During the process of creating this project, We Rise | Creating Our Next LA, I had the extraordinary opportunity to work with some amazing visual artists: Kayla Shelton, Amani Holbert, Dezmond Crockett, Moses Ball, Brittney Price, NONI OLABISI and Floyd Strickland.
This project was in process in the midst of the pandemic and required the need to create remotely to protect all of us from Covid-19. Therefore the Story Circles and community storytellers created a safe space that inspired the artwork thanks to our many students and the residents of South Central Los Angeles who found their way through Zoom to share their stories.
From age 17 to 74, we honor Luna, Minna, Kareem, Robbeye, Sequoia, Marie, Rose and George.
We collaborated as well with a renowned poet/writer S. Pearl Sharp and were astonished by the creative versatility of our photographer Halline Overby. Through my wonderful technical team Marina Scott and Khari Scott we digitally assembled the files of artwork under my remote direction to layer the components into the final files ready for printing.
The beautiful artwork was then printed by a local Fine Art digital printer known as POV here in Los Angeles whose quality matched the original works.
And our dedicated installation crew from Amgraph made it possible for the public to enjoy this work in a variety of public sites. Coordinated with our Director Beth Peterson and Karen Mack of LA Commons.
Many thanks to all the staff at LA Commons, the California African American Museum, Leimert Park Village, Willowbrook Walking Path and Hanks Mini Market
To learn more about the project visit: http://www.lacommons.org and http://www.whywerise.la/werisela/
Cover image © 2021 Halline Overby
