By: Matthew Seeger, Talon Staff
The Clothesline Project at Tallahassee Community College is on display for the week of April 23-27 around the walkways near the Student Union and Library. The project was created as a service learning project for Professors Lauren Fletcher and Kelly Thayer’s ENC1102 classes.
Hands can be powerful when used as metaphors. A closed fist can invoke thoughts of violence and fear, while an open hand and extended palm can convey feelings of safety and love. That was exactly what Tallahassee Community College sophomore Madison Mitchell was going for when she designed her t-shirt for the Clothesline Project, an annual event meant to raise awareness about domestic violence.
Written on the fist in her design are words like “HATE,” “disgust,” “hopelessness,” “anxiety” and “fear,” while the outstretched hand has words like “help,” “love,” “support,” “kindness” and “care.” Mitchell says the design came from a very personal place.
“My inspiration for this shirt was my friend, who dealt with domestic abuse from her father for years,” Mitchell said. “It’s because she wanted a helping hand, instead of a fist. She did eventually reach out and get help once she talked about it. That’s why I made the shirt.”
Underneath the illustration are a pair of statistics. The top statistic reads, “every 9
seconds in the U.S. a woman is assaulted or beaten,” followed by “1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will get abused by a partner in their lifetime.” Mitchell is transferring to FSU for social sciences, and she’s worked as an advocate before. She sees this as an excellent way to reach out to people who might still be afraid to talk about their situation.
“The whole goal of this project is supposed to show that anyone who is a domestic violence survivor or sexual assault survivor that it’s okay, and you’re not alone.”
