Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon

MILWAUKEE (July 18, 2014) – Mount Mary University is presenting “Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon,” a powerful profile_paola-giaturco.jpgstorytelling exhibit featuring the work of renowned photojournalist Paola Gianturco (shown at right), from July 28 to September 13 in Marian Gallery. The free exhibit includes images and stories of grandmothers worldwide who are acting courageously and effectively to create a better future for grandchildren around the globe. Visitors will have a chance to add their own grandmother to the story, through a special digital interactive experience.

Grandmothers who are collaborating to care for AIDS orphans, are becoming solar engineers, and are fighting environmental degradation are a few of the stories included in the display. A free, audio cell phone tour narrated by Paola Gianturco, will walk visitors through each of the stories, telling personal accounts of women in South Africa, Swaziland, Thailand, the Philippines, Argentina, Canada, the United States, India, Senegal and indigenous grandmothers from around the globe.

The exhibit draws from Gianturco’s acclaimed book by the same name. Grandmother Power won ForeWord Reviews 2012 Book of the Year Award for Women's Studies, the 2013 International Book Award for Multicultural Nonfiction, and the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Favorite Grandparenting Book.

The gallery exhibit, which was developed by the Grand Rapids Public Museum in Grand Rapids, MI, in cooperation with Genesis Inc., is making its Milwaukee debut at Mount Mary University with generous support from Brady Corporation.

Marian Gallery is located on the first floor of Caroline Hall 2900 N. Menomonee River Parkway and is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

Information on Marian Gallery can be found at mtmary.edu. More information on Gianturco and her work with grandmothers around the globe can be found at globalgrandmotherpower.com.