A Quick Introduction To What Drives Abigail's Work
When I was attempting to understand how Abigail fell into her constant desire to create spaces where there previously were none, she told me what brought her to ART/EMIS. In high school, she always found herself in creative spaces, working in theater, film, and just about anything creative she could be a part of, so during her freshman year at USC, she joined ART/EMIS to find herself creatively in college. As ART/EMIS’ E-Board thrives from a diverse group of feminists, whenever Abigail helped produce any project, she would learn from their experiences, their worldviews, and their values, helping her begin to understand where she stood within the divided social assumptions of the world with her privilege as a white cisgender woman at an elite, private university. Further, as she started to contextualize what intersectional issues looked like in practice, both through the clashing elements of her identity as a queer woman from a conservative town and the elements of others’ identities, she realized the best way for her to create social change is to use her privilege to create spaces. In our interview, she told me that because ART/EMIS projects must revolve around some intersectional issue, sometimes she feels limited because the nature of intersectionality is incredibly broad and far-reaching – at times, it is difficult for her to find the correct focus, if there even is a correct focus. She has learned through her experiences that the best practice is to ensure the right people are in the room by filling those spaces, making new spaces, or showing them what spaces are missing. If everyone in the room looks the same, thinks the same, and has the same experiences, then that cannot be an intersectional or even a welcoming space. The most inclusive and illuminating work can only be created if progressive spaces are made first.