Intervention 1 - Shouhaybou Mbow

 For this project, I chose to talk about climate change and how it’s affecting the world.

 

In my intervention, one can see the highlight of the pictures are the sneakers. The sneakers are called Yeezy Boost 700 Waverunners. The creator of these sneakers are from a man with huge influence in the streetwear community, Kanye West. Kanye West is an African American rapper who has a major influence in the streetwear community regardless of what the piece is. For example, Kanye can wear a certain sneaker or even a sweater, and the resale value of the item skyrockets simply because Kanye was seen wearing this item. Due to the fact that this intervention has to do with some kind of protest art, I decided to use my Kanye sneakers in order to remind people that Mental Health is very important and should not be taken lightly. 

I took these pictures while I was outside in public and remembered that I had an intervention that has to do with some type of movement. I am also doing a presentation in my Criminal Justice class and I am speaking about mental health as well. It just so happens that I was wearing a sneaker made from Kanye West,Kanye West has been really open about have a bi polar disorder. There has been so many controversies about Kanye West and his mental health. One can easily find a list of memes regarding Kanye West mental health all over social media. There has been so much slander to the artist, and it almost feels like people forget he is a human being just like the rest of us.

There have been situations where Kanye West has broken down in front of a crowd and it is so sad to see someone struggle with their own mind. I have a lot of empathy for people who struggle with their mental health because I believe mental health is something that people overlook. Although Kanye is very open about his mental health conditions, there are still people who call him crazy. The word crazy is used very often to describe little things and in my humble opinion, calling someone crazy is very disrespectful. Even through all the negativity, Kanye West still lives on and manages to still leave huge impacts and inspiration on the streetwear and music industry.

INTERVENTION 2

 

The intervention I wanted to talk about today is the abuse of drugs and achohol today. This shirt was made by Virgil Abdoh who passed away a few months back, from cancer. Virgil designed this shirt to commenorate rapper Juice WRLD who passed away due to an overdose. Juice was an open drug addict and he shared his his depressing thoughts and feelings that drugs gave him a lot in his music. He was a very talented artist who was able to make a 3 minute song off the top of his head. That is how special he was an artist. Legends Never Die was his motto in life. He was okay with dying which is a dark place we shouldn’t allow others to get to. His record label was recorded buying him drugs so that he could keep making music and keep making them money. He scheduled to check into rehab 2 days after his death. It was dark time for music as another artist had died from these issues. 

For the people around Juice, it was probably a hard situation to be around. Taking a bunch a xanes a day, doing hard drugs like molly and coacaine. They felt uncomfortable telling him what he should and shout not do. He was the money maker and the artist. Which led to them just letting him do his thing. All it took as for someone to eventually say something to him to even have the chance at getting through to him. When you around the wrong people in life, it sets you back and for Juice it only caused him the end of his young life. He was only 23 when he died having multiple grammy nominations and Billboard Top 100 hits. 

The lesson here is to speak up when you see something wrong with a friend and always look out for each other. Juice knew when he died he would leave us some of his best work as an artist and having his music talk about what he has been going through has been a tough for fans. Saying lines like “ Im already dead “ and “ My girlfriend is the plug “. Cyrptic messages of signs for help and a lot of people just sat there with no response. We must do better as a society to pick up on these signs that can save lives and help other become the best version of themselves. RIP JUICE WRLD

- Jose Bejerano

Intervention 2

                                                                Violence in everyday life

In my second intervention project, I decided to make a poster about violence in everyday life. What do you think when you hear a word of violence? Violence in Everyday Life examines how gender and sexuality intersect with violence and the use of physical force. Everybody has experienced violence, especially blacks who were forced by whites as stated in the Black Lives Matter article “I can't breathe”, These words became the anthem for black people. How does this relate to violence? This is related because there is a connection between violence and racism because they target the gender and color of black people as problems. 

