Lessons Unlearned

Acrylic on canvas

This piece is a visual reflection of the deep connections between social movements of the past and those happening today. Inspired by a course I took freshman year, Power to the People, the painting illustrates how the fight for equity is ongoing and often cyclical.

My biggest takeaway from the class was this: lasting change is impossible without knowledge of history. Much of what I learned was entirely new to me, and yet it felt essential to understanding how our society came to be. The patterns are clear. When we do not confront or learn from the past, we repeat it. And America has been repeating the same mistakes for far too long.

This painting is both a warning and a reminder. A call to remember. A call to act.

Gabby Anderson is a visual artist, storyteller, and Division I athlete who uses her art to explore identity, culture, and purpose.

A senior at Harvard, Gabby brings her full self into everything she creates. As a Black woman, student-athlete, and creative, her work blends emotion and color to tell stories that often go untold, creating space for joy, power, and representation.

For Gabby, art isn’t just something she does. It’s how she connects, reflects, and reimagines the world around her.