2 10 39 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/baeaafc9188832a12121c22564eefacd.jpeg?Expires=1779926400&Signature=vuuLr-Kp6zgaXedHqd2BPZGL1d79rGuE%7EmCPBFlaUBJ0zkegjxpYK7YjeobFOkxK21VtVLYjzy1lBP5g5B6yJL5A75Z-kxiF2ANgqtxQSaddEfm5Vj6dxaqilmO2vBgRjm-qXFN4NClUYnDPx-cy0tDscyjFT8DucV3JaNz60TPhrC2Q7D%7EkjsGXSLSGnSGaxcWP46ZQJq1DNK3XpC0F5ZKkKtGgF%7EdAkUhFTcNlsdkoOYddMsWrbxZenA69Kd7F5SvqzG0l7Obmd9aKOKUOqocdYtvzDRYFVzbEO-ywAJGx6wLm9aAxIj%7EcWSo2VI%7EQpznKSvxaBWxp4ERWfJaGwg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM ee4e3d37165bd5ec85e9c0d631d4cf8f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ALFA Mini-Exhibitions Still Image Catalog Entry The creation of Black Lives Matter started with three female Black organizers. Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. They created this movement to help raise awareness for what is happening in the world by the number of deaths of Black people by law enforcement. Black Lives Matter. They will and always will matter. When we say ‘BLM’, it’s not to overrule everyone. Just because that is said, doesn’t mean that all lives don’t matter because they do. Soon after the “inception of the BLM movement, it was itself thwarted by baffling accusations of racism, often accompanied with the rejoinder: ‘All Lives Matter.’”(Shahvisi). In my opinion, I feel as if ‘ALM’ was created to overpower “BLM” as a form of “my life matters too.” Of course your life matters as well as everyone else's. The reason being is Black people and other people of color's lives need more attention because of what has happened to them. The police brutality, the racism as well as the murder of George Floyd, Trayvion Martin, and many others. It needs to be stopped. We are tired. I am tired of seeing my people being falsely accused and shot for no reason. Trayvion Martin was a 17 year old boy who was fatally shot by a neighborhood watchman named George Zimmerman. He was unarmed and Zimmermam claimed they had a physical altercation and used shooting Martin as self defense (Florida teen). How are you going to tell me you had physical contact with an unarmed boy and the first thing you do is whip out your weapon and fire as self defense. Self defense? No. He was 17. Do better. I personally feel like a lot of people don't really look into or understand sensitive topics like this because of how they were raised in school as well as by their parents. Opinions come in different forms and different perspectives. In history, most has been brainwashed to show people how things are supposed to be when they aren't. For example, there have been many things to symbolize America. Statues, memorials, museums. Those are used to remember people who did good for us and to remember things that have happened in the country to remember what they did. Now ask yourself this question. Why would people tear down statues of people that are for historic reasoning? Even though it's a materialistic “thing”, it symbolizes hatred. Edward Ward was a man of hatred. The statue was first put up by the work of American sculptor Nancy Cox-McCormack. Carmack was an opponent of Ida B. Wells encouraged retaliation for her support of the civil rights movement. He was in support of lynching Black people, people took it perosnal and as Black Lives Matter started coming towards the light, they decided to tear it down. The statue has long caused tension in Nashville. Why tear it down? Why bring this statue down if it’s just a statue? There have been many saying that ‘BLM’ is a terrorist organization group. That this group is angry and disrespectful (RYAN).Why do you think that is? They are tired and tired of their voices not being heard. Standing up for a man who murdered black men out of his free will is sick. There are many statues that are like this as well. Take Christopher Columbus. Christopher Columbus relates to Edward Ward in the sense of keeping things to themselves to help their reputation. No one knew Edward Wards support to lynching, only that he was the face of civil rights. Christopher Columbus attempted to make a discovery that wasn't his, his own. When we were younger, what did teachers tell us that he did? Discovered America. All of us believed that it was true and he gained the power he wanted. It was all wrong. He stole the land from Native Americans. His voyages across the Atlantic paved the way for European colonization and exploitation of the Americas. This is another form of “white washed history”. Why are people so upset? People get credit for discoveries that they don't deserve credit for. It gets left in the dust and people praise others who are not supposed to be praised. Rosa Parks. She was the first black woman to fight to not give up her seat to a white man. That is what teachers taught you, correct? Wrong, she wasn't the first Black woman to give up her seat. It was 15 year old Claudette Colvin. The difference Between her and Rosa Parks is that Parks wasn't a 15 year old pregnant woman. She was