Yale College, Ezra Stiles
Class of 2027
Political Science and Economics, Double Major
Protest Then and Now, Colorized
Protest Then
and Now, Colorized
By Katelyn Wang
This piece explores how the futures we fight for collide with our histories. In 1968, when students occupied Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall for over a week, they renamed it the “Malcolm X Liberation College.” In 2024, students occupied the very same Hamilton Hall, this time dubbed “Hind’s Hall.” Throughout, I felt a reawakening of 1968, where students ardently protested the Vietnam War on college campuses. Now, in 2024, students from a range of perspectives find themselves amidst the Israel-Hamas War. One thing binds these crescendos together: a tradition of student passion. The black and white images of students protesting the Vietnam War have come alive in dashes of white, green, black, blue and red.
Katelyn Wang is an artist from San Diego, California, where she grew up painting alongside various community organizations in the Convoy Asian Cultural District and Murals of La Jolla project. At Yale, she co-directs Bright Spaces, a public arts organization that works with local businesses and grassroots groups to fulfill the visions of today's leaders and dreamers. She enjoys using art and culture as an impetus for economic development and political power. You can view some of her work (and take advantage of exploring New Haven!) at Noir Vintage on Court Street or High School in the Community on Water Street.