by Ilyssa Weiner

Oswego, NY- Writer and Humanitarian Kevin Powell spoke at SUNY Oswego’s Sheldon Hall Ballroom on Feb. 16 as part of the school’s “I Am Oz” Diversity Speaker Series.

Powell stressed the importance of education and history to his audience. His mother, who only had an eighth grade education, pushed him to do well in school.

“She kept saying to me when I was a child ‘You’re going to go to college. You’re going to go to college. You’re going to go to college,” Powell said.

Powell went to Rutgers University. However, his love for reading and writing came at an early age when his mother took him to the library.

“She allowed me to roam around the library,” he said. “That’s how I ended up falling in love with books and eventually decided as a young person I wanted to be a writer.”

After his time at Rutgers, Powell joined the cast of the very first season of MTV’s The Real World. At the time of taping, he and the rest of the cast had no idea how successful the show was going to be. Because of the show’s success, Powell was able to dig deeper into the world of pop culture.

“I love pop culture,” he said. “I think it’s a useful tool for reaching people and talking about serious issues.”

In 2011, Powell co-founded Building Knowledge (BK) Nation, a progressive non-profit organization focused on civil and human rights. The organization has worked on several racial profiling cases, including the Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown cases, and was also a deep supporter for the recent Women’s March.

Despite being the co-founder of the organization, Powell doesn’t believe in titles beyond that.

“We’re all equals and all our voices matter in the organization and that’s how we operate,” he said.

Powell’s most recent book, The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy’s Journey Into Manhood, is available on Amazon.

Powell autographed copies of his latest book after his speech was over.

After two years of occupying the third floor of Penfield Library, Tyler Hall has reopened with a kickoff art exhibit titled “Restart.”

From October 4 to October 30 “Restart” will occupy the gallery space in the downstairs area of the newly renovated Tyler Hall. The exhibit encompasses artwork by different artists from throughout the nation, many with ties to Oswego State University.

“Tyler Hall has been a pivotal building on campus for 48 years,” said Cynthia Clabough, Chair of Oswego State’s Art Department

“The opening to the gallery is metaphorical in terms of providing openness and fluidity to the campus,” said Clabough. Tyler Hall Art Gallery Director Michael Flanagan added, “New beginnings and fresh starts are ideas that all artists contemplate.”

“Restart” includes artwork from artists nationwide, however the exhibit is built to emphasize the community. Art teachers, mentors, and students from three local high schools are invited to visit the gallery and interpret what restart means to them and submit artwork reflecting such thoughts.

In the Juror’s statement, Helaine Posner, the Chief Curator states that the inaugural exhibit of Tyler Hall reflects to diversity and vitality of creating art in today’s world.

“Many artists with contributing work on “Restart” take inspiration from the natural world, while others incorporate urban landscapes,” said Posner.

The artwork varies in terms of different media, with work dabbling in painting, drawing, collage-ing, sculpture and photography.

The selected works reinforce the ideas promoting fresh ideas on contemporary life, and serves as an inauguration to the reopening of Tyler Hall.

For many students, the reopening presents an opportunity to view art in a museum like setting without venturing off campus.

“I’m excited to see the new gallery in Tyler Hall,” said SUNY Oswego sophomore Amna Sadique. “I never visited the gallery when it was in Penfield, but I am looking forward to the changing exhibits as the semesters go on,” said Sadique.

Tyler Hall art gallery is a newly renovated room on the first floor of Tyler Hall. The gallery presents six exhibits annually, which are free and open to the public. In addition, the gallery serves as a classroom to teach and for students and community members to learn through direct encounters of professional quality artwork.

In addition to Tyler Hall, there is an off campus gallery located at 168 West First Street giving students opportunities to create both fine and preforming artwork with inspiration from previous art creating a collaborative atmosphere.

For students, faculty, staff, and community members alike there will be a free public reception featuring several artists on Friday, October 21 from 5 to 7 p.m.