Activism
I created these murals to honor the legacy of artists and freedom fighters who have worked to improve their communities. For me inclusion begins by having a space and community that feels welcoming to those who are underrepresented. Art can play a critical role. When you witness art that represents people you identify with, there’s a stronger sense of belonging.
These are volunteer projects
Help Fund Materials for Currrent and Future Murals
Venmo Wesley at @wesley-cabral-2
Heroines & Heroes (Wisconsin, location TBD)
John Lewis (1940 – 2020) was “an American politician, statesman, and civil rights activist and leader who served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in 2020. He was the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from 1963 to 1966.” (wikipedia)
Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa (1957 – 1999) also known as O’Peqtaw-Metamoh (Flying Eagle Woman), was a member of the Menominee Nation of upper Wisconsin. She was a Human Rights activist known for chairing the NGO Committee on the United Nations International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and helping to found the Indigenous Women’s Network. (wikipedia)
Learn more. Read. Essay. The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin.
Ardie Clark Halyard (1896 – 1989) was a banker, activist and first woman president of the Milwaukee, WI chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She co-founded the first black-owned savings and loan association in Milwaukee, Columbia S&L. (wikipedia)
Learn more. Watch. Wisconsin Black Historical Society.
Sylvia Rivera (1951 – 2002) was an American gay liberation and transgender rights activist and noted community worker in New York. Rivera identified as a drag queen, and participated in demonstrations with the Gay Liberation Front. Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), a group dedicated to helping homeless young drag queens, gay youth, and trans women. (wikipedia)
Learn more. Read. Watch.
Joe Bee Xiong (1961 – 2007) was “a Hmong American politician and activist who served as a member of the Eau Claire City Council. Xiong was the first Hmong person in United States history to be elected to municipal government and a well-known advocate for Hmong culture and causes.” (wikipedia)
Learn more. Read/Listen. Watch.
Heroines (Mill Valley, CA)
Fannie Lou Hamer (1917 – 1977) was “an American voting and women’s rights activist, community organizer, and a leader in the civil rights movement. She was the co-founder and vice-chair of the Freedom Democratic Party […and] organized Mississippi’s Freedom Summer along with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). She was also a co-founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus.” (wikipedia)
Marsha P. Johnson (1945 – 1992) was “an American gay liberation activist and self-identified drag queen. Known as an outspoken advocate for gay rights, Johnson was a prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Johnson was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and co-founded the radical activist group Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.), alongside close friend Sylvia Rivera. Johnson […] modeled for Andy Warhol and performed onstage with the drag performance troupe Hot Peaches.” From 1987-1992, Johnson was a member of ACT UP as an AIDS activist. (wikipedia)
Featured Quote from Audre Lorde (1934-1992). Lorde was “an American writer, feminist, womanist, librarian, and civil rights activist. She was a self-described “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet,” who dedicated both her life and her creative talent to confronting and addressing injustices of racism, sexism, classism, capitalism, heterosexism, and homophobia. As a poet, she is best known for technical mastery and emotional expression, as well as her poems that express anger and outrage at civil and social injustices she observed throughout her life.” (wikipedia)
Heroes (Mill Valley, CA)
John Lewis (1940-2020) was “an American politician, statesman, and civil rights activist and leader who served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in 2020. He was the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from 1963 to 1966.” (wikipedia)
Chadwick Boseman (b. 1976 – d. 2020) was an American actor and playwright. In theater, he won a Drama League Directing Fellowship and an acting AUDELCO, and was nominated for a Jeff Award as a playwright for Deep Azure. On screen, Boseman portrayed historical figures, starring in Get on Up (2014) and Marshall (2017). As the first black actor to headline a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Black Panther earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture. (wikipedia) Boseman’s final film appearance was in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, released on Netflix in 2020.
Learn More. Watch Black Panther. Watch Daily Show Interview.
Liberation for All Black Lives (San Francisco, CA)
“Liberation for All Black Lives” was created in collaboration with actor/activist Gabriella Momah and local photographer Clara Rice. In June 2020, this mural was the centerpiece of a candlelight vigil and open mic honoring the lives of Black Trans Queer and Disabled people lost to violence and police terror.
Support the artists via Venmo: @gabriellamomah @clara-rice
Watch: “Black Trans Lives Matter”. Watch: “The Unique Wisdom of Intersectional Identities” (Panel of Seattle-based Queer and Disabled Leaders).
Breonna Taylor Mural (Mill Valley, CA)
The Mill Valley community coordinated a vigil honoring the life of Breonna Taylor after a Grand Jury failed to bring charges against her murderers. The mural above served as the backdrop for an altar and provided opportunities for youth, families, and community members to engage in conversations on how we can better work towards racial justice.
Learn More. Read: Black Lives Matter on Breonna Taylor. Listen: Mahogany L. Browne’s poem honoring Breonna Taylor. Watch NY Times Visual Investigation: “How the Police Killed Breonna Taylor”. Watch: Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor | “20/20”
Support the Work
The Miles Hall Foundation (mental health)
SURJ Marin (Showing Up For Racial Justice)
Activism in Mill Valley and Marin County
Contact the Mill Valley City Council Arts Commission & City Manager
Let them know you’d like to see more public artwork like this in our community. No funding or support from the City of Mill Valley was provided for the creation or installation of these works.
This is a critical time to be involved in local government. If you support the work towards racial justice and equity hold your city and county leaders accountable.
The city council and mayor of Mill Valley have failed to provide strong leadership around diversity, equity and inclusion. To make matters worse they have dismissed and even bullied local groups and individuals doing racial justice work. You can help by letting them know these issues are important to you.
Special Thanks
Thank you to the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce and Equator Coffee and Tea for helping find a home for “Heroes” and “Heroines”.
Many thanks also to Ben Spear, a local carpenter who volunteered his time building and hanging the murals in Mill Valley.