See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil.
That is the message behind the No Evil Project, a community photo project where people submit three poses in pictures as the three wise monkeys. Under each picture is a stereotype commonly thought of the person. Next to that, the person writes a good deed done and why they’re participating in the online campaign.
The No Evil Project started in Worcester, Ma. with local photographer Troy Thompson spearheading the effort to rid negative stereotypes.
Junior Erin Williams is now bringing the project to Quinnipiac with the assistance of Thompson and members within the Department of Residential Life.
Williams said everyone has things in common and everyone has insecurities they are worried about.
“The idea is to essentially get rid of stereotypes and everyone does their own part by doing good deeds and doing good things as opposed to thinking badly about each other,” Williams said. “I think diversity is the differences in relationships, where you live, religion, what you like, what you don’t like, likes of food, likes of clothes. Anything that really makes you different.”
Williams’ friend junior Mary Mooshian went to Williams with the idea of bringing the project to Quinnipiac. Mooshian is a native of Worcester.
“I think we need more projects like this to be perfectly honest,” Mooshian said. “It’s got such a great message, just you have to be a good person in order to pay it forward.”
The photos are set for display in the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts Exhibit in Worcester, which contains the first physical display of the No Evil Project.
“Hanover is a huge theatre, not just in Worcester, but in Massachusetts, so I think it’s a great opportunity for Quinnipiac to be involved in that,” Mooshian said.
Senior Ally Dargie jumped at the chance to participate in the project when Williams spoke to her about it.
“Our campus has taken major strides towards embracing and accepting diversity in every sense of the word,” Dargie said. “But at the end of the day, we as students are still stereotyped as North Face, leggings, and Uggs-wearing people, who drive Porsche Cayennes. Yes, I own North Face gear and love my Uggs in the cold weather, but there is more to me than my looks. In fact, I’m an RA, a dancer, a runner, and an A student. I’m a caregiver, a teacher, a family member, and a friend.
“I chose to become involved in the No Evil Project because it is about time that those on and off campus get to know Quinnipiac students as people, whether or not we ever actually meet in person.”
Williams said she hopes this brings the community together.
“I hope the community sees that good things are happening around locally and close by and they get more interested in participating in projects started by every day people who want to make a difference,” she said.
Photographs for the No Evil Project will be taken in Dance Studio A this Saturday between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
