by Anna Hope Emerson’16, News Staff Writer

Sara Terry, a photographer and filmmaker, visited Newark Academy for the week of November 26th to November 30th; she served not only as a Global Speaker, but also as the Artist-in-Residence. Terry is the creator of the movie Fambul Tok, or Family Talk, a documentary made in Sierra Leone about forgiveness ceremonies that are held in order to fix communities that have been torn apart by the civil war. She is also the founder of the Aftermath Project, which gives grants to photographers worldwide that cover the aftermath of conflict. Just like its motto,“war is only half the story,” the Aftermath Project’s goal is to help broaden the public’s understanding of the true cost of war and change the way that conflict is portrayed in the media.

Terry started her presentation on November 27^th by saying that her main goal in the world is to “reframe conversations.” She spoke briefly about her work during the aftermath of the war in Bosnia. According to Terry, throughout the course of the war from 1992 to 1995, reporters and news stations covered the conflict but left as soon as the war was over, and she wants this coverage process to change. She stated that the post-conflict stage of war is where stories other than death, disease, and destruction are brought out: stories of humanity and of people trying to rebuild their lives.

Many of Terry’s points about helping people in need created a stir within the community. Her point was that help, if necessary, should be based off of knowledge and research. She said that before donating one should know exactly where their money is going, and that people should make sure that their ‘help’ isn’t disrespecting the existing culture in an area. She also mentioned that the key to creating a better world is implementing sustainability, or solutions that will last even after the media and Non-Governmental Organizations have left. As a result of her strong opinions, many people interpreted her point to mean ‘help is bad.’ This topic created many heated discussions between members of the community. “I thought that her point about help was very relevant to our community. Since community service is such a huge part of Newark Academy, her presentation helped us consider and discuss the way we help and learn from others” said Mackenna Woods, a freshman.

In addition to her presentation in front of the entire school on Tuesday, many breakout sessions were held for smaller and more audience-driven discussions with Sara Terry throughout the week. Her movie, Fambul Tok, was screened in Kaltenbacher Hall on November 29th, and was open to everyone in the community. She also participated in an art critique for the 11^th and 12^th grade IB art classes. Max Whitmore, a junior, expressed the negative reaction that many had by saying “I’m all for solid criticism, but many artists felt that her criticism was very harsh and not all that constructive.” On the other hand though, many strongly enjoyed the lively discussions that were sparked throughout the school. Mr. Jacoby, of the Arts department, said, “Overall, I would say that I had a very positive reaction to her presentation, though I understood some students’ reservations. She gave a thoughtful, provocative, and engaging presentation that provoked a strong reaction, which shows, in my opinion, that she was a successful global speaker.” The controversial nature of her presentation definitely led to further discussion in classrooms throughout the week.

After Sara Terry left, Mr. Stourton, an English teacher, offered a reaction to her presentation. His speech was a reflection on Newark Academy’s lack of hospitality. He held that rather than embodying the Global Speaker Initiative — which states that the purpose of the global speaker is, “to expand the horizon of our community… [and] familiarizing ourselves with all different perspectives,” — the Newark Academy community attacked her ideas.  This assertion provided ground for further reflection within the community, and surely will help certain members of the community approach the Global Speakers with a new mindset going forward.

Between the heavy criticism of some and the positive reaction of others, nearly everyone in the community had a response to her presentation. Sara Terry fulfilled her goal of “creating conversations.”