Blog / 2020 / I Want to Celebrate
June 19, 2020
I want to be happy that many companies have finally figured out that Black lives do, in fact, matter. I want to be pleased that the art coaches who used to tell artists to keep politics out of their work have finally decided to stand up for standing up. I want to celebrate.
But every time I get another email declaration of nouveau solidarity, all I can think is: what took you so long?
While most of us will soon forget that these companies and coaches ever stayed quiet, I hope the companies and coaches themselves remember what they did.
They encouraged self-censorship and slowed down anti-racist progress. They bet on silence, while passively endorsing violence. They should never forget that they failed to speak out for far too long, because they must never do it again.
I met Justyne Fischer and her art in 2015, when we participated in the Implicit Bias show at the Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery in DC. Her work—and especially this image—marked me.
Maybe this post made you think of something you want to share with me? Or perhaps you have a question about my art? I’d love to hear from you!
To receive an email every time I publish a new article or video, sign up for my special mailing list.
If you enjoyed this post, Ko-fi allows you to donate. Every dollar you give is worth a bajillion to me!
