Human Rights, Human Wrongs Illinois Art Education Association Annual Conference, St. Charles, Illinois. Session Chair: Chuck Gniech, Presenters: Cheryl Jefferson, and Richard Laurent, November 11, 2022
Staying in Touch with Reality: Human Rights and Critical Thinking Skills National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Fall Virtual Conference, Presenter, Chuck Gniech, October 21, 2022
It's a Concept  Illinois Art Education Association, ArtConnectEd event (virtual), Co-Presenters: Chuck Gniech and Suzanne Gorgas, April 10, 2021.
It's Curated  Illinois Art Education Association, ArtConnectEd event (virtual), Presenter: Chuck Gniech, April 10, 2021.
While No One is Looking: Using Fine Art to Expose Climate Injustice and Advance Eco-Human Rights in the Post-Pandemic World College Art Association 109th Annual Conference, New York (virtual) Session Chair: Chuck Gniech, Presenters: Cheryl Jefferson, Richard Laurent and Ruth Harenchar February 10-13, 2021 
While No One’s Looking, Exposing Climate Injustice/Advancing Eco-Human Rights Through Fine Art Illinois Art Education Association, 72st Annual Conference (virtual) Presenters: Charles Gniech, Cheryl Jefferson, Richard Laurent November 7, 2020 
The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions The Laura A. Sprague Art Gallery of Joliet Junior College August 10- November 19, 2020
Artist Talk: James Deeb, Richard Laurent and Paula Kloczkowski Luberda Moderated by Gallery Director, Suzanne Gorgas In conjunction with the Breaking Criminal Traditions Exhibition at Joliet Junior College Wednesday, October 14, 2020, 2-3pm (via Zoom) 
Artist Talks: Cheryl Jefferson, Executive Producer and Chuck Gniech, Exhibition Curator Moderated by Gallery Director, Suzanne Gorgas In conjunction with the Breaking Criminal Traditions Exhibition at Joliet Junior College Wednesday, October 7, 2020, 2-3pm (via Zoom) 
Sesson Speakers Illinois Art Education Association The Q Center, St. Charles Illinois November 21-23, 2019 
How You Can Change the World Wilkins Middle School, Justice, IL,  Presented by Cheryl Jefferson to various classes throughout the day, February 26, 2019 
The Illinois High School Art Exhibition Human Rights Award - provided by the Breaking Criminal Traditions Initiative Jennifer Branch, recipient - award winning image shown below Honorable Mentions: Hazel Mcclinton, Natalie Wess, Brianna Bischoff The Art of Influence Workshop/Discussion Zhou B Art Center/Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, IL February, 17, 2019  
Reception for "The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions" The Gallery at Penn College, Williamsport, PA Thursday, February 7, 4:30-6:30 Gallery Talk with Curator Chuck Gniech at 5:30pm 
The Art of Influence - Two-Day Educational Workshop, Presented to AP Art Students of Deerfield High School, in affiliation with the Breaking Criminal Traditions exhibition at the Deerfield High School Gallery January 14 -15, 2019
Reception for The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions Deerfield High School Gallery, 1959 Waukegan Rd, Deerfield, IL 60015 January 10, 2019 2018 
IAEA State Conference November 8th-10th, Bloomington-Normal Bloomington-Normal Marriott Conference Center The Illinois Art Education Association Annual Fall Conference provides professional learning specially designed for art educators by art educators and education professionals. 
The Art of Influence Presenter: Cheryl Jefferson, Executive Producer, The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions, Friday, November 9, 2018 9:15 to 10am
KEYNOTE SESSION: The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions: Using the arts to create social change Presenters: Charles Gniech, Cheryl Jefferson, Richard Laurent, Saturday November 10, 2018 8:15-9:00am
From Artistic Creation to Social Justice Impact Saturday, November 10, 2018 9:15-10:00am Presenter: Cheryl Jefferson, Author/ Executive Producer, The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions Description: You’ve created a great piece of art/literature/music to address a burning social injustice, but can your work actually solve the problem? Yes! By building shared values out of mutual dissatisfaction, controlling symbols to create a tipping point, community analysis, understanding why art works, and more, you can negotiate change, create social equality, and impact your world. This workshop will show you how. 
No Laughing Matter - The Political Cartoon as a Means to Social Justice Saturday November 10, 2018 10:15-11:00am Presenter: Richard Laurent, Political Cartoonist/Painter/Instructor — Columbia College Chicago Description: Political cartoons are among the most powerful mediums for addressing social injustice. In this workshop participants will learn how to choose subjects, use metaphor to make non-visual subjects visual, create a political cartooning style, the critical balance between image and copy, and age appropriate approaches to cartooning. 
Creating an Identity—Making Uncomfortable Content Approachable Saturday November 10, 2018 11:15am-12:00pm Presenter: Charles Gniech, Associate Professor; Fine Art-Graphic Design – Joliet Junior College Exhibition Curator, The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions. Description: Curating an exhibition is only the beginning. The “look and feel” of the promotional materials will determine how the exhibit is received… or even if it will be attended. The “Breaking Criminal Traditions” exhibition utilizes beautiful fine art to facilitate difficult discussions concerning human rights atrocities. But the selected imagery only alludes to the topics in question. The show offers concept, symbolism and metaphor to broach the horrors of reality. We will discuss the approachable Identity of Breaking Criminal Traditions—in print as well as digital media. 
College Art Association Annual Conference Thursday, February 16, 2017: 1:30–3:00 PM East Ballroom, 3rd Floor, New York Hilton Midtown "Using the Arts to Leverage Social Change" Session Chair: Professor Charles Gniech, Curator/Breaking Criminal Traditions Panel Members: Cheryl Jefferson, Producer/Breaking Criminal Traditions and Professor Richard Laurent, Co-Producer/Breaking Criminal Traditions 
The Human Rights Institute Gallery of Kean University 1000 Morris Ave., Union, New Jersey 07083 Reception: Tuesday, October 4, 2016 5-8pm College Hour Pre-Reception Programming: Tuesday, October 4, 3:30-4:30pm Conference: Monday, December 5, 2016 9-4pm Ending Legal Injustices through Art and Activism Kean University, STEM Building, 1075 Morris Avenue, Union NJ 07083. Description: Using artworks from The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions exhibition as a foundation for dialogue, the Ending Legal Injustices conference examined critical issues of human rights violations that are still legal in the United States and abroad. Speakers included New Jersey Senator, Raymond Lesniak and other change makers from local and national organizations. The conference included a light breakfast, lunch and professional development certificates. 
United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, 60th Session
Thai Cultural Center, 310 44th St., New York, NY March 17, 2016 "Change Artists-Using the Arts to Leverage Change" With Panelists: Cheryl Jefferson, Richard Laurent, Andrea Harris and Charles Gniech Breaking Criminal Traditions Producer, Cheryl Jefferson, lead a panel which included, Andrea Harris [Director-at-Large for UN Women/ BCT Artist], Richard Laurent [Co-Producer/ BCT Artist/ Columbia College Professor], and Chuck Gniech, [BCT Exhibition Curator/ BCT Artist]. The Commission ran from March 14-24, 2016. Attended by thousands of activists, lawmakers, and journalists from all over the world, the UN Commission on the Status of Women featured 200 workshops. All panels and workshops were open to the public.


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