deemed “inappropriate.” Rosa Parks was a better candidate because she wasn't a threat to younger people about how teen pregnancy was okay. This is what I mean when I say social media takes power over everything. How does that all make sense? So they gave it all to Rosa Parks. I didn't know that up until high school. I have never heard her story talked about personally. This can't just be left in the dust because it doesn't look good for the media. It needs to be out and open to the public to help and show people how realities like this don't just happen to one person. This is why people have issues, this is why people are too afraid to stand up and talk about problems because they feel as if it wouldn't be as important if someone else does it. Black history is “American history.” But it’s saved for “Black History Month”. kids don’t receive the best possible education because we don’t always get the best books and curriculum. White women and men have done their Whitest duties to ensure they are in charge of what we all learn for better or for worse since always. Growing up, I've always had white teachers. Going to a predominantly white school was the case. I'm not saying for all but in my case it was. In history we learned about people, cultures, why people did what they did and how people have helped this country. But when are Black people mostly talked about? “Black History Month''. It's really just been throughout history class, but only in february. So that is why I feel when they talk about Black people it's usually because they need to be talked about and not because they want to talk about it. So when people of color, like myself get offended by certain statues or certain stories by people there is a reason. It's the history behind it. It's the significance that others feel pain while others see freedom that is just not there. People are supposed to feel united, not threatened. Bibliography "Florida teen Trayvon Martin is shot and killed." A&E Television Networks, 2013, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/florida-teen-trayvon-martin-is-shot-and-kille d. Foley, Ryan J. “Police guide that calls BLM a terrorist group draws outrage.” AP News, 2 December , https://apnews.com/article/police-guide-calls-blm-terrorist-group-8dc0afce2ce6b60dbaa0 d1d9c5 3ce1e3. "How Statues Are Falling Around The World." New York Times, 24 June 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/24/us/confederate-statues-photos.html. Shahvisi, Arianne. “The philosophical flaw in saying “All Lives Matter." Prospect Magazine, 3 July 2020, https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/philosophy/black-lives-matter-essay-why -is-sayin g-all-lives-matter-wrong. Catalog Entry Author(s) Milardie Milard, Student, Fitchburg State University ALFA Mentor Joyce Hinckley Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource BLM Founders Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi ALFA Black Lives Matter curatorial activism writing II spring 2021 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/c127e122fc58ec1e75ca44c7a89860af.jpeg?Expires=1779926400&Signature=Cuxs3unOiA9h1O0qDKqKME5haBzBZ9o6KlK82nVHFOmGp6lwq2Q8ZN22-1Sy8tsPcoISeNVugsySu2ylexcgKJo5mkiMLKTn11uXQP5NHrLY6872K2iaM1toY5YpTiQ9vGuKUXOd13biNAP0du7YLQX6LyNqfT%7Ecn0tyTD86BAMdkHZLeIl9tvIUm4TG7n8DEKxjXaXsBbvlSHQGz8WDhkQt0dm7bpZ-AIJigwiMl65yEAW3DoHPZ9etaorS4YDGg2jq-aGJYhSZQMsJMtJBmVKYyWVf4pgjOGObF5O6U86ff6RNWOIlXWml2p7qv-DwOttSwEVvSPshdw%7E8MxLxvw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 3a207f56523331654b9fc3c0ea09850d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ALFA Mini-Exhibitions Still Image Catalog Entry Opinions come in different forms and different perspectives. In history, most have been brainwashed to show people how things are supposed to be when they aren't. For example, there have been many things to symbolize America and the people that have done so much for us. Have they really done so much for us? Did they or does American history white wash certain things? One artifact that I will be talking about is a statue of Edward Ward Carmack. This statue was taken down by ‘Black Lives Matter’ protesters. Even though it's a materialistic thing, it symbolizes hatred. Edward Ward was a man of hatred. He lynched three black males while opening up a grocery store. He was shot and killed in 1908. Why tear it down? Why bring this statue down if it’s just a statue? There have been many saying that ‘BLM’ is a terrorist organization. That this group is angry and disrespectful (FOLEY). Why do you think that is? They are tired and tired of their voices not being heard. They are tired of being treated one way while others get treated another way. The next best thing to do is to show people how artifacts like this, hurt people. How it tears people of color down. Standing up for a man who murdered black men out of his free will is sick. There are many statues that are like this as well. Take Christopher Columbus. When we were