What does belonging look like to you? By participating in the Belonging Interactive Photo Mural, visitors’ stories became part of a living archive. This dynamic installation invited participants to share a reflection, capture a photo, and add their presence to a collective mural documenting the voices and experiences that shape the IHP Summit and campus history. More than a photo opportunity, this project was a public affirmation that campus history is still being written—and that it should reflect all of us.
Throughout the event, members of the Student Advisory Committee were on site to welcome participants, help them add their story, and engage in conversation about why inclusive history matters. Together, we created a vibrant visual record of the community gathered at the Summit—one that honored individual identity while highlighting the impact of collective action and what is possible when we reaffirm our shared commitment to belonging.
Campus history is strongest when it reflects the full diversity of perspectives, identities, and lived experiences that make up our community. Participants struck a pose and shared their voices to help build the mural, where our stories were seen, remembered, and included.
The Belonging Interactive Photo Mural was designed by current UM-Flint undergraduate student and Student Advisory Committee member Paulina Rivera. Learn more about the IHP Student Advisory Committee.
The Belonging Interactive Photo Mural was part of the Make, Meet, Learn Session at the 2026 Inclusive History Project Summit.
Image: Students stand beside the Belonging Interactive Photo Mural at the Summit on the Flint campus. Photo by Michigan Photography. Photographer: Sarah Rice