Queens mural
75 John Wesley Dobbs, ATL, GA
Studio House Atlanta
Studio House Atlanta
In June 2020, I searched for Black and woman owned businesses in Atlanta who's windows had been busted during the rioting and looting. I wanted to offer support by painting on the wooden boards covering the damaged windows.
A local news station pointed me in the direction of Studio House Atlanta where I met owner Sonia Booker and another Atlanta artist, Rhanda Wilburn.
When I arrived onsite, I realized all 12 of her 8x8' windows had been broken.
We three realized this was going to be a community effort. So Rhanda (@iamsawart) and I started asking other Atlanta based artist if they'd like to join the project and be a part of what is now the "Queens Mural".
This mural portrait series honors and lifts the stories of Black women and Black mothers who lost their life or the life of a child to racial violence and injustice.
A local news station pointed me in the direction of Studio House Atlanta where I met owner Sonia Booker and another Atlanta artist, Rhanda Wilburn.
When I arrived onsite, I realized all 12 of her 8x8' windows had been broken.
We three realized this was going to be a community effort. So Rhanda (@iamsawart) and I started asking other Atlanta based artist if they'd like to join the project and be a part of what is now the "Queens Mural".
This mural portrait series honors and lifts the stories of Black women and Black mothers who lost their life or the life of a child to racial violence and injustice.
With the blessing of her sister, Melania Brown, I chose to pay tribute to Layleen Polanco: an Afro Latinx trans woman who died alone in her cell on Rikers Island.
Melania continues to fight for her sister - advocating for trans rights, an end to cash bail and an end to solitary confinement.
https://pix11.com/news/local-news/layleen-polancos-sister-says-de-blasio-has-broken-promise-to-end-solitary-confinement/
We must acknowledge that racial injustice is an LGBTQ+ issue. And that discrimination against the trans community is a racial justice issue.
Melania continues to fight for her sister - advocating for trans rights, an end to cash bail and an end to solitary confinement.
https://pix11.com/news/local-news/layleen-polancos-sister-says-de-blasio-has-broken-promise-to-end-solitary-confinement/
We must acknowledge that racial injustice is an LGBTQ+ issue. And that discrimination against the trans community is a racial justice issue.
Find all of the Queens Mural artists' work on Instagram:
@dustandpaper
@iamsawart
@uhdeanuh
@gwharperdesigns
@loudpaint
@_swayart
@watercolorprincess
@akilla.jpg
@frankie.nicole.art
@unclebree
@dustandpaper
@iamsawart
@uhdeanuh
@gwharperdesigns
@loudpaint
@_swayart
@watercolorprincess
@akilla.jpg
@frankie.nicole.art
@unclebree
Special thank you to Melania Brown.