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The collection of artwork pertains to the topic "Black Lives Matter". This topic is on television news channels, social media and in printed newspapers everyday. Over the past several years, many African American people have been murdered unarmed or for uncalled reasons. Many of the victims were killed by police officers which some where brought to justice and others got off without charges. African American people, White people and people of other races and nationalities are crying out in protests and demonstrations and want to put an end to this racial violence. Artists of all colors have created art to depict the ongoing problem and some have received notable recognition. The artists in this presentation are urban street artists, college students, storybook illustrators, newspaper columnists and race activists. All the artwork speaks about the same topic of "Black Lives Matter" and suggests that the police need to do a better job in racially profiling African American people. People need to stand up and speak out to make sure everybody in this country is treated fairly and equally. All the artists in this presentation have a story to tell and a picture says a thousand words! All the artists were inspired to create their artwork after the murders of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner. They all identified with the problem of racism in The US and interpreted their own feelings and expressions into what they created. Walker and Tes-One were inspired to create after Trayvon Martin was murdered. Li was inspired by the events in Ferguson after Michael Brown was killed. Ellis and Moore were inspired after Eric Garner was choked to death in NYC and Kindred was inspired by all 3 events. This exhibition demonstrates the need for America to wake up and stop racism and social profiling of young black americans. Too many black americans are being murdered who are mostly unarmed and picked on for their skin color and not for crimes committed. All the art in this exhibit stands up for the cause of "Black Lives Matter" and is a wake up call that something needs to be done and quickly. The best way to get this point across is by expressing one's self through art. Art is a visual, gets a message across and lasts forever. I believe the artists portrayed their feelings and emotions perfectly in their artwork and black lives do matter. Recently, a video surfaced in the news of 5 unarmed black males being subjected to racial profiling by Grand Rapids, Michigan police officers. The kids aged 12-14 had guns pointed at them and made to lie on the ground for no apparent reason. The police were looking for a bunch of black males involved in a street fight and harassed the wrong kids. We all need to wake up and put an end to social and racial injustice!

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Darence Walker, 2016
charcoal on cardboard "36 x 84"
Appeared in Washington Post article on July 13, 2016, "The most powerful art from the #Black Lives Matter movement, three years in" and The Long Gallery in Harlem, New York. "Black is the Giant" collection.

Walker uses cardboard as a medium to interpret that it is disposable and easily discarded like black lives in America (Dareece). His self image in an arrest pose with a US Flag on his back describes that he feels american, but treated like a Black American. His inspiration for this piece was after the Trayvon Martin murder in Florida by a white person.

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Dolly Li, 2014
watercolor paint on watercolor paper
Appeared in the Al Jazeera IOS App and in The Washington Post article on July 13, 2016, "The most powerful art from the #Black Lives Matter movement, three years in"

Li found herself in the middle of a Black Lives Matter demonstration and was face to face with police officers in riot gear. As an Asian woman she felt fear, but wondered what fear would be like if she was a young black male (Fogg). Her inspiration for this piece was after the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri

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Tes-One, 2012
3 color silk screen print on 140 pound French Archival Paper "18 x 24"

Appeared in The Washington Post article on July 13, 2016, "The most powerful art from the #Black Lives Movement, three years in" and 1XRun.com print gallery. The piece is inspired by the killing of Trayvon Martin and the justice system not filing charges against his murderer. The black fist symbol is a reminder for black people to stand up for their rights and stand behind each other as a race.

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Ti-Rock Moore, 2015
neon lights and rope on plaster wall-photograph
Appeared in her personal art gallery and at The Gallery Guichard in Chicago, Illinois. "Confronting Truths:Wake Up!" collection and The Washington Post article on July 13, 2016, "The most powerful art from the #Black Lives movement, three years in".

Moore has been a race activist for years, but feels her art speaks much more loudly than she ever could in person (About). She was inspired to create this piece after the murder of Eric Garner in New York City by a white police officer. Garner was choked to death and the noose and bright neon lights gives meaning for America to wake up and stop the persecution of Black Americans.

