ArtsForward is proud to celebrate Althea Jones, a multidisciplinary artist and 2024 ArtsForward grant recipient, whose work is now being featured in nationally published textbooks.

Jones’s Skin Color Project is highlighted in La Gente: Themes in Latino Studies and Mosaic: Themes in Asian American Studies, both published by Gibbs Smith Education, a national publisher known for its diversity studies curriculum. The project was selected for its powerful approach to combating implicit bias while using art as a tool for reflection, dialogue, and social awareness.

The featured images were captured by local photographers Robert Greer Sr. and Christiana Cacciato, further underscoring the collaborative nature of Akron’s creative community. Together, this feature reflects how local artists working in collaboration can create impact far beyond their immediate community.

This national recognition matters not only for Ms. Jones, but for the broader Akron arts ecosystem. The inclusion of this work in widely used educational materials amplifies the important cultural conversations happening locally and brings them into classrooms across the country.

As Jones shared, “ArtsForward has given me the foundation needed to take my work nationally.” Both textbooks are part of Gibbs Smith Education’s diversity studies publications and can be found through their website:https://gibbssmitheducation.com/diversity-studies

Learn more about Althea and her work here: www.altheajonesart.com

Photos and information provided by Althea Jones