The controversy surrounding the “Wings of the City” exhibit in downtown Greenville is turning into a financial boon for the Hispanic Alliance which sponsored the exhibit.
As of July 1, 466 people have donated more than $61,000 through the organization’s GoFundMe page and through its social media platforms, according to the Hispanic Alliance’s executive director, Adela Mendoza. Almost $30,000 has been designated to use toward the “Wings of the City” exhibition. More than $38,000 has been donated to the organization’s general operations.
Some community members have criticized the exhibit as evoking pagan or overtly-sexual imagery, leading Greenville County Council to pull a $7,500 grant intended for the Alliance even as other organizations such as Metropolitan Arts Council and Community Foundation of Greenville, have upped donations.
These latest donations will be used to assist Hispanic youth in the area and provide community resources covering education, financial stability, health and financial services, according to Mendoza. “By providing access to resources and information, we are giving people wings to reach for their dreams,” she said.
Mendoza said the Hispanic Alliance will provide a breakdown of what the donations will be used for in the coming weeks along with an announcement about new programs to go along with the exhibition.
“Our work has evolved constantly to meet the changing needs of our community and expanded to create nonexistent platforms for new voices to be heard,” Mendoza said. “‘The Wings of the City’ exhibit is part of that evolution. For a community to thrive, we need to create spaces for new perspectives and empower everyone to contribute. The public response to our work over the past month is proof of the transformation taking place in Greenville, our Upstate, and across the Southeast.”
