Center for Holocaust, Human Rights and Genocide Education

Abstract: Chhange (Center for Holocaust, Human Rights & Genocide Education) at Brookdale Community College has an ongoing exhibit known as Journeys Beyond Genocide: The Human Experience. The exhibit takes visitors through the life experiences of Jews, Rwandans, and Armenians before, during, and after genocide. The exhibit title succinctly captures the essence of the museum curation because the information and pieces displayed present survivors’ and communities’ identities as more than “victims” of genocide. While the exhibit entirely explores the Holocaust, the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, and the Armenian Genocide, the spotlight is shone on survivors’ and descendants’ testimonies from the communities who live in central New Jersey. The institution electing to present historical atrocities and cultural history through the voices of survivors instead of genocidal actors preserves the survivor-oriented nature of the space. Artistic stage-setting qualities of the museum curation uplift the survivor-oriented perspective and subtly comment on the human experience and systematization of genocide. The sectioning of information, colors and tones, and display of artifacts are evocative and promote the critical-thinking of instances and repetitions of genocide. Chhange’s space serves as a historical museum but also as a call to action, promoting allyship during and outside instances of social injustice.