The words, people, and ideas in BELONG belong in our city. A detention center does not.

RoCo’s public artwork BELONG puts censored language directly out into public space. On Saturday, October 3 at 4pm we will walk from BELONG to Rochester’s Federal Building, where an ICE detention center is planned. As we go we'll spread these banned words along the route, expanding this powerful artwork across Downtown Rochester.

Join artist Gianna Stewart, RoCo, and Writer’s & Books for a community reading (at RoCo) of the censored words that make up BELONG. From there, we’ll proceed together to the Federal Building and leave our mark en route as an act of refusal.

This program is organized as part of the national Fall of Freedom weekend.

About Fall of Freedom

Fall of Freedom is an urgent call to the arts community to unite in defiance of authoritarian forces sweeping the nation. Our Democracy is under attack. Threats to free expression are rising. Dissent is being criminalized. Institutions and media have been recast as mouthpieces of propaganda.

Fall of Freedom returns for its second year — expanding the national call to creative resistance. FoF is an open instigation to artists, venues and institutions across all disciplines to put your work in the world on October 2nd, 3rd, & 4th, countering fascist repression and censorship with joyful communities of defiant creativity. Art matters. Courage is contagious. Take part!