During his first semester of community college, Derrick Adams came across a book of paintings that stopped him in his tracks. “I was discovering myself as a young artist, and the work just spoke to me,” Derrick remembers. “I flipped to the back and saw that the artist was Jacob Lawrence, and that he was a teacher at Pratt. I knew immediately where I needed to study.” Lawrence, one of the most prominent Black artists of his time, was no longer at Pratt when Derrick arrived. However, during Derrick’s junior year, Lawrence returned to the Institute for Commencement, and Derrick was asked to escort him and his wife around campus. That fateful meeting led to a relationship that continued the rest of Jacob’s life, and culminated in Jacob’s Ladder, a mixed-media installation by Derrick that was included in a 2020 exhibition memorializing the artist at the Peabody Essex Museum.
Now a renowned multidisciplinary artist, Derrick continues to explore the joys and everyday occurrences of Black life through works that have been widely exhibited nationally and globally. As a Pratt trustee, he remains active in the community, and his nearby Brooklyn studio is a magnet for young artists. “Investing in a creative education is more important than ever,” he notes. “Generations of artists like me have found their way to Pratt. It’s exciting to know that the World Makers campaign includes investments in the spaces where students will continue to learn, challenge each other, and realize something entirely new.”
Every year, these students inspire me through their excitement, their determination, and their desire to learn more. Their optimism gives me hope for the future.
Kathryn Chenault, World Makers Campaign Co-Chair; Trustee; Hon. ’12
This place changed my life. My hope now is to make a positive difference for others.
Ted Shaine, BFA ’68; Trustee; Hon. ’26
