Character 112 - Ameena (Cease Fire)

This a caricature of Ameena. She's one of the "Interrupters". She grew up with a father who was heavy into the gangs of Chicago which date way far back. She was in the life, selling, partying, and wilding out. Ameena's courage and gift of gab impressed me in the documentary. Speaking as someone who was also banging she speaks from experience and with authority that folks just listen to. I re-watched the ITVS documentary “The Interrupters” about a team of Black and Latino ex-gang members and cats called “Ceasefire” who lived the life and are now acting as agents of change. They find situations where there is evidence of long standing beefs, an insult, a stare, a look, anything that could set it off-and they step in. I don’t claim to have a complete understanding of “Ceasefire”, but what they and so many others have been doing to stop us from killing each other is inspiring. Don’t let anyone tell you people of color ain’t out there trying to stop the violence; that we only get upset when a cop murders. It’s not true. Please watch the Interrupters here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/interrupters/

Character 111-Eddie (Cease fire)

Eddie is one of many guys who lived, took life,  is giving back life, and survived "the life" (violence) in Chicago where hundreds have died yearly. I re-watched the ITVS documentary "The Interrupters" about a team of Black and Latino ex-gang members and cats called "Ceasefire" who lived the life and are now acting as agents of change. They find situations where there is evidence of long standing beefs, an insult, a stare, a look, anything that could set it off-and they step in. I don't claim to have a complete understanding of "Ceasefire", but what they and so many others have been doing to stop us from killing each other is inspiring. Don't let anyone tell you people of color ain't out there trying to stop the violence; that we only get upset when a cop murders. It's not true. 

Please watch the Interrupters here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/interrupters/

ACLU Illustration-Realize the dream

I am extremely honored to work with the American Civil Liberties Union. Here in Northern California and all across the US, the ACLU has helped regular everyday people who dont have million dollar lawyers to fight back against people and institutions who infringe or violate their rights. Their work has involved gender, race, hate crimes, police brutality, issues of privacy, and racial profiling. This particular project was brought to my attention by media strategist Catrina Chaos and designer Gigi Pandian. 

This specific poster illustration was used as a way to engage activists at a conference focusing on ways to protect the rights of people caught up or wrongfully held in the criminal justice system! Please check out the ACLU for more information about their work. Check out some of the process.

Dig this? Check out this illustration I did for the ACLU x Central Valley Report

Furqan's First Flat Top UPDATE 10- Univision TV interview

I was on UNIVISION 19 (TV Channel) in Sacramento today thx to Univision and the teachers from my son's school. Was nervous as hell, but managed to mumble through it ok. Hopefully just 1 parent who might identify w/ "Furqan's First Flat Top" saw it. For that I would be thankful. Please watch here.

Yo estaba en la canal Univision 19 hoy en Sacramento. Gracias a Univison y las maestras de la escuela de mu hio por este oportunidad. Yo estaba bien nervioso, pero yo puedia hablar...mas o menos. Espero que una mama o papa lo vi y puede identificar con "El Primer corte de Mesita de Furqan". Por eso yo estaria agradecido. Por favor, ver lo aqui.

You can purchase the book at FurqansFirst.com

Tu puedes comprar el libro aqui en FurqansFirst.com

UPDATE: The book is currently sold out, but check out Alejandria Fights Back/La Lucha de Alejandria by Leticia Hernandez-Linares and "Rise Home Stories Project" or We are Yoga/Somos Yoga by Jill Guerra; both of which I illustrated.

Dig this? I was once featured in Mother Magazine as one of 30 Black illustrators of kids books! Además, here's an interview I did with writer/poet Leticia Hernandez-Linares on Latinxs in Kid Lit about our book "La Lucha de Alejandria/ Alejandria Fights Back".

