Inktober 15 - Harmony Santana

I saw Harmony for the first time like most in Gun Hill Road. I believe she did an incredible job in this film showing us the audience what it is like for a boy to transition into a girl. She showed us what it is like to have allies who support trans kids, and what it is like to live without it. For this image I imagined harmony in a post apocalyptic film/story. I imagine her playing a young woman as simply one of the survivors, who kicked a lot of ass to continue living. And although it would be great to have the film acknowledge trans poc, it does not have to be about that. Harmony was born in the late 90s and came to NYC as a homeless youth. She landed a role in Gun Hill and has since worked on projects such as Eating Out and You're dead to me. In addition to being a great actress, she is also an advocate for trans people of color in film, for the queer community, and for homeless youth. I look forward to seeing more from her in front of and behind the camera.

Sources: Gun Hill Road, Wikipedia, Indiewire

Want this original drawing? $60 or Print? $20 (includes shipping)  
Got an idea for an org to donate 30% cost to? Email me info@robdontstop.com

Kids & Book Zone- Life is Living back on

Check it out, so we're back on this Saturday. Bring your babies, teens, and family to Life is Living. This is an intergenerational event. So, I will be there with several authors doing storytime: Grace Caroll, Tiffany Golden, Laurin Mayeno, and Kamaria Lofton.  We will be there as part of the Kids Zone!

The event was postponed briefly as we were trying to avoid putting folks outside in dangerously smoky and toxic air. After the northern California fires the smoke was everywhere and not good for the babies, the performers, or the people. But, we're back. 

If you would like to send relief to the folks affected in the fires and in Puerto Rico, please check out this LINK. Come through to Life is Living!

Inktober 14 - Lydia Cacho

Lydia Cacho is a journalist, writer, and activist born in Mexico in 1963. She became a journalist as a young woman and growing up she had parents who I believe encouraged her question things and to champion the rights of women. She began reporting on individual cases of violence against women.  Sexual assault, rape, and murder. This lead to discovering a much larger problem at hand and beginning to expose individuals and those in power who either condoned it, ignored it, or were complicit. Because of her reporting she herself was sexually assaulted. But kept going and helped found a center in Mexico for women who were the victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

She kept investigating in her own country and later internationally. She was the first woman in Mexico's history to take a case implicating mayors, district attorney's, and other powerful people to trial. This charged that these folks were protecting this the sex trade, sexual tourism, child pornography, and violence against young women. And many were connected to trafficking in other parts of the world. She wrote about this in articles and eventually in books such as Slavery Inc-the untold story of international sex trafficking, Los Demonios de Eden, and many others.

Having been spent time all over the world investigating these instances of abuse, being attacked, threatened, jailed, and awarded several international journalism awards she has become a shining example of how journalists can uncover the truth. But they must be protected. Journalists who get too close or speak truth to power are being threatened and murdered constantly in Mexico and worldwide. Follow her work!

Sources: LydiaCacho.net, Gesprek Op 2,

Want this original drawing? $60 or Print? $20 (includes shipping)  
Got an idea for an org to donate 30% cost to? Email me info@robdontstop.com

Inktober 13 - Adam Beach

The first time I saw Adam was in Smoke Signals. An amazing film by Sherman Alexie. Although I have only seen a few of Adam's films (Wind Talkers, Suicide Squad, Four Brothers) Adam has acted in over 80 TV shows and films. In fact his career began almost a decade before Smoke Signals came out and he's still acting today. That is nearly 30 years. He's been nominated for and has won several acting awards. And In addition to acting Adam has been vocal about many issues affecting people of color in the film industry and some time ago founded a film institute to bring in native and aboriginal youth. Through this institute young folks can learn about how to make films and hopefully get them distributed.

Sources: Imdb, Wikipedia, ABFI

Want this original drawing? $60 or Print? $20 (includes shipping)  
Got an idea for an org to donate 30% cost to? Email me info@robdontstop.com

Inktober 12 - Aurora Guerrero

 Aurora Guerrero is a Xicana filmmaker from San Francisco who started working in film in the mid 2000's. She went to school at UC berkeley and began assisting or working as a PA while she made short films. She then developed her first narrative feature film, the groundbreaking film Mosquita y Mari which explored a romance, attraction, and friendship between two young women who were Multilingual, multicultural and Xicana as well. Since the success of this film she's gone on to direct for TV shows such as Fly and Queen Sugar. On a personal note, I got to meet some of the crew who worked on #mosquitaymari and they beamed w/admiration for Aurora and her film. Once I saw it I understood why. We need more women of color directing films and tv! Can't wait to see what story she develops next. 

Sources: Remezcla,IMDb, IndieWire 

Want this original drawing? $60 or Print? $20 (includes shipping)  
Got an idea for an org to donate 30% cost to? Email me info@robdontstop.com

Inktober 11 - Sandra Equihua

Sandra Equihua is a Mexican American artist/illustrator who works in animation. She has been an artist for a long time, but officially started in animation with the animated short El Macho in 2001. Since then Sandra has created concept art and character design for films such as The Book of Life, The Guardians of Oz, El Tigre, Mucha Lucha, and now she is working on designs for the films Kung Fu Space Punch and Son of Jaguar. In addition to her studio work for Mexopolis which she co-founded with her husband Jorge Gutierrez, she has exhibited her fine art in galleries. 

