Affirmations was created during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the death of George Floyd that sparked protests around the globe. This series is about how “Black and African American people have a higher risk of developing mental health disorders due to the historical, economic, social, and political influences they’ve been systemically exposed to" (@antiracismdaily, "Support Black mental health"). And despite this fact, only roughly half of them receive the help they need (according to this 2018 study).
Why is this?
Lack of trust in a broken system (read more here about the historical roots of racial disparities in the mental health system).
We’ve see it on the news, in our communities, over and over again. Black and African American adults with mental health disorders are more likely to be placed in jail or prison, rather than receiving treatment for mental illness (Mental Health America).
This series is meant to provide free positive, affirmations for our melanated brothers and sisters as well as highlight these ugly disparities.
Each painting is made with alcohol ink on yupo paper. Painted using a sunset color palette and vinyl stencils, each painting spells out a different affirmation. The adjectives of the affirmations also act as an acronym that spells out “BLM.”
100% of the profits will be donated to Black Love Resists in The Rust, an intentional space for Black and Brown folks in Buffalo, NY.
“Black Love Resists in Rust is the only intentional space for Black and Brown folks in Buffalo. We organize at the intersections of embodied leadership, healing justice, political education and transformational organizing. We envision a Buffalo where communities are sustainable and have what they need to thrive without external assistance. We know we cannot do this without a base who is engaged and without significantly shifting the material conditions for most of Buffalo’s residents, which is why our current work is focused on ending the oppression enforced by the state.”