People Making A Difference: Folk Artist Creates Dioramas To Share African American Culture, History
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — For nearly 30 years, a mobile miniature museum has been making its rounds to schools throughout Los Angeles giving children a better sense of African American history.
The African American Miniature Museum is the creation of Karen Collins, who remembers fighting for change and equality as a teen in the late 60s, long before the hashtag Black Lives Matter.
"You could not, not doing anything," the Compton native said. "You had to participate. It was in your soul."
In 1974, Collins gave birth to a son. And she said despite teaching him the strong values that got her through life, he made a choice at the age of 18 that cost him a 167-year prison sentence — leaving her devastated and questioning her parenting.
"OK, what could I have done," she said. "What didn't I do to influence this child that you didn't raise like that to turn this way?"
But before she allowed herself to fall into a depressions, Collins channeled her grief into creating inspirational dioramas from clay, depicting African American culture throughout history.
"That was my quest: to create something I could go and share with children and adults alike," she said.
And for nearly three decades, Collins has been hauling 50 dioramas she keeps stored in her living room into schools throughout Los Angeles, filling children with pride and curiosity.
"They'll stand there and look at it like it's a television," she said.
Collins also trains students to become docents, giving them the responsibility of teaching their peers about influential people such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman and Louis Armstrong.
Last February, Google asked Collins to create a diorama doodle to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Greensboro Four lunch county sit-in, and the Los Angeles Central Library in downtown asked Collins to create a diorama in the theme of Black Lives Matter.
"And they're all holding up signs," she said. "Sandra Bland, no justice no peace, Mike Brown."
Recently she added the name of George Floyd to the diorama and said she admires the determination of today's protesters.
"I'm feeling optimistic for the first time in a long time," she said.
Collins also said she was grateful for the opportunities she's had to promote change.
"It's very fulfilling," she said. "I feel like, 'OK, maybe I am making a difference.'"
Collins said she was hoping to find funds to permanently house all of the dioramas that make up the African American Miniature Museum in a public location where everyone can enjoy it.
