The Body of Freedom Workshops Create Community Across Riverside
02/06/2026
The Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties, in collaboration with the City of Riverside, Division 9 Gallery, and the Riverside Arts Magnet at Ramona High School, successfully wrapped a multi-month series of free community arts workshops as part of The Body of Freedom project. The initiative, which included mural painting, reflective poetry, mosaic art, puppetry, and more, drew strong participation from residents of all ages across Riverside.
Hosted at key locations throughout the city, such as The Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties in downtown Riverside, Division 9 Gallery, Ramona High School, and local arts festivals, the workshops invited community members to explore freedom, identity, and creativity through hands-on artmaking. Each session filled quickly, with several community members highlighting the skills they learned.
“The response from the community was incredible,” Tracy Fisher, PhD, Director of The Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties shared. “Riverside showed up with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a commitment to using art as a way to be in community with one another.”
Throughout September, October, November, and January, The Body of Freedom offered a wide range of workshops such as:
- Community Quilt Workshop at the Art & Music Festival at White Park
- Reflective Poetry Workshops at Ramona High School
- Windows to Our World Painting Riverside Community Arts Association
- Peace Bridge Upcycled Mosaic Art at the Mission Inn Foundation
- Mural Painting at the Festival of Arts at Ramona High School
- Mosaic Butterflies at The Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties
- Upcycled Puppets & Design at The Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties
- Paper Mache Sculpture at Division 9 Gallery
- Collage at The Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties
Participants included families, students, emerging artists, and longtime Riverside residents—many of whom attended multiple workshops and expressed gratitude for accessible, high-quality arts programming offered at no cost.
The artwork created by the community will be featured in a forthcoming The Body of Freedom community arts exhibition, celebrating the creative expressions and personal reflections that emerged throughout the workshops. The exhibition opening is Friday, March 6, 2026, 6PM-8PM.
“The Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties is honored to serve as a creative hub for our community,” Fisher shared. “The workshops and the exhibition demonstrate the power of art to bring people together and ignite important conversations about freedom, voice, and collective healing.”
For more information about The Body of Freedom contact:
https://socialjustice.rccd.edu
Published by External Relations & Strategic Communications