Moreover, Violence is everywhere, for example, at home, on the street, at work, at school and etc. Married women are always exposed to violence from their husbands or sometimes even from their children. Violence may not only affect women, but their children, as well. As a result of this violence, suicidal thoughts and actions can occur. Two years ago, in my country, there was a woman who was married to a kind man she thought that his heart was kind from the inside. However, after two years, she began to see his nervousness, and he started hitting her every day until she decided to leave; he then hit her more till she went to the hospital; after she was released, she took her own life due to the violence she had experienced.

Furthermore, violence always leads to physical and psychological fatigue, especially for children. It is not just women who are victimized by violence, but also men, especially in prison. Violence is sometimes used against men as if he is not a human being worthy of respect, but they treat men as inscets

Finally, I believe we will all be able to get over violence in our lives so it is our responsibility to make sure we choose the right person, the right place, and the right jobs, as well as a good community to live in, so stop being violence to others.

Intervention 2: A Plastic Protest

 

For my intervention, I decided to tackle the topic of plastic pollution. It is an issue that carries great importance to us, our ecosystem, and to our home mother earth. We use plastic in almost everything and discard it so wastefully and carelessly.  Ten out of ten chances you will see some form of plastic tossed somewhere around the ground. Now the problem is that this is so common and normal that people don’t think anything of it.

 

            Now let’s look at the facts. At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year. This currently makes up 80% of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments. The main source of this debris is coming from urban and stormwater runoff, sewer overflows, littering, illegal dumping, and inadequate waste disposal and management. Many countries lack the infrastructure to prevent plastic pollution such as landfills, incineration facilities, recycling capacity, and circular economy infrastructure. This leads to leakage into rivers and the ocean.

            

            This leakage of plastic harms the ocean health, marine life, and us. Marine life will suffer through ingestion, suffocation, and entanglement of this plastic debris. Sealife such as turtles, whales, seabirds, and fish mistake plastic for prey and ingest this plastic. This later leads to starvation since their stomachs are filled with plastic and lead to infections. When it comes to human health, microplastic have been found in tap water, beer, salt, and is present in all samples collected in the world’s ocean. The fish also contain this microplastic from the water which can later end up in us when we consume seafood. This is a serious health hazard. Next time we decide to litter, we need to think about it in way of littering in our own living room or a friend’s living space. Very not okay and if we don’t litter in the space we live in, why should we litter in the living space of other living organisms. We all live in this home called Earth. Let’s take care of it.

JONES - The Importance of Encouraging and Supporting Black Entrepreneurs

 

ajxthebrand.com

For this second intervention, I decided to touch upon the importance of black businesses flourishing and how we can better support each other. I’ve noticed, especially in Jersey City, how rare it is to not only see black businesses pop up in the area, but they aren’t highlighted/recognized. When being part of the process of my sister’s and my father’s businesses, I saw how when it came to promoting, how reluctant it seemed that individuals within our community would take the initiative. I’ve talked with my friends about how there is an unconscious/conscious support of predominantly white businesses. However, when it comes to our own people, there’s a certain level of expectation because we have been conditioned that, in order to reach a certain level in our society then we have to work 10 times harder. With that, it’s like we tend to acknowledge black businesses for a moment and when it doesn't pass our “test”, sometimes we stick to big name brands that we probably see as better. 

"As a byproduct of social media, memes and protest art act as a way to gauge a country’s political temperature...  an act of protest spoken with the language of the digital age." 

- How Memes Are Making Protest Art More Powerful by Lizzie Fison

"Professor McAdam said. “We appear to be experiencing a social change tipping point — that is as rare in society as it is potentially consequential.” "  

-  Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest Movement in U.S. History By Larry Buchanan, Quoctrung Bui and Jugal K. Patel

The two quotes above corroborate with my intervention because, when put together they explain how art can be a form of activism. My business is not only about promoting and advocating for black businesses, but it's also part of an effort to showcase just how much talent and creativity is within a community that has been underrepresented and overshadowed for so long. To me, being part of this showcase of creativity is important because I hope to be an inspiration to others.

