Visual art, musical performances and spoken word readings filled the Riverside Arts Center North Gallery Jan. 31, 2026, as students and community members protested various current political conflicts at the community event Art as Resistance.
Art as Resistance was hosted by Michigan Student Action, a community-based organization that works to assemble students from Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan for political advocacy events and efforts in the greater Washtenaw County area. Some of the current events the event protested included Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Washtenaw County, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and the ongoing war in Gaza, which has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023.
MSA offers students the chance to organize events about which they feel passionate.
"One thing that I really believe in is giving my students autonomy over what they want to do," said Christian Alvarado, who works as MSA Washtenaw's lead organizer. "This event is about bringing out resistance in everyday people through art, whether it be painting, poems [or] music. We have a mixture of different media going on that we really want to celebrate, and it's a hard time right now. People are feeling it, and people are very scared, so we want to be able to let people let out their feelings and also prepare them for what this year is going to be."
"Midsection" by Katrina Walbridge, inspired by Pharrell Williams' 2016 song "Midsection."
At the event, MSA Washtenaw also gave out whistle kits, made for individuals to warn others about local ICE presence. The group also collected signatures to get "Invest in MI Kids" on the ballot, which if passed, would add a 5% tax on millionaires. The money raised would be put towards K-12 education in the state of Michigan.
Art piece by Willow Churchill-Torres on display at Art as Resistance.
Daniela Walbridge, a senior studying vocal education at EMU, organized the event after being inspired by advocacy work being done in Minneapolis, where protesters have gathered in mass after two U.S. citizens were killed by ICE agents.
"For me, art and music are very conducive to political messaging, and also just connecting with others around stories that you may not personally relate to," Walbridge said. "It's a really good way to show emotion and to connect with others over those emotions."
The event included a variety of performances, including Rachel Mah and her cover of "Open Your Eyes" by Ashi Day, and a poetry selection by Zach Tabor.
The night concluded with Hannah Berberoglu and Thee Birdsongs performing a cover of "Gethsemane" from Jesus Christ Superstar, a musical that explores the biblical death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Art piece by Lily Elliot on display at Art as Resistance.
Walbridge encourages other students who may want to get more involved to try coming to a MSA Washtenaw meeting.
"If you're someone who's feeling kind of lost right now, or feeling down, it really is nice to be with other people," said Walbridge. "If you want to get involved in a small way, if you want to get involved in a bigger way, that's amazing. [Either way,] come to our events because it's a good way to meet people who think in similar ways to you, and it's a good way to find some relief in the circumstances that we're living in."
MSA Washtenaw's next event chapter meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, at 6 p.m. For those who wish to attend an MSA Washtenaw meeting, fill out the registration form in the group's Instagram bio to receive the meeting's location information. Attendees do not have to be students.
For more information on Michigan Student Action and its upcoming events and meeting dates in the Ypsilanti area, visit the group's Instagram at @msa_washtenaw.
