Songs of Resistance

FLAGSTAFF — As visitors walked into Flagstaff's Historic Ice House and strolled down the hallway they were quickly greeted with beautiful yet heart-rending images that lined the corridor. There were mothers clutching photos of their sons or daughters, young women holding photos of their boyfriends, a brother holding images of his two siblings. All had one thing in common. All those pictured had disappeared. The images were part of the bilingual exhibition "Disappeared: Portraits of Absence, Songs of Resistance," part of an evening of powerful music and art dedicated to honoring the victims of forced disappearance and the global movements seeking justice, held on Friday, April 4, 2025. The images were first displayed at the Coconino Center for the Arts and at the NAU Riles building in 2024. During the reception visitors had a chance to view the images up close, read the information, listened to a variety of music and share their thoughts with others gathered at the event. The exhibit, which focuses on the mothers of “disappeared” people in Mexico, was presented by Culture Connection AZ and the Martin-Springer Institute at NAU.