Wild Combination

The Brooklyn-based artist is working on Stolen, a series of partially filled-in depictions of Black people murdered by police. Each portrait remains incomplete as Brandon only colors one minute for each year of the subject’s life that was cut short. “Aside from being able to give the viewer a visual of the various ages affected by police violence, the timer creates a lot of anxiety for me as the artist,” he says, wondering, “’When is the timer going off?’ ‘Will I be able to finish this eye?’ ‘Damn, I haven’t even gotten to the lips yet.’” In a note to Colossal, Brandon expanded on the project:

Although this anxiety may seem minor in that the consequences for me are very low, it does really have an effect on me. Anxiety is a feeling that black people are far too familiar with, and to experience that feeling while illustrating these portraits allows each piece to feel like a performance. A lot of Black people are forced to live with this anxiety and accept it as part of our every day. But these feelings build up and are exhausting. I shouldn’t have to do a prayer every time I see police pursuing a Black person in the streets. I shouldn’t feel anxious when the police are talking to a person of color. I shouldn’t feel so damn anxious that I remove my hat and jewelry when the cops pull me over. I shouldn’t feel so anxious that I would second guess calling the police if I ever needed to. This series is pulling me in, in ways that art has never done.

Calls for Justice for Aurora’s Violinist Elijah McClain Grow

Elijah McClain was a kind and gentle 23 year old who worked as a massage therapist in Aurora, CO. On his lunch breaks from work, Elijah would go to the animal shelters and play violin for the animals because he thought that they were lonely in their cages and thought that the music would calm them. 

In August 2019, Elijah went to the gas station to buy some iced tea for himself and his cousins. Because he suffered from anemia he would often wear a ski/ runner mask over his face to stay warm. On his way home, the Aurora Police department were called to reports of a “suspicious man.” 

(Warning: for violent description) Elijah was apprehended by a group of three cops, despite committing NO crime and being unarmed. A struggle occurred, and he was held in a very dangerous carotid hold around his neck while he cried for help, cried out that he couldn’t breathe, cried out that he was nonviolent and couldn’t even kill a fly, and was repeatedly throwing up. Elijah weighed a mere 140 pounds. You can hear on the audio footage, an officer instructing another to move their body camera out of view.

While 3 Aurora Police Dept officers violently restrained him they called Aurora Fire Dept, who injected him with ketamine (a powerful drug used to tranquilize horses or in surgeries by a trained anesthesiologist and illegal to be administered by anyone else) even though he was already cuffed and calm.

He went into cardiac arrest , slipped into a coma, and his family was advised to take him off life support 6 days later.

The cops were transferred to another department but never received charges. 

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:

DONATE 

Click this Link to call these Representatives and DEMAND JUSTICE!!

Especially call these numbers:

Call CO Governor Jared Polis (303) 866 2471

Call Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman (303) 739 7015

Call District Attorney Dave Young (303) 659 7720

Source / Police Video (Trigger warning) 

#WAKEUP

here's how we can help them. sign these petitions and donate money

Kalsuma's Yemen crisis appeal - Emergency food aid - donate money

Stop the war and end the famine in Yemen - petition

Yemen emergency appeal - donate money

Yemen Crisis: Save Lives Before its Too Late! - donate money

Iftiak's Emergency Yemen Appeal - donate money

DONATE TO PROTECT CHILDREN IN YEMEN

Stop selling weapons to Saudi Arabia. They help fuel the Yemeni civil war - petition

SUPPORT OUR YEMEN HUMANITARIAN APPEAL - donate money

Yemen Food Appeal - donate money

Yemen is starving - donate money

suspend uk export of tear gas, rubber bullets and riot shields to usa

justice for belly mujinga

battle racism by updating reading lists at gcse

make white privilege and systemic privilege a compulsory part of the british education course

uk parliament condemn the violence against peaceful blm protesters by the us police/military

more protection for black trans women uk

uk government must condemn trump's response to george floyd's murder #speakupboris

donate to black minds matter uk who are currently crowdfunding to offer free therapy sessions with black practitioners to as many black individuals + families as possible atm - donate here + their website with more info on is here 

donate to uk black lives matter here

donate to this fund in memory of belly mujinga, a railway worker who was spat at whilst at work + later died of coronavirus. the money is going towards supporting her family, including her 11 year old daughter

donate to uk black pride here 

donate to this crowdfund which is raising money to support black-owned publishers committed to inclusive publishing - the crowdfund ends in 8 days (10th june)

WRITE TO YOUR MP! u can use this website as an easy way to find your local mp + send them a message - remember to include your address so they know you’re one of their constituents. a couple of things you could include in your message to them:

demand the immediate suspension of uk sales of teargas, riot shields + rubber bullets to the US - see this article for more info about this

the raven cycle + the trees speak latin

A lot of the lists on tumblr have been circulating all week and some of the organizations have taken in as much as they can use with the size/scope of their mission. I signed up to the excellent Reclaim the Block and they just posted this list on their facebook.

Black Table Arts -  Gathering Black communities through the arts, towards better black futures.

Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha - CTUL is a worker-led organization where workers organize, educate and empower each other to fight for a voice in their workplaces and in their communities.

Du Nord Riot Recovery Fund - Du Nord Craft Spirits is a Black-owned distillery with a building that was damaged. They’ve “received a tidal wave of love and support from across the nation and many have asked how they can help… Therefore, Du Nord is establishing this fund to support black and brown companies affected by the riots.”

Little Earth Residents Association - Food and safety needs for residents of Little Earth of United Tribes.

Migizi Communications - MIGIZI Communications advances a message of success, well-being and justice for the American Indian community. Support them rebuilding after fire.

Minnesota Healing Justice Network - We provide a supportive professional community and mutual aid network for wellness and healing justice practitioners who also identify as IBPOC (indigenous, black, or people of color).

Northside business support - support businesses on Minneapolis’s Northside that have been impacted by recent demonstrations.

Pimento Relief Fund - We’re partnering with Pimento to provide black business without insurance relief after white supremacists set them on fire during the protests. 

Powwow Grounds - send via paypal to [email protected] - Native-run cafe, currently providing meals to elders, protectors and community, purchasing medical supplies, fire supplies, cooking supplies. 

Southside Harm Reduction- Southside Harm Reduction Services works within a harm reduction framework to promote the human rights to health, safety, autonomy, and agency among people who use substances. 

Spiral Collective - A volunteer full-spectrum reproductive options and support group comprised of doulas, birth-workers, and passionate reproductive justice advocates. based in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, occupied Dakhóta territories.

Women for Political Change - Holistically investing in the leadership and political power of young women and trans & non-binary individuals throughout Minnesota.