(Continued) Part 2

How many protests have you participated in?

I have participated in a lot of protests, of various types. As far as “organized protest,” I traveled to Ferguson on two separate occasions and protested every day there. I’ve attended several actions and protests in New York, Philadelphia, and New Jersey. I would participate in every organized protest if I could, but I feel that we also need to transcend collective organized action. I try to live my life in protest. One day I felt particularly outraged after the non-indictment decision in the Eric Garner case, and was upset that I couldn’t be at a collective action because I had a class to attend for my masters degree. I keep protest posters in my car, so I decided to walk to class by myself holding up a poster that read “Black Life is Human Life”. It was my own personal act of resistance and solidarity. My goal, on a daily basis, is to participate in some form of resistance. That’s the thing about protesting that I don’t think people fully understand. Protest doesn’t always look like the Millions March in New York; although it’s incredible when it does. Sometimes protest looks like choosing not to shop at Walmart today, and supporting a black owned business instead. Or deciding to speak up in class or at work when someone says something offensive. Protest can look like writing a poem and sharing it at an open mic or on social media. Or writing a blog post. Protest comes in many forms, and we can “participate” in one any time we want, really. We should. All the time.

Would you label yourself an activist?

I refer to myself as an Artivist. I was an artist long before I became as civically engaged as I am now, and my art was the catalyst for my involvement in social justice work. I also believe that art is one of the most powerful social mediums of change and revolution. So I combine my art and activism. I also encourage and support other people who are using, or want to use, art as a medium of activism, protest, and resistance.

Do you think protesting is effective?

I do. However, I don’t think protest alone is effective. There are many moving parts to a revolution. Protest is a big one. But everything has its place and its purpose. We need protest as much as we need organizing, legislation reform, writing. We need protests. We need organizers. We need meetings. We need vigils. We need community programs. We even need riots. We need all of that. And everyone has their role. Not everyone can or should do everything. But everyone can do something. It’s a combined effort, between all of these things, that inevitably affects change. But they can’t exist independently of one another. We need it all to work in tandem, it’s all equally important. Otherwise it does not work. I like to refer to 1st Corinthians 12:14–26 when I think of the parts of the movement. It talks about the parts of the body, and how each has its function, but just because one is not like the other does not make it separate from the body’s whole.

Do you think it will change anything?

I don’t think there is any other option. At this point, I don’t think people are going to rest until something gives.

What if it doesn’t ?

Then we find a new approach. New methods. As the saying goes: “If we don’t get it, SHUT IT DOWN!”