel music, and jazz energized me to reflect deeply on the importance of creativity and collaboration. The influence of this experience was further shaped by the moving Ashé Powerhouse Theater’s musical performances and other activities and events. Participating in morning rituals in this theater allowed me to experience the transformative power of art and cultural beauty in breaking barriers and fostering connections among people in attendance. As I sat in the theater, the beats reverberating through the space sent chills down my spine, and the ensuing gathering of dialogues and presentations further enriched my experience. By sharing conversations with other participants, including Joy of Giving Something fellows and collaborators, I was struck by the seamless flow of ideas and the valuable knowledge gained from each other’s perspectives. Ironically, within the confines of the gathering’s meeting rooms within and beyond the theater, I felt a sense of liberation, breaking free from the limitations of virtual communication at last. This gathering experience in New Orleans fueled the creative vision guiding my conceptualization of my project. While at this time, I was still developing the project concept, I had grown my idea into an opportunity to illustrate the importance of creatively connecting with fellow undergraduate students to resist the disconnects and confining conditions imposed by the pandemic. 

Collaborative Co-Creation

Upon returning from New Orleans, a renewed sense of creative vision and a wealth of idea-sharing experiences gave me eagerness to infuse the energy of this gathering into my Imagining America project. In January 2023, embracing the qualities of sharing connections, histories, and spaces, I sought a creative and collaborative partnership to further implement and strengthen the vision of my project. This process began with inviting Leen Alharbi, a third-year international undergraduate student majoring in Criminology, Law, and Society at UC Irvine to collaborate with me on the digital artwork that would be central to the project.² Leen’s artistry and experience in digital art were extremely important to the collaborative co-creation that would make this project possible. Leen, with my feedback and notes, would create the digital artworks comprising “Revelatory Aspirations and Dreams.” Moreover, Leen’s pursuit of her aspirations and personal dreams at UC Irvine resonated deeply with me and the themes we both wanted to explore as part of the project. We both were interested in listening and co-creating to learn about and share the aspirations and dreams of fellow undergraduate students during the pandemic.

As a digital artist, Leen seeks to nurture her emotional well-being through her digital artistry and curation of art projects. Her creative approach and investment in emotional wellness aligned perfectly with my appreciation for creativity as a transformative force. Together, our Imagining America project partnership and collaborative co-creation solidified what eventually became our vision of listening to, reflecting on, and interweaving narratives, artistic expression, and the experiences of fellow undergraduate students to co-create revealing digital artworks. Additionally, by collaborating on my project we aimed to bring our perspectives to this project, especially our appreciation and interest in understanding the journeys, aspirations, and dreams of undergraduate students who, like ourselves, are navigating the pressures and responsibilities of the pandemic. As this project has evolved, we have focused on co-creating digital artwork that captures the generational dreams, resilience, and the power of artistic expression. Together, we are committed to making sure that “Revelatory Aspirations and Dreams” showcases the aspirations and dreams of undergraduate students and celebrates the strengths and beauty found within the intersections of connecting and co-creating by listening to each other, especially during disconnects brought on or heightened by the pandemic.

Sharing meaningful Zoom meeting conversations with fellow undergraduate students we invited to participate and contribute to “Revelatory Aspirations and Dreams” made it possible to discuss and learn from their experiences and journeys. These conversations grounded our approach to developing spaces in which we could listen and learn from them, and in turn, co-create digital artwork that illustrated the diversity of their aspirations and dreams. After these conversations, we would meet and reflect on what the student had shared to co-create digital artwork that illustrated their aspirations and dreams. By sharing these conversations, we were able to develop our understanding of the aspirations and dreams that shaped participating undergraduate students’ lives. This listening and co-creation process has been helpful for Leen, participating undergraduate students, and myself to not become disconnected from each other, especially as we experience ever-changing learning formats and spaces.

Our conversation with Bryan Chavez, an undergraduate student majoring in Journalism at San Francisco State University, solidified our approach to completing my project.³ During our conversation, Bryan expressed his unwavering passion for a career in sports journalism. As he shared his goal to thrive in this field, he shined brightly. Discussing this aspiration and dream with us illuminated his determination, which was also evident when he shared his approach to moments of adversity. Throughout our conversation, Leen and I were also struck by Bryan’s unpacking of countless moments of joy. He appeared to be living his life with great purpose and dreams. Indeed, reflecting carefully on our conversation with Bryan inspired us to not lose sight of the power of dreams in his life and underscored the importance of listening for the diversity of ways in which aspirations and dreams had meaning in undergraduate students’ lives, especially during the pandemic.

After learning from Bryan’s discussion of his pursuit of empowerment and freedom through his ongoing pursuit of his dreams, Leen and I also derived inspiration for the co-creation of the digital artwork that would focus on Bryan and other participating undergraduate students’ aspirations and dreams, from the captivating artistry of Mandy Thompson. Thompson is an abstract artist from rural Georgia whose principles of abstract expressionism resonated with us. Her perspective on her artistic approach also made a strong impression on us, especially this quote: “My paintings include colors that reflect the vitality of life. Textures that communicate the physicality of nature, and strong lines with open spaces that evoke a sense of freedom.” Her approach and her artwork exhibit the principles of abstract expressionism and diverge from realism to capture the essence of the natural world that surrounds her. Her work influenced our digital artwork for my project. It motivated Leen and I to co-create digital artwork that emulated her meticulous attention to detail, use of color, and the strategic placement of elements in our landscape digital artwork. We considered these creative choices as allowing us to capture the self-empowering aspirations and dreams that Bryan and other participating undergraduate students shared with us during our project conversations.

