Anne Frank -- A History for Today
In 2018, I was approached by the Arizona charter of the Nederlanders in Amerika group, in partnership with Arizona educators and the Anne Frank House, to create panels for the "Anne Frank: A History for Today" traveling exhibition.
This international exhibition has travelled all over the world, and is presented more than 150 times per year. The worldwide tour is coordinated by the Anne Frank House, but the local creation is organized individually.
Based on the styling guide from the exhibition organizers, I collaborated with three middle schools in the Arizona area to create panels for the Phoenix exhibition. I met with the students and their teachers to discuss the topics they wanted to express in the panels. The students were responsible for researching and creating the content. Some content included photos, drawings and personal anecdotes.
The Diary of Anne Frank is a book that is read and studied in schools all around the world. For this project, students were to discuss the events that took place before, during and after the Holocaust and discuss correlations between then and current events now.
Arizona is home to many immigrant families and asylum-seekers from countries such as Mexico, and many students working on this project are 1st- and 2nd-generation in the United States. Through studying the story of Anne Frank, they were able to connect on a personal level due to their experiences as being considered “outsiders” and feeling unwelcomed by those around them.
In these panels, the students displayed their connections to Anne Frank through art, facts, stories and emotions.
During the exhibitions, each student acted as the tour guide, guiding visitors through the life and history of Anne Frank and the connections they have felt through their research.
Closing Notes
This was an experience unlike any other. Working with young adults can be such an eye-opening learning opportunity. Each student offers a unique perspective on life, based on their own experiences.
It was an honor to work with these students and the Anne Frank House.
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