younger, what did teachers tell us that he did? Discovered America. All of us believed that it was true and he gained the power he wanted. It was all wrong. He stole the land from Native Americans. His voyages across the Atlantic paved the way for European colonization and exploitation of the Americas. This is another form of “white washed history”. Why are people so upset? Things get left in the dust and people praise others who are not supposed to be praised. Another thing I'd like to talk about is ties into people making things look better for themselves. We all know Parks, how she was the first black woman to fight to not give up her seat to a white man. That is what teachers taught you, correct? Wrong, she wasn't the first black woman to give up her seat. “Nine months before Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing to give up her bus seat, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin was arrested in Montgomery for the same act. The city's Black leaders prepared to protest, until it was discovered Colvin was pregnant and deemed an inappropriate symbol for their cause” (History.com). She was deemed “inappropriate.” How does that all make sense? So they gave it all to Rosa Parks. I didn't know that up until high school. Rosa Parks was a better candidate because she wasn't a threat to younger people about how teen pregnancy was okay. It’s very messed up and needs to be talked about. Things can't just be left in the dust because it doesn't look good for the media. This is why people have issues, this is why people are too afraid to stand up and talk about problems because they feel as if it wouldn't be as important if someone else does it. Black history is “American history.” But it’s saved for “Black History Month”. kids don’t receive the best possible education because we don’t always get the best books and curriculum. White women and men have done their Whitest duties to ensure they are in charge of what we all learn for better or for worse since always. So when black people are talked about, it's usually because they need to be talked about. In my opinion people like to use the phrase “it's in the past”, “just forget about it, it doesn't happen anymore.” It might not happen anymore but that symbolizes hate is still in the air and you can't forget that. How are people supposed to tell you what hurts and what does not. How are you supposed to know what a black person feels if you are not a black person? You can Try to get a sense of understanding but you will never understand. Sometimes it's as if “you're being so dramatic”, “that was a joke you're being a snowflake”, “I get made fun of because you're not the only one.” Those are comments that I have gotten in the past by white people. If something genuinely offends me and you tell me that I have no right to be offended, who are you to say that? You don't know what it's like to be judged by everything you do based on A different race.There have been comments about the way I speak. Based on the way I speak, “I am not black.” What's that supposed to mean? Because I talk properly, and I'm respectful, and I have manners, I am not black? This is where stereotyping comes into play, because I'm not ghetto, I don't speak like a thug, I don't want to fight everyone, I'm automatically assumed as “trying to be white”. What's the point of it all? I really just want people who don't understand to take a step back and maybe get in their heads of how you would feel if you were in a person of color shoes. So when people of color get offended by certain statues of certain things that people say, there is a reason. It's the history behind it. It's the significance that others feel pain while others see freedom that is just not there. The significance of my artifacts are to show that there are people that are united, there are people that want to stand up for each other and help each other. Artifact Owner Foley, Ryan J. “Police guide that calls BLM a terrorist group draws outrage.” APNews, 2 December 2020, https://apnews.com/article/police-guide-calls-blm-terrorist-group-8dc0afce2ce6b60dbaa0 d1d9c5 3ce1e3. History.com Editors. "Montgomery Bus Boycott." History, 3 February 2010, https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/montgomery-bus-boycott. "How Statues Are Falling Around The World." New York Times, 24 June 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/24/us/confederate-statues-photos.html?auth=link-dism iss-goo gle 1tap. Catalog Entry Author(s) Milardie Milard, Student, Fitchburg State University ALFA Mentor Joyce Hinckley Photographer(s) Kimberlee Kruesi Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Edward Ward Carmack Statue https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/e757e7ae711b5c50a653300352f27b3f.png?Expires=1779926400&Signature=j0vB7wIfd9XVJQKkM6Mc%7EhoosRnVU-jzuoBwW%7EGs2vJob4VXgY6b2wzPZ1TzmqRcDfivib8xjDk1mcggYRJ5moeWCq5u9AlGxyLeXkewIzCoFygy4oJXYull0EbCDwnWrk9N6grQk5Md4zeE9EchIJteBol%7EUG2xa1O3Eo%7EtKxNnmcfPxhrQ6XNFt9MX4N4ORxHhJnJm%7Ecj7ml6ESLgtHYcQgeD0LfkJLeU94h6JOrx8sT0noBcUQh72mressh0JTSw1EfUjF2bUY2lItGRpwYNUEJwNEeWU007rN81qvgK538I-MkEA2E9Z4%7EE86bQE63j4KIsbVbzQMsriO7zzkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM