I am an American

We are One Nation

Each introduce week, Americanyou this to serieswhoan exceptionalwill unites, rather than divides, our communities. In this installment, read about Ophelia Chambliss of York, Pa., who uses art to bring people together.

Each week, this series will introduce you to an exceptional American who is making a difference to unite, rather than divide, our communities. To read more about the American profiled here and more average Americans doing exceptional things, visit onenation. usatoday.com.

Ophelia Chambliss of York, Pennsylvania, knew from the time she was in the fourth grade that she wanted to be an artist.

She was always checking books out of the library on how to draw and spent much of her spare time sketching. Growing up in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green Homes, her family wasn’t well off, so she used to draw on the backs of the supermarket fliers.

“When they started printing on both sides, I thought I was going to cry,” she said.

She studied graphic design and earned a living painting store windows.

She has always viewed her art as a means to communicate and to advocate for social justice. Her goal with her art is to foster communication, to use art to tell stories that tie all of us together.

“Art opens doors,” she said, reflecting a message she

communicates through her teaching at Penn State, the York County Juvenile Detention Center and other locations. “It makes it easier for people to talk about difficult subjects.”

In 2009, she was commissioned to install a project in Gettysburg, commemorating the African-American community that had thrived in the historic town and the black soldiers who fought for freedom. The monument stands in Recreation Park, the final resting place for many of those Buffalo Soldiers.

In February, she curated an exhibit featuring 12 African-American artists. Usually, the crowds for gallery shows during the event are overwhelmingly white. Her goal was to give the artists an opportunity to show their work and tell their stories. At the same time, she also hoped the exhibit would attract a diverse audience.

She is currently working on a project called Social Network. She drew portraits of a diverse group of people, using one continuous line, symbolizing the connection between them. She plans to invite all of those depicted on the canvas to the opening with the idea that they will make connections and talk, a small thing that can bring a community together.