I was invited to participate in “Mother Earth: We Are All One,” a group show curated by Thinkspace. On view in Culver City, CA from June 27-July 18. Over 50 artists were tasked with creating a new piece that reflects the current state of the world.
As an illustrator, I am a storyteller and documentarian. I wanted to create an illustration that serves as a time capsule of these tumultuous times. I especially wanted to depict the hope and optimism I see emerging from this tidal wave of change, despite the darkness that could so easily overwhelm us.
“Home Front”
by Norman Rockwell
A World War II housewife ready to do battle against the Axis powers with the weapons available to those who fought on the home front.
My illustration was heavily inspired by Norman Rockwell’s “Home Front” illustration, a cover for Post Magazine in 1943, which depicts “a World War II housewife ready to do battle against the Axis powers with the weapons available to those who fought on the home front. “ (Finch, Norman Rockwell 332 Magazine Covers, pg 24). The composition is perfect. Rockwell’s “Miss Liberty,” literally wears multiple hats while juggling an arsenal of cleaning products, mechanical equipment, and gardening tools. Her look of determination is powerful as she marches forward.
“Mother Worth”
By Kate Wadsworth
A Black American Mother ready to do battle against the United States Government with the weapons available to those who fight against systemic racism, discrimination and prejudice.
I wanted to portray a modern Black American woman, specifically a mother. She marches for the Nth time for a better future for herself and her child. Stacked behind her is the weight of hundreds of years of systemic racism, discrimination, and prejudices she faces every day, both directly and indirectly. Rockwell’s blurb about the WWII house wife felt like a mad-lib I could easily switch out with more pertinent words: “a Black American Mother ready to do battle against the United States Government with the weapons available to those who fight against systemic racism, discrimination and prejudice. “
There's a lot to unpack… and this is the ultra condensed version, but here we go:
Protest + Covid-19 gear:
Armed with a face mask, gloves, water, hand sanitizer, a protest sign, and a megaphone, the woman marches forward demanding a better future for herself and child. In a time where being Black in America means fearing for your life when a police cruiser starts following you or when you go into labor, the Covid-19 virus swept through the country and shined a spotlight on these disparities. In the wake of a virus that kills Black Americans at three times the rate of white Americans, the Black mother must risk her present health to fight for her child's future while the stars and stripes on her face mask attempt to silence her.
White Picket Fence:
She carries a dismantled white picket fence on her back that represents the unattainable and flawed idea of the “American Dream.”
Graduation Cap:
She proudly wears a graduation cap. This cap is both an achievement and another thing in her way as she is saddled with student loans while jobs are statistically harder to get and pay a Black woman less than her white counterparts.
Baby Onesie:
Attached to the fence is a laundry line where we see a baby onesie emblazoned with a “Bright Future” graphic. It hangs in front of a striped wall meant to reflect prison bars symbolizing the school-to-prison pipeline, which the ACLU describes as “a disturbing national trend wherein children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Many of these children have learning disabilities or histories of poverty, abuse, or neglect, and would benefit from additional educational and counseling services. Instead, they are isolated, punished, and pushed out.”
Birth Certificiate:
Also clipped to the laundry line is a birth certificate, which represents the upsetting reality that many people of color invariably have to prove “where they’re really from,” what their “real name” is, or what ethnicity they are. America's first Black President was famously not immune to this callous othering by fellow citizens. It is also a reference to how people of color are pressured to “whiten” their given names on resumes to get more call-backs.
Framed Pictures:
The framed photos behind the woman represent her mother, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, friends, all women who came before her, marching the same march, holding the same signs, demanding the same respect and equality.
Binoculars:
There is a pair of white hands grasping binoculars from the branch of the tree, pointed straight at the woman. This represents Black surveillance, from being followed for no reason in a store, all the way up to the FBI monitoring civil rights and Black liberation leaders.
Dollar + Late Bills:
The ripped dollar represents the gender pay gap in America and occupational segregation. In 2020, women make only $0.81 for every dollar a man makes. Women, especially Black and Latina women, are more likely to work in low-wage jobs.
Bed:
The bed behind the woman honors Breonna Taylor, a young Black EMT who was shot to death by police in her own home while she slept.
Car:
The car honors Philando Castile, a young Black man who was fatally shot during a traffic stop, with his partner and child in the car. He was pulled over for a broken tail light.
Running Shoes:
The running shoes honor Ahmaud Arbery, a young Black man who was shot and killed by two white men while he was out for a run.
Olive Tree & Peace Lily:
I feel optimistic and encouraged by the momentum created by the marches, protests, and demonstrations that are being held across the world. The peace lily and olive tree represent peace and hope for a better future. As the woman marches forward into the unknown, she leaves behind little seeds of hope on the road to revolution that began with her ancestors and will only end with equality and justice.