From Tijuana, Mexico, Sandra came from a family of doctors and academics but decided to pursue art. She is a shining example of artistry and style, and a role model for young women of color interested in pursuing a career in animation.

Sources: Mexopolis, Lynda.com, Imdb

Dig this? Check out this drawing of Yolanda Lopez (RIP)

Inktober 10 - Ezln

The Zapatistas (named after the Mexican revolutionary Emilio Zapata) were founded in 1994 in Chiapas Mexico when the NAFTA ( North American Free Trade Agreement) began. This agreement would be created under the guise of opening trade routes for money, trade, and goods to flow through the US, Canada, and Mexico. But really this a bunch of bs decided between people in power in North American governments. For too long in Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries in Central or South America Indigenous, peoples have been disrespected, kicked off their land, exploited and murdered. Not only that, but their political autonomy has been disrupted and sabotaged by outside (mainly US corporations) seeking to get profit. So, the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberación Nacional banded together to fight the corrupt in the Mexican government and those who it employs. They wore masks to hide their identity and defended their land in the southern region of Chiapas Mexico. I heard many accounts from college students who went to assist them by getting their narrative out. In the beginning it was only small news sources, now even bigger companies like Vice have gone to get "content".  Commandante Marcos, & Ramona (commanders in the people's army) are gone so what is happening now? They've traveled to Mexico City to rally for their rights. There have been members killed.... If you know, leave an update in the comments. Respect to Ezln for their righteous fight for land and dignity. They are one of many indigenous peoples all over the world fighting back.

Sources: Guerilla News Network, Personal accounts, IndyMedia, Kpfa, 

Dig this? check out this drawing of Iguala (Ayotzinapa)

Inktober 9 - Lady Pink

Any kid who picked up a mag or saw one of the old flicks back in the day saw this woman's name and face. Sandra "Pink" Fabara is a writer born in Ecuador and raised in NYC. She started writing in 79 and was one of few women on the scene tearing things up. Still an artist today she has been painting for nearly 40 years on trains, walls, canvas, and digitally. To this day she paints and has exhibited her work world wide while also collaborating with the younger generation. 

Sources: Subway Art, LadyPinkNYC.com, Wild Style

Want this original drawing? $60 or Print? $20 (includes shipping)  
Got an idea for an org to donate 30% cost to? Email me info@robdontstop.com

Inktober 8 - Roberto Clemente

Roberto was one of the best baseball players to step on the mound. He was born in 1934 in Barrio San Antón of Puerto Rico and began playing ball at an early age. Baseball is huge in Cuba, PR, the Dominican Republic and many other Latino & Caribbean countries. Clemente joined an amateur league in his teens and by the time he was 18 played for the national team Santurce. A major league team called the Brooklyn Dogers came to PR to play and offered him a spot. He bumped around after moving north and landed on the Pittsburg Pirates where he made a name for himself. He had a 353 bating average, he played in the world series, got 240 home runs, played with some of the greatest and was the first Afro Latino player in the league after the likes of Jackie Robinson. He died in a plane crash at an early age but was inducted into the baseball hall of fame and opened the door for many Latinos to join the MLB, which now has hundreds of players from Puerto Rico and other countries.

Sources: 21-Wilfred Santiago, Wikipedia

Peep this: Lolita Lebron

(under)REPRESENT(ed)-Parsons exhibit

(under)REPRESENT(ed)- got some artwork in this show yall. If you’re in NYC go check it out. Shout out to Nadia, Duncan, Raquel, and Yelaine!

under)REPRESENT(ed) is an exhibition that features Parsons School of Design alumni of color whose creative practices explore the lived experience of race and aim to dismantle systems of racism. Initiated and organized by a collective of alumni of color, this exhibition features a range of disciplines which simultaneously address and resist the systemic exclusion that prevails in educational and professional institutions and practices. 

A video from a digital and physical archive that affirms the future of people of African descent; a design research project lessens the impact of hurricane season on one alum’s hometown in the Dominican Republic; a children’s book fable reveals an allegory of the dangerous journey migrants often face to enter the United States; an online syllabus resource explores the intersections of fashion and race; photographs reflect on the historic status symbol and power of hair in Korean culture, which resonates in communities across the globe; and a multimedia project promotes citizen journalism and challenges the normalization of police violence. 

“We are moved by an urgency to foreground the power generated by creative practices,” said the curators of the exhibition. “Our own experience as students, practicing artists, designers, educators and cultural organizers tells us that this work isn’t always given its due criticism or celebration in the classroom and other institutional spaces.” 

People of color have been pioneers in fields of art and design, although they continue to be significantly underrepresented in positions of power and compensation. Despite the rich foundational contributions by Black, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous communities to these industries, they are often rendered invisible. The curators of this exhibition stake a claim for the centrality of those most deeply impacted by these oppressive frameworks in an era which challenges our existing tools of resistance. 

The (under)REPRESENT(ed) driving committee: Havanna Fisher | Scherezade García | Joelle Riffle | Yelaine Rodríguez | Sable Elyse Smith | Nadia Williams (under)REPRESENT(ed) equity + social justice advisor: Gail Drakes (under)REPRESENT(ed) research assistants: Barbara Byrd & Claudine Brantley Exhibition open to the public: October 14 -29, 2017 Public Opening Event: October 17, 2017 | Public Closing Event: October 27, 2017 Sheila C. Johnson Design Center, Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries | Parsons School of Design at The New School 66 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10011