Bridging generations through storytelling and art, a group of English and art students at UNC Pembroke joined forces to capture the lives of senior members of the Lumbee community in a unique intergenerational project.
Blending words and visuals, the students crafted memoirs and portraits, preserving personal histories while forging meaningful connections with the community.
Suzette Taylor, one of the featured elders, is instantly recognizable in her portrait by her signature dark-framed glasses. Advanced drawing student Soleil Dekker brought her love of gardening to life with a vibrant display of pink carnations and snapdragons.
Meanwhile, Alyssa Ferguson, a student in Peter Grimes’ creative nonfiction writing class, helped capture Taylor’s cherished memories of her father, Gus Locklear, a war hero.“This project gave students a different way to think about true stories,” Dr. Grimes said. “In class, they typically write their memoir or something about their lives. It’s harder in some ways to tell somebody else’s story.
“It was a great connection between the two courses,” Grimes continued. “Seeing the students work across the disciplines was rewarding for them."
The Intergenerational Portrait Memoir Project spanned several weeks, bringing together students from different disciplines to create mixed-media portraits and memoirs.
For senior Emily Marr, the experience was deeply personal. After interviewing 74-year-old Shirlean Hunt, she reflected on her own family.
“Every time I spoke with Ms. Shirlean, I called my grandmother to ask her questions,” Marr shared. “I even planned a trip during spring break to spend more time with my family.”
Sophomore Vaughn Carroll called the project ‘eye-opening.’
“It was a blessing to spend time with Ms. Hunt and learn her story,” Carroll said. “Everyone has a story and hearing her talk about her family and her life was beautiful.”
In the final week of the project, a reception was held during which the portraits and stories were gifted to the senior participants, resulting in a powerful fusion of visual and written art that celebrates the richness of intergenerational bonds.
“It was incredible to see how much this meant to both the students and the elders,” said longtime art professor Carla Rokes, who helped launch the initiative. “These pieces are more than just class projects—they’re treasured family keepsakes.”