Brandon Blackwood is an up and coming, handbag designer who has made a name as one of the most influential young, black entrepreneurs currently. I remember seeing how he was getting bashed on Twitter because the quality of some bags did not meet expectations when people received them. The drama was trending on Twitter for weeks before Brandon released a heartfelt video about the situation. In the video he apologizes for the quality of the bags not being up to par, but he also speaks upon how critical the black community is of the notable black figures/businesses because it seems like we expect more of them, because they are representing us. I agree with this statement in its entirety. The photos I attached are shirts from my business, and I find it important to make it clear that not only is this my brand, but it is most definitely black owned, and all my fellow community entrepreneurs should be proud of their success. I wanted it to be the biggest takeaway when someone buys from my business. I will always make it a point to purchase from or shout out business owners in my community. So often, we aren’t given the tools and opportunities to get ourselves out of the conditions our society has normalized for us. It’s imperative for us to make sure that when we reach a certain level and get ourselves up, that we reach back and help another one up.

Intervention 2: PRAY FOR UKRAINE

                                         

                                                             "PRAY FOR UKRAINE " pt. 1                                        

                                                          "PRAY FOR UKRAINE " pt. 2

                    I designed a tote bag with the Ukrainian flag and the words "PRAY FOR UKRAINE" to bring awareness to what is happening in Ukraine. Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Overnight, Przemyśl, one of the oldest cities in southeastern Poland, became a point of refuge for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who arrived by bus and train with their hurriedly packed bags. Many had to find safety quickly to escape the Russian bomb and artillery fire. In addition, the war has sent a wave of more than 1 million refugees to neighboring countries. 

 

                     The war in Ukraine is resulting in the tragic loss of life and human suffering and causing massive damage to Ukraine's physical infrastructure. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) verified 953 civilian deaths (78 were children) during Russia's military attack on Ukraine as of March 21, 2022. Furthermore, 1,557 people were reported to have been injured. These deaths may have occurred directly – collateral damage to the fighting – but war affects people's health beyond bullets and bombs. Many war survivors develop PTSD, depression, anxiety-causing mental health issues. The war against Ukraine is inhuman, ruthless, and dangerous for the innocent people that live in Ukraine that have nothing to do with the war; thousands of civilians are being affected by the senseless acts of war. 

 

                       I was inspired to make a wearable object to act as protest art by many of the artists in "The interventionists, Chapter 3: Ready to Wear". The Yomango Bag gave me the inspiration to create a tote bag that I can wear outside and at the same time protest for a cause. I could wear it in a public space; the bright blue and yellow colored flag along with the powerful words "PRAY FOR UKRAINE" will catch people's attention and think about what is going on in Ukraine. Also, instead of using the word "Ukraine," I decided to paint the Ukrainian flag to make it more creative and eye-catching. "[The NAACP] had only a moment to capture the attention of drivers or walkers, so the design needed to be as big, bold, and simple as possible" (Siegler, Chapter 5: Civil Rights). When making protest art, it must catch people's attention to bring awareness to the issue, so I chose to paint bold black letters on my tote bag. "I began to understand how intimately art and activism could work together to produce a collective voice and shared community" (Drew, This What I Know About Art, 2020). Creating art and combining it with activism makes a more significant impact on others. It needs to be eye-catching, which is why incorporating art in a pretest plays a big role. Protest art allows for immense creativity and is capable of bringing a lot of added attention to any given activity. 

Intervention 2 - Shouhaybou Mbow

Climate change becoming more and more dangerous

climate change is real

Climate change is real!

    For this intervention, I chose the project to bring awareness of our environment and the way we live in because not a lot of people take seriously this thing when it comes to climate change. It has been an issue that is affecting our everyday lives.  Climate change has been increasing throughout the past few years causing more and more harm to people’s lives.  Climate change has

created a lot of chaos in people's lives; many people are dying because of some diseases such as cancer, and other health problems created by mechanization. I used the quote “climate change is real” because people are living in complete ignorance. Our leaders are not doing the necessary job to target this problem. 

