FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - History Fort Lauderdale, proud steward of our community’s past by making our heritage accessible and engaging to residents and visitors, will celebrate Women's History Month, World Water Month, and the centennial year of Women's Suffrage with "Through the Sawgrass: Women Impacting South Florida History," a photography narrative by award-winning artist Lisette Morales. The exhibit will open on March 8, International Women’s Day, with a special reception where attendees will have the opportunity to meet some of the subjects and participate in a brief introduction and Q & A with Lisette Morales, via video conference, from 1 – 3 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through May 25 in the New River Inn (231 Southwest Second Avenue in Downtown Fort Lauderdale).
"Through the Sawgrass: Women Impacting South Florida History" addresses women’s issues, social injustice, migration, human rights, environmentalism, and LGBTQ concerns and features Betty Osceola (a Miccosukee grandmother and Everglades conservationist), Sister Maureen Kelleher (37 years as immigration attorney with Legal Aid Broward and Collier Counties), Melanie Oliva (artist and founder of the Artful Activist for social change) and Marta Sicaján (survivor of human trafficking and women’s empowerment leader).
“Lisette Morales is an accomplished artist and we are honored to showcase her thoughtful, authentic representations of women who have advocated for environmental, social and political change in South Florida during Women’s History Month and beyond,” said Patricia Zeiler, executive director of History Fort Lauderdale. “We hope this exhibit will inspire visitors of all ages to embrace, celebrate and emulate the multicultural contributions of our outspoken local female leaders.”
Lisette Morales is a Nicaraguan-born photojournalist and interdisciplinary artist based in Florida. Her camera has been her tool for activism since the early ‘90s when she traveled
through war-torn areas of Central America, documenting the disruption from military conflicts. After surviving domestic violence in her own life, Morales turned to painting and illustration as a mode of catharsis and self-expression. Her work echoes the feminist worldview that she now embodies and has been featured in numerous publications. In recent years, Lisette has returned to photography as her media of choice. Lisette was an official delegate to the United Nations Women 2018 Commission on the Status of Women. She’s a member of the Artful Activist, Zuma Press, The Authority Collective, ArtAid Naples and Colectivo Liminal. Her current project is The Road to Immokalee documenting the women farmworkers of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.
"Through the Sawgrass: Women Impacting South Florida History," is one of several stories that History Fort Lauderdale is proud to spotlight. The nonprofit museum also hosts a variety of yearly multicultural exhibits highlighting African American, Caribbean and Latin artists sharing their views of history. Also currently on display is the new “The Bryans of Fort Lauderdale” permanent exhibit which allows guests to experience the story of the City of Fort Lauderdale as told through the pioneer family that shaped its development from an agricultural outpost in 1896 to a bustling city in the 1920s to its current status as a leading Metropolis, “Juliette Lange: A Portrait of a Mezzo Soprano,” a fashion and lifestyle glimpse of the socially prominent Fort Lauderdale resident with a lauded career as a star vocalist of musical comedy, plus “Archaeology of the New River” and a multitude of narratives and photos sharing the history of other founding families of Fort Lauderdale.
Entry to the new photography exhibit is free with general admission - $15 for adults; $12 for seniors and $7 for students (through age 22 with a valid student ID). Admission is always free for members, military and children ages six and under.
To RSVP for the opening meet and greet reception, please visit http://bit.ly/HFLThroughTheSawgrass.
For tickets and more information about History Fort Lauderdale, please call (954) 463-4431 or visit us online at historyfortlauderdale.org. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/ftlhistory on Instagram @ftlhistory and on Twitter @FLLhistory.
