What Signs Say, Part Two: Nostalgia and Activism on the Streets

The second of this two-part series, moderated by “Untapped New York” founder Michelle Young, looks at how our streetscapes carry us forward and backwards, through activism and nostalgia. Young leads this discussion with linguist Shonna Trinch and cultural anthropologist Edward Snajdr, who co-authored the book “What the Signs Say: Language, Gentrification, and Place-Making in Brooklyn”; artist Hank Willis Thomas whose work touches upon themes of identity, history, and popular culture; Jeremiah Moss, author of “Vanishing New York: How a Great City Lost Its Soul”; and artist Neil Goldberg whose videos, photography, mixed media, and performance work reflect embodiment mortality, and the everyday. Together they will look at streetscapes, signage and public art, as they speak to messages of class and race, the power of words shown publicly, and marketing to upward mobility.

Presented in partnership with John Jay College, CUNY