    Climate change can be defined according to NASA, "as a long-term change in the weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional, global climate". It is the biggest crisis that humanity is facing. It can cause a lot of diseases such as skin cancer because the sun is getting too hot, and the weather is constantly changing. Global warming and climate change can also be referred to as an increase in average global temperature. This means that the more we go the more it will increase and the more it causes problems. I was inspired by this project “sans Terre” in chapter 4 which means without earth in English. The image they used in the project show how the earth has been messed up by humans. By looking at the sky’s images, it shows me how the earth is beautiful and the second image which is below it shows how our environment has been destroyed. This quote from “sans Terre”, “what was happening the last time you looked at the ground? If they see trash, they pick it up and they take photographs.” It explains how climate change can be caused by humans too and how ignorant they are about their environment. People throw garbage and other kinds of stuff on the ground that too can contribute to climate change. The black community are so underfunded and ignored when it comes to climate change. They are the ones that suffer the most when it comes to that matter. They are living in an environment where it hasn’t proper air to breathe, and not a clean environment to live in. The other quote is “in its form and uses, the ultimate jacket advocates CTM tactics of stealth, sabotage, and misdirection in “an abrasive-resistant, non-reflective, breathable, waterproof” wearable object.” We can find this quote in the ultimate jacket project. This can be a form of protest; this quote inspired me because it shows that we can do something good by using some things like trash, to recycle items that people don’t use to make something out of it that people can use. This idea can help reduce climate change. during my intervention, I was walking outside in the streets, I was talking to some of my friends about climate change and how they are not taking it seriously. it's affecting many people, especially in an underdeveloped country. some countries in Africa for example, their economy is centered on farming, and they depend on the rain so that they can grow their crops. Farming can be an essential factor in a country's development. Nowadays if we don’t have the force to advocate for ourselves or to try to make changes nobody will care about us, not even the government. 

 

Intervention 2

 

Mental health is as important to me as physical health.  That is why I have decided to make this poster as a reminder to all the people that we must take care of both.  In the same way, many people focus much more on just their physical health and how they look physically and leave mental health aside, which is really important.  I feel that people today focus on how their body should look in order for them to be happy when in reality if their mental health is not good they will not feel better.  I want to remind people that mental health is of the utmost importance because that is where happiness with oneself comes from.  We must be clear that just as we go to the hospital when we feel bad from some physical pain, we must also take care of our mental health.  Seek help if you have depression, anxiety and a lot of sadness. 

However, mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health. For example, depression increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Engaging in a vigorous physical workout can help you battle depression and gain a more positive outlook on life. It’s also a great way to beat stress, which can harm you mentally and physically.On the other hand, poor mental health can lead to poor physical health or harmful behaviors. People with mental health conditions are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders, like insomnia or sleep apnea.While conditions like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder may lead to sleep problems, sleep problems can also make existing mental health conditions worse. 

Your physical well-being also has an impact on your mental health. People with physical health conditions may also develop mental health conditions. However making simple changes to lifestyle habits such as physical activity, diet, and sleep can go a long way toward boosting how you feel inside and out. Exercise benefits both physical and mental health. In some cases, exercise is used to supplement or even replace the use of medication to treat certain mental health conditions. Mental health is important for everyone. So know that if you’re facing a mental health challenge, you are not alone!

Intervention Project 2-Krysti Alejandro

All Lives Matter?

For my second intervention project, I decided to discuss the topic of Covid-19 and the early stages of getting the vaccine. Many people were hesitant to get the vaccine because they thought that the vaccine had tracking chips or infertility drugs in them. A lot of right-winged voters started using sayings of those who are on the more liberal side with "my body, my choice," when refusing to get their vaccinations. It was quite bizarre to hear them chant those words when most right-winged believe in "pro-life" and shame those who believe in pro-choice. I made two signs, my first saying, "What happened to trusting the government?" I chose this phrase because many conservatives vouch to run deep with the government and anything they say, but when officials were insisting on people to get the vaccine to get back to some normalcy but many fought back saying that the government is trying to control their bodies and "isn't the American Dream." But back the government when it comes to controlling women's bodies. This brings me to my next sign, "Now its' 'my body, my choice' right?" this sign again talks about how conservatives used liberal sayings to advocate their reasonings for not being vaccinated. 

