April 25, 2026 Image Ricardo Levins Morales Minneapolis-based artist and organizer Ricardo Levins Morales spoke at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design on April 3, describing art as both a political tool and a form of healing. He shared his journey from Puerto Rico to Chicago and eventually Minnesota, where he began creating screenprinted posters in his 20s.His work has long focused on labor rights, racial justice, LGBTQ+ issues, and anti-colonial movements. Known for a bold, accessible style, Morales works across woodcut, screenprinting, and scratchboard, often using imagery of land, farming, and natural cycles to express the interconnectedness of people and social movements.At the center of his practice is the idea of “art as a medicinal practice.” He prioritizes making work for everyday audiences rather than galleries, with pieces displayed in community spaces and designed to resonate deeply, regardless of scale.Morales emphasized reframing trauma into empowerment, noting that “everything we’re doing is echoes of the past.” Through agricultural metaphors of growth and renewal, he encourages audiences to see justice movements as part of a larger living system—and to use art to make people think, feel, and act.Learn MoreMorales’ website(rlmartstudio.com)