Persistence Unbound

Our co-creation process made it possible for Leen and I to complete our digital artwork, Persistence Unbound, for my project. This artwork represented the culmination of our project conversation with Bryan. Created to take a pyramidal formation, Persistence Unbound provides insight into the framing of Bryan’s aspirations and dreams, emphasizing the alignments of various elements in his life that have shaped his dreams and journey. The digital artwork’s profound meaning is illustrated through the depiction of Bryan’s sense of self and motivations, serving as a testament to his dedicated pursuit of his dreams, especially his aspirations in the field of sports journalism.

During our conversation, Bryan also courageously shared how the initial closures of the pandemic made for uncertainty when pursuing his dreams. To artistically capture Bryan’s experience, Leen and I chose to co-create a digital artwork that did not lose sight of Bryan’s investment in self-care. Hence, Persistence Unbound depicts Bryan shouldering the weight and joy of his dreams. This creative choice made it possible to illustrate the determination he asserts when pursuing his dreams leading up to and during the pandemic. We also sought to depict Bryan’s connections to El Salvador through our dispersal of the Salvadoran American flag throughout the digital artwork. Together, these creative elements shed light on the meaningful experiences, locations, memories of joy, and dreams that have left an indelible impact on Bryan’s sense of self as he pursues his aspirations and dreams.

Having co-created Persistence Unbound, Leen and I are thrilled to work towards the completion of my project by inviting more undergraduate students from throughout California to collaborate with us on these digital artworks that arise from moments of listening, reflection, and co-creation. In doing so, we look forward to the project growing into a rich digital artwork collection. We believe that our co-creating these digital artworks will have great value to the larger project of making it possible to connect undergraduate students to focus on the aspirations and dreams that inspire and sustain them. My project strives to cultivate meaningful connections that can bridge the disconnects created and/or intensified by the pandemic.

Looking Ahead

Once we have completed “Revelatory Aspirations and Dreams,” Leen and I look forward to curating our digital artworks into an exhibition showcase and event. We are considering two distinct possibilities for exhibiting the project, either an entirely virtual presentation or an in-person exhibition and event. We are inclined towards a carefully organized in-person showcase. This approach will allow us to invite audiences to engage with our project and in turn, develop connections that transcend the digital realm. We aim to foster a profound connection between the audience and each digital artwork, connecting people through meaningful creative choices. An in-person exhibition would also invite the audience to connect with the digital artwork on a deeper level. As part of our envisioned event, we would bring together participating undergraduate students to provide a space for them to speak about their project participation, and possibly the aspirations and dreams they shared with Leen and me when contributing to “Revelatory Aspirations and Dreams.” This event can make it possible to build on the connections that bring everyone to this exhibition. To accomplish these goals, we have begun researching grant opportunities so that we can apply for funding to pursue our exhibition showcase and event concept.

Most recently, Dr. Rosas invited me to reflect on my project for her Foundry special issue, Humanizing Acts. Learning from each Humanizing Acts presenter’s creative writing or research added depth and meaning to my understanding of connections and co-creation partnerships, like the one I share with Leen and fellow undergraduate students. This conference experience also strengthened my understanding of the importance of listening to each other to learn and create during a time of many transitions into and out of disconnection. Another realization I experienced was the diverse yet interconnected ways our projects aimed to resist the silences and erasures of the pandemic, especially as we experience the ongoing uncertainties of a pandemic-stricken world. All of my experiences combined made it possible for me to understand that the significance of each digital artwork comprising “Revelatory Aspirations and Dreams” extends far beyond its physical form, as it strives to assert that without our conversations and connections with each other, the digital artwork would not exist. As I conclude this piece, I am deeply grateful to Leen, Bryan, fellow undergraduate students, researchers, professors, peers, family, and friends for contributing to our collaborative attempt to listen, recognize, and share our aspirations and dreams to resist the disconnects of the pandemic together.

This essay is part of the series Humanizing Acts: Resisting the Historical Erasures of the COVID-19 Pandemic across the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands, funded by UCHRI’s Recasting the Humanities: Foundry Guest Editorship grant. Listen to the collaborative podcast, in which series contributors discuss the gifts of resisting the historical erasure of the COVID-19 pandemic with community and research.

This publication was partially funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

1. My public scholarship experience includes UC Irvine public scholarship seminars, the UC Irvine Public Scholarship Summer Institute research team, my Imagining America Joy of Giving Something Fellowship, and UCHRI’s Humanizing Acts showcase event.
2. Leen Alharbi is a third-year international undergraduate student majoring in Criminology, Law, and Society with a minor in Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. She was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and recently moved to Irvine for her academic and professional pursuits. Leen enjoys and finds inspiration in painting during her free time, which enables her to express herself creatively. Leen is making her mark in academics and the creative industry with a dedication to quality and a love of art.
3. Bryan Chavez is majoring in Journalism with a minor in Sociology in his final year at San Francisco State University. Raised in the California Bay Area, he considers this region his true home, where his heart truly resides. Passionate about the world of sports, he aspires to forge a successful career as a sports journalist. Currently, Bryan showcases his talent and dedication as a contributing writer for the esteemed student-run newspaper, Golden Gate Xpress.