I am a pro-choice person who won't force anyone to do anything that they don't want, but I just found it amusing that conservatives were trying to be liberal when saying that they don't want to follow the government and what they think is best...when it comes to them personally, but then flip completely and think that the government should be involved in bodily decisions like whether or not a woman can have an abortion. It's just ironic how these people think.

my inspiration for this intervention was the tactical media project, where holding a sign speaks volumes to the cause at hand. "Tactical media is the situational, ephemeral, and self-terminating. It encourages the use of any media that will engage a particular sociopolitical context in order to create molecular interventions...." For me I think arguing with conversations and right-winged thinkers is pointless, so sometimes you have to throw their words back at them and hope they get the message...which most of the time they don't but it's better than fighting with someone who refuses to educate themselves.

 

INTERVENTION 2

 

"African American Legends" 

"Black Lives Matter"

            

            For my second intervention project I decided to do a wearable piece that talks about Black Lives Matter. I was inspired by this graphic tee that I purchased because it lists all the amazing Black African American Legends who have done so much for Black African American to be accepted and to be treated equal and to also be treated as a human being. On the sheet of paper I am hold up it has "Black Lives Matter" in the center; that I wrote saying that I feel that the public should be aware of if they are not already: 

• People of color should be acknowledge more.
• Being black is powerful.
• How we are treated should not be based on the color of our skin.
• Black History Month should be celebrated longer than only one month. 
• Being black is beautiful. 
• Black people paved a way not only for African Americans but for everyone.  

      The quote that inspired me to pick wearable piece (graphic tee) for this intervention project was picked from Chapter 3 Ready To Wear by Rubén Ortiz- Torres "Hats", " insignias on an array of baseball hats to produce new, culturally charged meanings. Also another quote that stood out to me that represents my project was from the Harvard Gazette: "Background on Black Lives Matter", the quote states "Black Lives Matter represents a unique moment in the history of black political thought because it rejects the idea of "black uplift", which proposes that educated blacks are responsible for the well-being of the black population". 

               

Intervention 2

Educate Yourself

Why?

In the past couple of years and till now, there are excessive numbers of teens who commit suicide and I’ve been wondering and asking myself why they do that to themselves. I mean nothing deserves to end your life for. Life is hard and we all are in the same boat, we all suffer from friendship, trauma, relationships, family problems, school, work, etc. No one is comfortable but we must stand up and focus on what's coming. Life is not bad, we all have plenty of chances to stand up again for ourselves. If you didn’t become what you want to be or didn’t get the job you want, etc. It's not the end of the world, there are plenty of things that you can try to improve yourself. Even if you fail, keep trying until you get it. Every failure makes you stronger and also makes you have the courage to try again and if you want something, fight for it. However, every situation we go through is a life lesson that you must take advantage of whether failure or success because that makes you more educated and comprehend people around you. Sometimes people take advantage of your kindness and manipulate you. When things go wrong with teens, they don't know what to do but to end their life or do drugs. That is a true story that some of my relatives faced. According to the yes men “No land on earth may be considered free if freedom means to engage in activities that endanger the well-being of corporate enterprise.” There are many ways to help them out, for example, let them be busy(work) or educate themselves. Most teens feel that they are not accepted by others in some way. For example, if their parents are strict or prefer one child over the other, they feel lonely, non acceptable, and have less rights. According to Kimberly Drew, this is what I know about art: “Our activism, like any other part of ourselves, develops into something bigger than a singular experience. Activism is a collective action and an investment in the lives of other people”. Those teens are the next generation, we are all human and we all matter. Don’t even give yourself a chance to end your life. Everyone understands that a person with extensive knowledge is valued by all members of society. Education is what’s going to make you proud of yourself, successful and be in the right place. Surround yourself with people who want the best for you and make you level up. 

