About this Event
Join Ava Earl ’25 (Political Science, Student-Athlete, Cross Country & Track, B1G Fellow, Northwestern Athletics & Recreation) and Michelle Manno (Associate Provost for Community Enrichment) for a discussion about Amber Morningstar by artist Cara Romero (Chemehuevi). They will discuss connections they see with the artwork and women in sports, and the importance of choosing how you wish to be represented. Erin Northington, the Block’s Susan and Stephen Wilson Associate Director, Campus and Community Education and Engagement will facilitate the discussion and share more about how the Block Museum's collection is used to spark new dialogues across campus. Coffee and tea will be offered beginning at 3:00 pm.
In Fall 2026, The Living Room highlights a multi-year campus partnership with the Northwestern Department of Athletics and Recreation and the student-athletes they support. Each month, an artwork selected by student-athletes, coaches, and staff will be on view, accompanied by reflection prompts inspired by their own experiences of teamwork, leadership, and identity, on and off the field. Together, they invite every visitor to discover how close looking can spark curiosity, reflection, and connection.
From Wednesday, October 7 through Sunday, October 25, Amber Morningstar, from the series First American Girl, by artist Cara Romero (Chemehuevi) will be on view.
Programs are open to all, on a first-come first-served basis. RSVPs are appreciated, but not required.
About the Speakers:
Hailing from Girdwood, Alaska, Ava Earl is a former student-athlete on Northwestern's Cross Country and Track teams. Having graduated in 2025 with a political science major and critical theory minor, Earl is now earning a Master's in Public Policy and Administration and working as Northwestern's B1G Fellow—her second year in the role. Earl also has a passion for the performing arts, and has released five original studio albums.
Michelle Manno (she/they) is the Associate Provost for the Office of Community Enrichment (OCE) at Northwestern University. In this role, Manno oversees the Office of Community Enrichment including the Women’s Center, Native American and Indigenous Affairs, and the Center for Civic Engagement. During her time at Northwestern, Manno has been integral in the development and advancement of training, guidance, and educational opportunities for University community members; created new initiatives around conflict and dialogue; and facilitated collaboration with University partners across Northwestern’s schools and major units as well as external stakeholders. Trained in mediation, restorative practices, and dialogue across difference, Manno co-founded “CatalystNU: Conversations that Transform” and the “Mediation, Conflict Resolution, and Restorative Practices (MCR) Initiative”—campus-wide programs designed to create a collaborative conflict culture at Northwestern. Manno received her PhD in Sociology from Emory University. She is the author of Denied: Women, Sports, and the Contradiction of Identity (NYU Press).
Image credits: Cara Romero (Chemhuevi / American, born 1977), Amber Morningstar from the series First American Girl, 2022, printed 2024. Inkjet print, pigment-based. Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, 2023–2024 Block Museum Student Associates acquisition, purchase funds provided by Craig Ponzio; Block Student Impact Fund. 2024.6.2.
Photographs of Ava Earl and Michelle Manno provided by the speakers.
Event venue & nearby stays
Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, 40 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, United States
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