On November 6, 2025, Deree – The American College of Greece co-organized a collaborative action with the non-profit organization EMFASIS titled “An Evening Together”.
The project brought together Deree students from diverse academic backgrounds to co-create a banner that will be displayed at EMFASIS’s upcoming celebratory event, marking 13 years of empowering individuals facing homelessness and housing insecurity. The event will serve as a gesture of appreciation to EMFASIS’s supporters throughout the years.
Prior to the action, a preparatory workshop on homelessness was held, during which students engaged with educational materials and a video shared by EMFASIS. Held at the ACG Plaka Building, the workshop invited participants to visualize a shared neighborhood by contributing drawings onto the shared space of the banner that represented their personal perception of “shelter” or safe space.
During the workshop, Dr. Gregory A. Katsas presented his study on “The Lived Experience of Social Exclusion: The Beneficiaries of ‘Shedia’ Street Paper”, followed by an in-depth discussion on homelessness and the theme of the poster participants were about to embark on creating.
Through discussions and artistic collaboration, participants not only gained a deeper insight into the issues surrounding homelessness but also practiced sharing space by visualizing how their differing ideas about shelter can coexist. The artwork was created on a reused banner, symbolically reinforcing the value of sustainability and transformation.
Reflecting ACG’s interdisciplinary and community-oriented approach, the initiative served as a connecting point between students from Visual Arts, Psychology, Environmental Sciences, and the ACG Sustainability Leaders, encouraging collaboration across programs and disciplines.
The project was initiated by Rania Assariotaki, Director, Office of Sustainability – Public Affairs, with contributions from Jennifer Nelson, Program Coordinator, Visual Arts Department, and Jojo Mourika, Research Assistant, from the Art in the Community research team, as well as Dr. Ion Beratis, Advisor to the Psychology Society, in collaboration with Maria Karra, Co-Founder and Maria Vourazeli, Fundraising Coordinator, from EMFASIS Non-Profit. The project also received support from Dr. Gregory Katsas and Dr. Christina Marouli.
The evening was warmly embraced by all participants, serving as a meaningful prototype for future community-oriented, interdisciplinary creative collaborations that connect social awareness and sustainability.
Because ACG Cares!