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Carson Ellis, 2014
mechanical pencils, gouache on watercolor paper
Appeared in The Washington Post article on July 13, 2016, "The most powerful art from the #Black Lives Matter movement, three years in".

Ellis is a famous children's book illustrator who was inspired to create this piece after the policeman who killed Eric Garner was not indicted by a grand jury. She did research and picked out 20 African Americans who were unarmed and murdered by police throughout The US. Ellis never doubted the existence of racism, but after her research couldn't believe the magnitude of it (Work)

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Body Camera Footage Shows Officer's Pointing Gun At 5 Unarmed Black Kids

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Body Camera Footage Shows Officer's Pointing Gun At 5 Unarmed Black Kids

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Live Video Footage
April 24, 2017

5 Unexpected 12-14 year old unarmed black kids in Grand Rapids, Michigan were walking home from a basketball game when police show up and order the kids to the ground at gun point. In the video one of the kids tells the police officers he doesn't want to be killed. One of the mother's also says to the officers that they don't know how she feels about guns being pointed at her son. She also says she doesn't even care if they are guilty or not, this is no way to treat kids (MLive). This shows that racial profiling is still occurring today and the "Black Lives Matter" campaign still needs awareness to stop this from occurring.

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GRAND RAPIDS (WWJ) - Police in west Michigan are on the hot seat after body camera footage surfaced of an officer pointing a gun a five unarmed kids last month.

The video was released this week after public pressure following the March 24 incident in Grand Rapids. A group of five black boys - ages 12 to 14 - were leaving a basketball game nearby when they were confronted by officers.

The Grand Rapids Police Department said it received a call about a fight breaking out in the area and that a teen involved may have been armed. The responding officers determined that the group of boys stopped fit the description given by witnesses.

In the video, Officer Caleb Johnson can be seen ordering the boys to the ground at gunpoint while neighbors looked on.

"Just follow our directions and we'll be alright, OK?" Johnson tells the boys.

"I do not want to die, bro," one of the boys can be heard saying.

The video later shows officers talking to one of the boy's parents saying that the child was simply "in the wrong place at the wrong time" and that the boy fit the description given to the officers.

"We're just doing our job because a lot of people out here have guns," another officer can be heard saying. "We're not saying that your kids had guns or anything like that, but we're just doing our job, OK?"

After an investigation, it was was found that none of the boys were armed.

Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss' office sent a statement to WOOD-TV regarding the incident.

"The mayor is working with city leadership on a plan to review GRPD policies and procedures as part of the larger conversation around community and police relations. The review will include how GRPD responds to incidents involving youth," the statement said.

Grand Rapids Police Department Chief David Rahinsky apologized for the incident, but said his officers acted professionally.

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Body Camera Footage Shows Officer Pointing Gun At 5 Unarmed Black Kids [VIDEO]

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GRAND RAPIDS (WWJ) - Police in west Michigan are on the hot seat after body camera footage surfaced of an officer pointing a gun a five unarmed kids last month. The video was released this week after public pressure following the March 24 incident in Grand Rapids.

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"About." Ti-Rock Moore. N.p., Web. 25 Apr. 2017.

"Dareece Jordan Walker." _Dareece Walker _. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.

Fogg, Victoria A. "The Most Powerful Art from the #BlackLivesMatter Movement, Three Years in." The Washington Post. WP Company, 13 July 2016.

Mlivevideo. "Grand Rapids Police Stop 5 Unarmed Black Youths at Gunpoint." YouTube. YouTube, 20 Apr. 2017.

"The Art & Design of Leon Bedore." TES ONE\ILL  COMMUNICATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.

"WORK." Carson Ellis. N.p., n.d. Web 25 Apr. 2017.

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Chris Kindred, 2015
paint on illustrator paper
Appeared in his college newspaper at Virginia Commonwealth University and in The Washington Post article on July 13, 2016, "The most powerful art from the #Black Lives movement, three years in"

This is Kindred's way of uplifting and empowering black people to fight racism in America by speaking up and being heard (Fogg). His inspiration for this piece was after seeing all the injustices in the cases of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner.