“Not only teach but heal.”
– Michelle Browder, The More Up Campus
The More Up Campus deftly holds space for both beauty and pain, engaging compassionately with the most intimate of personal stories and one of the most pressing public health concerns our country faces. Anchored by project lead Michelle Browder’s monumental sculptural work, The Mothers of Gynecology, the focus of this Re:Generation project was the robust development of the broader campus site. On family land in Montgomery, Alabama the More Up team created oral history stations, a healing garden and a signature mural, new elements contributing to a holistic space where art, history, and health come together and conversations take place around the legacy of slavery, Black women’s maternal health, and reproductive justice.
During the project period, Browder acquired a nearby historical site associated with J. Marion Sims’ former offices and infirmary. For generations, Sims was honored as the so-called “father of gynecology” despite his horrific experimentations on enslaved women. In future phases of the More Up Campus, his former offices and infirmary will be transformed into a community space focused on Black maternal wellness.
Team members include: Michelle Browder, Deleso Alford, Stephen Browder, J.C. Hallman, and Geneva Watford.
Local Partner Organization: Faith Crusade Ministries, Inc.
Social Media: @anarchalucybetsey (Instagram)
Keep exploring! Visit The More Up Campus, the anchor institution of The More Up Campus project: here