CultureStrike-"Visions from the inside 2" Illustration

LINK bit.ly/csvisions

This is the second time around working with the homies from CultureStrike and it is truly a blessing to learn. I learn every time I work with them. If you are not familiar with CultureStrike(CS) , they are an organization of artists from various disciplines taking their fight against injustice to artwork and culture. Instead of always telling folks what "not" to do they are showing what we can do to change the narrative around issues or people. 

In this case, its the narrative around immigrants and how they are treated. This is the second letter I received from someone who is going through or has gone through the immigration process here in the US. Many of these places are backed by private for profit corporations. Many times in the narrative of the media the conditions that these folks are facing are #$%&*( up. Last time I got a letter from a child. This time CS sent artists letters from men and transgender folks going through it.

Please check out my piece about a man who is a prime example of how some one could be injured by the guards/the system and receive little to no support. Many people die in us jails and prisons, I wonder if the practices carry over to these for profit centers processing immigrants mostly from Central America and Mexico.

Check out some of the process shots and follow Culture Strike for media interviews about the many other letters and artists involved in redefining the narrative around detention centers here in the US. It is important for people like me who are just learning about this, or folks who know nothing at all to be informed visually about what is happening. Some folks don't read, so share the artwork that CultureStrike is creating because there is a movement of folks trying to get folks free from the detention centers and to help reconnect families who've been torn apart.

Do not believe the hype about latino immigrants and stealing American jobs. American corporations specifically and explicitly started to take away jobs here because they found out they could pay people in other parts of the world a fraction, therefore making more billions for their CEOs. 

Furqan's First Flat Top UPDATE 9-Where you can buy the book (SF-Oakland-East Bay)

Peace everyone, I have been doing my best to get the last of the books to the kickstarter backers. Most of them are done. A few more to go. If you're a backer and haven't received the book, please hit me up. Ok, this is a very short list of the bookstores that currently have copies of "Furqan's First Flat Top" on hand. Please support these independent book stores by purchasing the book there. If you have a favorite bookstore from your city or country, please list it in the comments or email me. If you would like to purchase the book from me directly you can do that here.

My email: info@robdontstop.com

Marcus Books In Oakland

Laurel Cyclery in Oakland

Laurel Books in Oakland

Ashay By The Bay East Bay/ Bay Area

Walden Pond Books in Oakland

Modern Times Bookstore in San Francisco

Luna's Press & Bookstore in San Francisco

Pegasus in Downtown Berkeley

We read too-App for Diverse Books

Came across this the other day; an app specifically designed to catalogue a list of diverse children's books! Here is a link to a video of Kaya Thomas talking about the app she developed.

Furqan's First Flat Top UPDATE 8-Photos from the book release

This past month, I hosted a book release for "Furqan's First" at the East Arts Alliance's Cafe Cultura in East Oakland. There were lots of kids, some awesome parents, and the authors (Ann Berlak, Kati Cepeda, and Aya de Leon) I invited came through to read to the little ones.

These are some of the photos my wife took.

photos by Joy Liu-Trujillo

photos by Mr. Breckenridge

Kati Cepeda-He was as big as a house

Ann Berlak-Joelitos big decision

Aya De Leon-Puffy

Sausal Creek 7 - OPL Feature

"I am Sausal Creek" a book i illustrated for writer Melissa Reyes got a little shine in the Oakland Public Library August catalogue. Check out the book if you haven't yet. If you're in the Bay you can catch Melissa doing a reading for the book in August!

Campaigns worth supporting

Building more infrastructure to find and support Black owned business.
 
Never even knew this magazine existed. Please spread the word.
Support our trans brothers and sisters fighting to make their stories visible and to be free of stigma, stereotype, and hatred.

Array started off as Affrm, a collective of filmmakers, actors, producers, festival runners who nurture and promote Black films, now POC and Women film makers included.

Character 110- Miss Lauryn Hill

Police killings got me looking for inspiration to convey the thoughts. I revisited this one by Miss Lauryn Hill called "Black Rage". Please check out the lyrics and listen to the song. Play it for somebody.