In an uncommon combination of word and dance, Aimee Cox will address the inequalities that people face regardless of gender, geography or race.

As part of Women’s History and Awareness Month Cox will present both a speech, “Women of Color: Redefining the Political Through Creative Activism,” and a performance project “The Body and the City: Black Women in Newark Redefine Public Space.”

Cox will address the way people live with less traditional forms of performance, in under-resourced communities and how, even with the Post-Obama era, there is still inequality in America.

Cox will talk about her work with the BlackLight Project, which is a performance art project for residents of a homeless shelter in Detroit.

The BlackLight Project emerged from the Fresh Start shelter for young women in Detroit, which Cox ran for several years.

The project started in 2005 and expanded to Newark, N.J. in 2008.

“BlackLight is about combining interviewing and history with art,” Cox said.

The second presentation is an ethnographic performance project that uses dancing, lighting, spoken word and photography to address social justice issues that occur in poorer communities.

Cox formerly danced at Alvin Ailey, a dance theater in New York City, which is why she is so fond of the performance aspect.

“(This) brings in my performance and arts backgrounds to ignite change, whether political or not,” Cox said.

Cox wants to bring everything together to make a difference in young black women’s lives.

“I want people to understand that it may seem we have superficially achieved equality; we must stay aware of how there are always new ways for people to be excluded,” Cox said. “Power can shift.”

Cox said she wants people to understand the importance of how to respond to these shifts and that inequality impacts geography, race and gender. Cox wants to make the world a more humane place for everybody and not just for some.

Dagni Bredesen, associate professor of English, was the one who submitted the idea to bring Cox to campus.

Bredesen heard her speak at a conference on “Feminist Futures,” held at the University of Illinois last May.

“She is an intelligent, inspiring, and dynamic speaker who has helped young women from the inner city find their voices and creatively express their thoughts concerning economic and racial justice,” Bredesen said.

Sace Elder, chair of the Women’s History and Awareness Month committee and professor of history, said she thinks students will enjoy the performance aspect, since Eastern has such a strong fine arts program.

Elder is looking forward to the interdisciplinary aspect of the speech.

“(Cox) is an anthropologist who is also using performance arts,” Elder said.

Elder wants the speech to raise awareness on issues of gender, race and class in American society and thinks Cox will touch positively on the Women’s History and Awareness Month theme this year, which is economic justice.

The presentation will take place at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or haholm@eiu.edu.