INTERVENTION 2

 

Owen Roberts

March 22, 2022

New Jersey City Univ.

Art 263

Intervention 2 Project

 

         The wearable piece of art that I chose that acts as a form of protest art and represents activism was a hoodie that I purchased from an underground clothing brand called Barriersworldwide.com. The hoodie stands out in forms of Activism due to the important people that are stitched onto the hoodie and what they represent. In the front are two portraits of Marcus Garvey and Frederick Douglas. Next, on the left sleeve is a portrait of Martin Luther King Jr., and on the right sleeve is a portrait of Malcolm X.  

 

    Marcus Garvey (August 17, 1887- June 10, 1940) was a Jamaican political activist, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator. Marcus Garvey was also the founder and first President-General of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. Garvey played a big role in fighting for the independence and rights for Black people in his time. He founded the UNIA in 1914 in Jamaica and moved to the United States (Harlem, NY) to branch off and expand. Over his years he played a big role in leading and contributing to Black activist groups to help fight for equal rights and freedom for Black people in America. He worked with the famous Black Panther Party in the early 1900s and also launched various business in the US like the Negro Factories Corporation and the Negro World Newspaper.

 

     Frederick Douglass (February 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an African American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesmen. He escaped from slavery in Maryland in the early 1800s and after he escaped, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York and became well known for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. Douglass also became well known for his three books one autobiography on his life as a slave called ‘’the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave’’ (1845), ‘’My bondage and my Freedom’’ (1855), and ‘’Life and Times of Frederick Douglass’’ (1881).

Malcolm X (May 19, 1925 – Feb 21, 1965) was a African American Muslim minister and Human Rights activist who was a prominent figure during the Civil Rights Movement. Malcolm X also was a spokesperson for the nation of Islam until 1964 and played as a vocal advocate for black empowerment and the promotion Of Islam within the black community.

Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15^th 1929 – April 4^th 1968) was an American Baptist minister and Activist who became the most visible and one of the most important spokesman and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in 1955.

 

 

This clothing piece not only sheds light on the importance of these people and their roles for the fight for Black rights but gives an outlet in fashion to express people’s feelings and knowledge towards Black activism and the movement. These four activists fought hard for our chance at equal rights and spread the message to not ever be afraid of struggles of racism and segregation our society lives under, spreading that same message as the one quote in the Siegler reading ‘’Two acts of defiance, nearly fifty years apart, deliver the same message: I refuse to be afraid’’ (Chapter 10).

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Invention 2

 

“Love us like you love our Food” 

    I wrote this on the sidewalk by NJCU, and it stand for the Asian hate crime that has been going on. Lately it made me feel like everyone is a hypocrite because they throw hate on our culture and make snarky comments, but how can you hate us when you love the food we make and we give you? How are you able to order our culture’s food but hate and disrespect us? “Love us like you love our food,” is giving a message to people to love us for who we are just like you love our Asian cuisines. Last week marked a year since a man murdered eight women and six of them Asian American at massage parlors across the metro Atlanta area. It was the peak of national awareness of the problem and inspired public condemnations and decrees that disavowed such hatred. And the funny thing is that Asian hate is still continuing till this day. All over the world, and it never ends. 

    Beginning in February of 2020, the Commission received a sevenfold increase in reports of anti-Asian harassment, discrimination, and violence. It is crucial to note that hate crimes and bias incidents have been found to be vastly under-reported so these numbers only reflect reported incidents. And I have realized over the years that the world we live in, the system is messed up in so many ways. No matter what goes on in the world, there is never anyone who takes the lead or have the courage to stop everything that is happening. That is just my opinion, because no matter how many people protest and fight for what they believe in, there are others who are ignorant in this world. The government however, in the recent rash of violence against Asian Americans prompted U.S. President Joe Biden to sign into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. It calls for a point person at the Department of Justice to speed up the review of hate crimes. The legislation also provides grants for training and education against racism. The legislation passed in the House in 2021 and received overwhelming support in the Senate that year.  

