HOLLY BENNA
University of British Columbia
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
First Year Media Studies Student
Expected Graduation: May 2021
I am a Media Studies student at the University of British Columbia. I’m interested in fighting injustice and inequality – often through art and storytelling.
I have been interested in art for as long as I can remember. As a kid it was one of my favourite ways to pass the time, and I even attended an arts-focused mini school in high school. I have also, for years, been passionate about helping people find their voice, and finding ways to stand up against inequality in the world. One of the ways I try to do this is by mentoring and leading a group of 6th grade girls at CREO Youth Ministry; being a role model to them and helping them figure out their place in the world as strong and powerful influencers.
Now art is so much more to me than something to pass the time. I want to combine these interests of creativity, justice and storytelling with my art practice, and use it to have a positive impact on the world around me. I want to engage in important social and political conversations, use my work to expose injustice, and tell the stories of people who are ignored or excluded in society.
These questions and desires led me to UBC, where I am pursuing an Arts degree, currently with focuses on media studies, sociology and fine art. My classes in my first year have been incredibly impactful in showing me how important these social and political issues really are to me, and inspired me so much to continue to chase after these interests.