Unraveling Systemic Racism - Mural Project
Art is supposed to make you think!
With so many layers of meaning building up around the phrase “Black Lives Matter”, I knew that painting those words on a mural wouldn’t make people stop and think, but allow them to merely insert their own frame of reference on the art. I was really at a loss at to what Radiate might create that would have people open their hearts and minds to the issue of racism without a knee jerk reaction. Did we value Black lives and want to jump into the national conversation about how to rectify hundreds of years of discrimination and human rights violations – yes! But how to do that without others bringing their own (sometimes negative) associations with the movement of Black Lives Matter?
It was at this point that Sau approached me and suggested the simplest and most elegant answer: show them the facts. Her idea was to pair graphics with statistical typography (well researched and VT-specific if possible) to inspire the power of thought and consideration. By presenting how the oppression of Blacks continues to occur within various relatable areas of life, the mural delivers the message in bite-sized chunks, thus revealing in itself, the building blocks of how Racism is Systemic in our country and our community.
As a local landowner, future Richmond homeowner, and minority woman, her voice needed to be heard. My hope, and I believe, hers is that these facts will spark your curiosity to learn more, start conversations, and ultimately, take action to rectify these wrongs. — Rebecca Rouiller, Director of Radiate Art Space
Artist - Sasha Finnell
Vermont’s home ownership rate among White households is 72%, while Black households have a rate of just 21%. This disparity is much larger than seen nationally, where 70% of White households and 41% of Black households are homeowners.
https://www.vhfa.org/news/blog/vermont-housing-needs-assessment-reveals-racial-disparities
Also worth watching: https://vimeo.com/328684375
https://www.mynbc5.com/article/racial-disparities-in-vermont-households/33162427#
A study shows that job applicants with white-sounding names get called back about 50% more of the time than applicants with black-sounding names, even when they have identical resumes.
https://www.nber.org/papers/w9873
https://www.epi.org/publication/black-white-wage-gaps-expand-with-rising-wage-inequality/
Did you know: Black students are 3x more likely to be suspended in Vermont. This is also a national statistic. >>Read More Here
African-Americans have lost nearly 93% of their land assets in the country: from ~44 million acres in the 1920’s to approximately 3.5 million acres today.
http://www.clemmonsfamilyfarm.org/about.html
https://www.vpr.org/post/strafford-organic-creamery-keeps-vermonts-troubled-dairy-industry#stream/0
Black drivers are four times more likely than white drivers to be searched by Vermont police, even though they are less likely to be found with illegal items, according to a study released Monday by University of Vermont researchers.
Figures from the CDC's Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System indicate that from 2007 to 2016, black mothers died at a rate of 3.2 times that of white mothers
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6835a3.htm?s_cid=mm6835a3_w#T1_down
I believe this flag speaks to unity and inclusiveness. My family was honored to reflect on these concepts as we created the flag image. My hope is that this mural will do two things: create a welcoming symbol in our town and be a starting point for active and engaging conversations around human rights in the United States, Vermont and Richmond. — Darcie Rankin
Find out more about the meaning behind this flag’s colors and pattern here:
You can show your support for this artwork by donating to the Clemmons Family Farm, one of the rare African-American farms owned in the state of Vermont. Not only is it a working farm, but a heritage site offering curated opportunities to celebrate the history, cultures, arts and sciences of the African-American and African diaspora.
“ ...People are craving the ‘human connection’ in curriculum, making artists a natural choice to teach it. Artists allow us to connect with things that make us happy and teach us new ways of looking at things. They inspire us. Art will help students think about, express and feel difficult topics. There’s a lot of pain and resilience in African American history.”