In the Civil Rights Movement reading, "Honor King End Racism." These posters were handed out to Marchers seven days after the march and four days after when Martin Luther King was assassinated to support and in honor of the strike. 

It is commonly observed that the crisis in race relations dominates the arena of American life. One is resort to the all too prevalent method of physical violence and corroding hatred. The danger of this method is its futility. Violence solves no social problems; it merely creates new and more complicated ones. 

Intervention

​

For my intervention project I choose to make awareness of mental health. I wrote “you matter,” on the poster because many individuals feel like they don’t matter or wanna take their life because of their struggles dealing with mental health. I put this poster in the back of the car because people are constantly on the go and forget to take care of themselves or don’t think they truly matter in life. Everyone in life whether it be a stranger or anyone needs a reminder that they could make it in life especially those struggling. I want people to see this poster and feel happy when they read it. Someone could be having a hard time or not having a good day and if they see this poster it could make them feel like they matter. My thoughts about this sign is that it's meaningful, it’s letting a person know that they are important in this world. In the book  “This is what I know about Art,” by Kimberly Drew she states “I knew the power of representation and tried to leverage the image in a way that felt authentic." This quote helped me with my project because it shows how seeing others represent themselves helps others not be afraid of who they are. People could feel inspired by those who aren’t afraid to be themselves. Another quote Drew states is “We talk about “imposter syndrome,” or the feeling that you don’t belong somewhere.” This quote helped me also with my project because I feel as those with mental illness feel like they don’t belong because they don’t function or act the same as everyone else. My intention for this mental health awareness protest is to shed light to those struggling that it’s okay. It isn’t something individuals who suffer should be ashamed of. I want people to realize that it’s okay to feel the way you feel but that others who can even be strangers care for them. In 1908, Clifford Beers was the person who started to protest about the mental health movement. He also struggled with mental illness and how shameful he felt because of it and many others as well. This just proves that people have been feeling ashamed of having a hard time dealing with mental health and talking about it. The poster I created, people can see others do care about them and try to seek help. 

My Worth and rights are not questions, they are statement

 

Active awareness means active advocacy 

If it’s not seen then it’s not spoken about

 Let our rights be heard

 

 

 

I chose women equality as a topic I feel strongly about, as it is a on going issue. It is an issue I see everyday and also experience myself first hand due to my race and gender.  Worldwide gender equality is being fought for. For my project I chose to do a poster in reference to women’s rights and equality. On my poster in bold letters, it reads “My worth and rights are non- negotiable”. On the bottom of the signs, I chose to paint a closed fist with the women’s feminism symbol. In the poster I decided to highlight the word non- negotiable because I feel as a woman and someone who was raised by women, that our rights should not be debatable. Women are seen as the lesser sex because of gender and are treated differently because of it.  I found chapter 5 Civil Rights to be a very helpful guide into figuring out my idea, view on gender inequality, and creating my poster.  I found that this quote stuck to me while creating my poster “They only had moments to capture the attention of drivers and walkers, so the design needs to be as big, bold, and simple as possible” (page4).  For my poster I took reference from the 1963 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) protest art where members of the group hung a flag on 5^th avenue saying “A man was lynched yesterday”. I wanted to be as direct while incorporating my artistic abilities and still keeping the poster simple yet straight forward and to the point. For the placement of the sign, I wanted my poster to be seen by many so I placed it in an area of my town that many run, jog, and walk through and is a busy street. I placed the sign on a park bench right where the bus stop was because I felt that’s where the sign would be most noticeable. I also  placed it in other places in my town in front of objects that are noticeable.

