JustArts Fellowship

School of Art, BA

Nicolette (Niko) Gomez (Yaqui) is a senior completing a B.A. in Design Arts and Practice at the School of Art with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Eller College of Management.

Project:

Leveraging her passion for technology in the arts, her project, “Digital Art Inspired by Indigenous Tradition,” introduces Indigenous students at the U of A to technology and cultural expression using ArcGIS, an interactive mapping software to ensure students feel welcomed on campus. Participants create digital art for social good that fosters relationships with and within tribal communities.

School of Theatre, Film, & Television, BA
Information Science, BS

Ruben (Ben) Reynoso is a senior in the W. A. Franke Honors College completing a B.S. in Information Science and a B.A. in Film and Television.

Project:

His project, “Tucson Zines Online – Creating a Digital Archive of Tucson Zines Throughout the Years,” will expand the reach of the zine art form by developing an online archive of zines and hosting zine-making workshops for students at the U of A.

School of Dance, MFA

Second-year graduate student Mackenzie (Kenzie) Roberts is completing an M.F.A. in Dance.

Project:

Passionate about creating spaces where everyone can express their art freely, her project, “Harmonizing Movement: Inclusive Improv Jams,” invites all artists—dancers, musicians, and creatives alike—to come together, explore their art, and dance for the pure joy of it. In collaboration with the Disability Resource Center and the community, the monthly jams are designed to welcome participants with a wide range of abilities and needs, fostering an environment where everyone can engage, learn from one another, and explore adaptive movement techniques.

School of Music, BA

Taryn Williamson is a third-year undergraduate completing a dual B.A. in Music and Live and Screened Performance.

Project:

In her project, “Fit to Perform,” she aims to change how people in the performing arts view their bodies, abilities, and roles. Through speaker events, workshops, and community building, her project will connect students with tools and resources to claim their bodies, build confidence and resilience, and use their experiences to express themselves wholly, regardless of how others might view them.

Applied Intercultural Arts Research, MA

Chris Zatarain is a second-year M.A. student in the Graduate Interdisciplinary Degree Program in Applied Intercultural Arts Research.

Project:

His project, “Imagining Climate Futures: Worldmaking through Community-Based Narrative Storytelling and Climate Fiction,” invites U of A and Tucson community members coming from various backgrounds and abilities to explore issues related to climate change through creative storytelling. The project encourages participants to see themselves as individuals with agency and a say in shaping our collective futures.