Clothesline Project shares messages of hope
On a quiet Tuesday afternoon, Texas A&M University-Victoria students used paint and T-shirts to express their support for victims of domestic violence.
The Clothesline Project is an annual event that the A&M-Victoria Counseling Center hosts in preparation for Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. Students were invited to paint positive, uplifting messages on T-shirts. Some also shared their own stories of surviving domestic violence or how someone they knew survived.
“We’ve kept some of the more impactful shirts from previous years, and we add to the display every year with new pieces by our students,” said Madison Rosalez, psychological counselor in the Counseling Center. “Not everyone has a personal story to tell, but it’s amazing to see so many students come together every year to support others. It’s a cool and moving moment.”
Anna Conant, a sophomore English major from Humble, chose a light-yellow shirt and used purple paint to write, “Fighting for the girls who never thought they could win.” Underneath the message, she painted a flower garden with green vines rising up to frame the message because flowers are symbols of growth, she said.
“It’s important to stand up for those who feel like they can’t,” Conant said. “I haven’t experienced domestic violence myself, but I also haven’t had the best relationships in life. I can sympathize with what victims go through, and I want them to know that other people see their struggles and support them.”
Bryanna Tucker, a freshman biology major from Houston, chose to share a message that said, “There’s always hope.” She hopes that victims will hope for more in their lives.
The Clothesline Project showcase is open to the public, and the shirts will be displayed in the central stairwell of University Commons throughout the month of October.
Texas A&M University-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the colleges of Business, Education & Health Professions, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and Natural & Applied Science. A&M-Victoria provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as online classes that students can take from anywhere. The university supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.