Akonadi statement on Affirmative Action

 

This is a very short yet powerful statement on the latest ruling striking down affirmative action in the United States by the Supreme Court. Akonadi is an organization founded on philanthropy and racial justice. 

ARTICLE LINK

In 2013 I illustrated a poster for racial justice and still believe that if the majority of working people do not know the true history of how racism (white supremacy) has affected every single aspect of American society including law, food, healhcare, transportation, housing, and yes public and higher education. This latest ruling acts as if hundreds of years of exclusion in higher education has been made equal by a few decades of partial inclusion. This is not true. 

Dig this? Check out this poster I illustrated for the Akonadi Foundation in 2013

Facing Race Conference - Coloring Sheet

 

Hey fam, excited to share this coloring sheet I illustrated for Race Forward (formerly Colorlines). Shout out to Erin Zipper for bringing me in to do this. And shout out to Nicky Rodriguez who also illustrated a coloring sheet. Quickly, Facing Race is an annual conference where organizers, educators, artists, and regular folks like you get together to talk about racial justice. For some people that inspires eyes rolling, but for the eclectic mix of folks who go it is a lifetime of work. Learn more about it by following Race Forward and attending the conference virtually. 

And download the coloring sheet to have fun drawing!

Here's a bit of process from the art making:

Thumbnails

Sketches

Final drawing used as a coloring sheet during the 2020 Facing Race conference.

Dig this? Here's an illustration I did for Oakland Rising in the past and one done for an Elefint Designs collab w/ John Legend and the ACLU.

 Coloring sheets by myself and Nicky Rodriguez

Snippets from the drawing

Audio - Panel discussion w/ Akonadi Foundation

This is an artist where I was invited to speak on by the Akonadi Foundation in Oakland. The panel was about Racial Justice, Artwork, making it as an artist, and more. It was moderated by Hard Knock Radio’s “Davey D” . listen

LINK

Photos from Akonadi

Davey D, Joshua Mays, Janine Macbeth, and myself

Davey D, Joshua Mays, Janine Macbeth, and myself

Me, Janine, and Josh

Me and Janine Macbeth

My son and my wife

Josh, Vanessa Camarena, Ashara Ekundayo, Renee Geesler (Akonadi/ Mamacitas), Davey, George Galvis (Curyj), Janine Macbeth, Gina Acebo, Renee's daughter and a few other folks I don't know.

Here are some photos from a panel discussion with artists Joshua Mays, Janine Macbeth, and myself with journalist Davey D from Hard Knock Radio. Josh, Janine, and myself all contributed artwork to the Akonadi's racial justice poster project. 

You can watch the talk here from their facebook 

Big shout out to Renee, Gina, Vanessa, and Lateefah from Akonadi and all the staff for putting on this event. Photos by Jean Melesaine