Sound Your Truth

An interactive evening of creative sharing and collective expression on the Courtyard / Sojourner Truth Library Quad, hosted to amplify and center underrepresented voices in particular.

This event is held annually on or around the anniversary of George Floyd’s birthday.  

Save the date: SOUND YOUR TRUTH 2023 will take place on Friday October 13th, 4:30 – 7:30pm. There will be food!
We encourage faculty and student groups to reach out to us to see how you can collaborate.
Our next planning/brainstorming session will be on Tuesday September 12, 3:15pm 4:15pm on the Courtyard in front of FAB/STL + online Webex 

For educators: Examples of how you can engage your class with Sound Your Truth. 

Sound Your Truth: Emergence/y (2022) 

Call to Participate
  • How might we flow out of the void?   
  • How might we bridge the gap?   
  • How might we practice radical care?  
  • How might we move from emergency to emergence?

Hosted and coordinated by Eddy at New Paltz in collaboration with the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, the Department of Black Studies, the Black Lives Matter at School Collective, the Faculty Development Center, the Center for Student Engagement (Intercultural Relations), and the Sojourner Truth Library.  

Sound Your Truth 2021 

Call to Participate

Full event documentation: This video was produced by Digital Media Production students with Professor Rob Harris.

This interactive evening of creative sharing and collective expression on the Courtyard / Sojourner Truth Library quad was hosted with the intention to particularly amplify and center underrepresented voices.

 It was moderated by students Nayyir Strasner, Jordan Hennix, and Brianna Hicks.

Students and faculty responded to a call to sound their truths:

  • What needs to be said right now?  
  • What do we all need to hear?  
  • How might our creative acts meet this moment?  
  • How might we come together to celebrate being alive together? 
  • How should the heart of our campus beat?  

Students from many disciplines performed spoken word, poetry, rap, and song.

The truth-speaking / truth-listening environment for all to use during the event was created by sculpture students.
Printmaking students shared images printed as prayer flags, and Photography students shared the 400 Years of Inequality timeline.

These video interviews with participating students were created by Digital Media Production students.


Original invitation

Organizing team and related courses/organizations:

  • Michael Asbill, Sculpture Program, Art Department (ARS304 Sonic Measures)
  • Zach Bowman, Dorsky Museum
  • Anthony Dandridge, Black Studies Department (BLK272 Rap and Spoken Word)
  • Aurora De Armendi, Printmaking Program, Art Department (ARS 280 Basic Printmaking)
  • Andrea Frank, Photography Program, Art Department (ARS 230 Basic Digital Photography, ARS 331 Photo Books and Installations)
  • Robert Harris, Digital Media and Journalism Department (Digital Media Production)
  • Jordan Hennix, President, Student Association
  • Brianna Hicks, Council of Organization Chairperson, Student Association
  • Emilie Houssart, Sculpture Program, Art Department (ARS270/ARS170 Basic Sculpture/Intro to Sculpture)
  • Joshua Korenblat, Graphic Design Program, Art Department
  • Jill Parisi-Phillips, Printmaking Program, Art Department (ARS (ARS 280 Basic Printmaking)
  • Emily Puthoff, Sculpture Program, Art Department (ARS316/ARS574 Sculpture Situations, ARS270/ARS170 Basic Sculpture/Intro to Sculpture)
  • Nayyir Strasner, Leader of Black Student Union
  • Sarah Wyman, English Department and Faculty Development Center

Eddy at New Paltz