Essex North Shore To Host 7th Genocide Studies Exhibition

DANVERS, MA — The public is invited to attend the upcoming Genocide Studies Exhibition at Essex North Shore designed to foster critical thinking among student presenters and attendees about the darkest chapters in human history while exploring their implications for the present and future.

The exhibit will feature independent student research on the Armenian genocide, the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) in October of 2023 the Holocaust, the Rwandan genocide, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The seventh annual event is presented with the support of the League of Women Voters of Marblehead on May 3 to honor the memory of long-time League of Women Voters of Marblehead member JoAnne Mayer, who passed away in 2022.

The exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Essex North Shore's Alumni Gym. Visitors will be able to explore the displays and engage with the student researchers.

The exhibition will feature a diverse range of projects, multimedia presentations, artwork, and interactive displays.

Through their research, students aim to raise awareness, promote understanding, and inspire action to prevent future atrocities.

Mayer was elected to the Marblehead Board of Selectmen, serving five years. She always led using a modest approach with two standards: "Do-What's-Right, and Stand-Up-To-Be-Counted."

She led many town committees, task forces and initiatives: Stop Peaking, Town Recycling, Open Space and Parks Improvement, Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Fair Housing, Waterfront Committee and Marblehead Matters. She was also active with the Marblehead Community Counseling Center, Winter Island Sailing Center, and Courageous Sailing in Boston Harbor.

Mayer was a long-time member of the League and served as past president.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)