I also took inspiration for my poster from the 1968 strike, fighting for the right to unionize. African American protesters decide to take the question of “Am I a man?” and turned it into a statement. “They changed the question into a statement, in the form of this striking, simple poster. The message? We are no longer asking you, we are telling you (pg 9, Civil rights).  Like the protesters I wanted my poster to reflect the idea that we as women are no longer asking for equal rights but we are stating that our rights and our worth will no longer be staggered by men and society. Our worth should not be measured by our gender, as we are an equally important and contributing factor in society; We work, raise men and women, run households, and are an equally important and contributing factor in the world. We should not be underestimated, overlooked and ignored. We are worth just as much as the men we raise. We are human and deserve the same rights, respect, pay and acknowledgements as men. All in all i enjoyed actively bringing awareness to women's equality.

Intervention Chapter 3&4(Mona.E)

Chapter 3

Project :Yomango

Founded 2003 (Barcelona, Spain)

Quote 1

“This magic bag makes objects disappear. It’s ergonomically designed to be the ultimate shoplifting utensil.

“YOMANGO converts going to the mall into a magical experience.”

​​I understand that this bag is actually referred to as "I Steal" in Spanish, meaning this bag is a sort of protest against fast fashion because the Yomango bag is not even a brand. It is a very dangerous bag because it was designed to be used to take stuff from stores. Moreover, this bag is stylish and suitable to be used as a fashion bag instead of a shopping bag since this would make the stores easier to steal especially at the mall. This bag is also cheaper than other bags on the market. The truth is that we all need these bags in our lives to make life easier.\

Chapter 4

Project: (Critical Art Ensemble with Beatriz de Costa)

Founded 1987

Quote 2

“In executing projects such as this one, we hope to contribute to an idea of public science by focusing on issues (such as food production) that are of direct interest to people, and so contribute to making the meaning of scientific initiatives immediate and concrete, as opposed to the vague abstractions they tend to be.”

“CAE tested foods brought in by visitors to refute claims by the EU that their borders against GMOs could be maintained.”

This project is focused on finding a strong way to determine if the food is suspect due to whatever reason. Also, they taste the food over a period of 72 hours to see if their suspicions are justified. We still need to know what our bodies need and what we eat. There are many people who don't know the difference between organic food and fresh food. However, we realize that we use social media so we can search for good food bad food.

Intervention 2: Poster

 Equality Around The World

"Come Together In Peace"

"Equality (MEN) Has No Gender (WOMEN)"

The poster above it is a picture of the world with three different colored outline humans, on the bottom right two holding hands, and different colored hands. I wanted to spread equality awareness since we have had the "Black Lives Matter Movement (BLM)" and "Stop Asian Hate Crime", we need it more than ever. I want to spread positivity around and show that everyone around has a life and every single person is worth getting along with. It does not matter if you are white, black, orange, yellow, or purple does not make you any different from the other person. We all must come together to make this world a better place for everyone, it's easier said than done but it is a baby step. In chapter 4 of The Interventions, "16 Beaver Street is a network of artists, curators, writers, thinkers, and activists who regularly convene on lower Manhattan to discuss issues, exchange ideas, and raise questions." Having a community meeting would be great to talk about whatever is happening in the neighborhood or just general topics. By doing this it creates a safe place for everyone and being able to talk about things they had their mind about. 

The sign outside on the side of my house where everyone walking by can see it.

In chapter 4 of The Interventions, "It encourages the use of any media that will engage a particular sociopolitical context in order to create molecular interventions and semiotic shocks that contribute to the negation of the rising intensity of authoritarian culture." Leaving my poster outside of my house will draw attention to people either driving or walking past it. Causing them to want to take a picture with it or just share it around the internet or their social media platform. Making people more aware and having a little bit of hope that there are people who want a change in this world for the better. It's not only here in the United States but in other countries that are struggling for equality within their communities. I believe everyone has a right to speak about how their feelings and even men! We have to break that social norm where men cannot show emotion because they will look weak. When in reality, we are all humans and we all have a bad day where we just want to cry all our problems away to feel better or to be heard from someone else! We are no different from the inside to the outside, we all have feelings, and deserve to be treated equally.