d13e0913c71c44c2b7eeb74d72211c73 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ALFA Mini-Exhibitions Still Image Catalog Entry In this world, we all want most of the same things. One of the main things would be respect. I feel like it's a very important quality to have in a person. One of my artifacts that I have included in this essay is a picture from one of my sources. I would personally like to call this artifact “We Are One.” This picture really caught my attention and caught my eyes. Out of everything I read out of that article, This picture really tied up everything I would like to say in one. This picture shows from long ago how people were marching for black lives matter. This picture doesn't just symbolize black lives matter, this picture symbolizes A nation, the United. If you're really content with the picture you can see a bunch of people holding up the American flag. When you think of the American flag, what protection really comes up in your head? I think of freedom. But do we really have freedom in America? No. I say no because I don't see freedom. If there was freedom in America there wouldn't be riots, protests, divides in the world. A lot of people say America is a free country, freedom of speech, you're able to do what you certainly want. Is that true for everyone? No. Who is that mostly true to? Non colored people. I'm not calling non colored people out. I'm just trying to make it a better understanding for people who don't really understand. If you see closely in the picture, there are white people there. They are there to prove a point, to protect, to use their white privilege for good. How “often acts of racism and xenophobia are perpetuated and overlooked today” (Suciu). I really liked the way this sentence was phrased, especially how racism is overlooked today. It has now been an eye-opener for people who didn't see racism in the past but one main thing that is overlooked is white privilege. White Privilege is something that a lot of people get confused about. The meaning of white privilege isn't the privilege that you had growing up getting nice things, having a good life. you could have grown up having an awful life but when someone says you have privilege they are not targeting that. They are targeting the color of your skin. You are not a threat to people. You are socially acceptable. You don't need to worry about losing your life to a cop if you get pulled over. You don't need to worry about getting mugged or shot if you're walking alone at night based on the color of your skin. There might be other things that you have done to get yourself in that position but the color of your skin isn't the target. Privilege gets very mixed up sometimes. I personally could say that I have privilege. I grew up in a predominantly white school, Nice neighborhood, and got things that I wanted. I personally don't fear for my life every time I walk out that door. To me that is my privilege. The privilege that I don't have is getting made fun of for the way I look and the color of my skin. Because I have “white friends”, Means I'm white washed or I'm a white girl wannabe. Why can't I just have friends? Why if you see me with other white people you automatically assume that I'm trying to be like them. That is the problem I have in this day in age everyone stereotypes, everyone judges, no matter what you are and who you are. My “greatest advice would be to pay close attention to differing views among African Americans on topics with regard to race and racism” (Rambsy). A lot of white people try to tell black people or other people of color what they can and cannot feel about something. How are you supposed to know what a black person feels if you are not a black person? You can Try to get a sense of understanding but you will never understand. Sometimes it's as if “you're being so dramatic”, “that was a joke you're being a snowflake”, “I get made fun of because you're not the only one”. Those are comments that I have gotten in the past by white people. If something genuinely offends me and you tell me that I have no right to be offended, who are you to say that? You don't know what it's like to be judged by everything you do based on A different race.There have been comments about the way I speak. Based on the way I speak, “I am not black.” What's that supposed to mean? Because I talk properly, and I'm respectful, and I have manners, I am not black? This is where stereotyping comes into play, because I'm not ghetto, I don't speak like a thug, I don't want to fight everyone, I'm automatically assumed as “trying to be white”. What's the point of it all? I really just want people who don't understand to take a step back and maybe get in their heads of how you would feel if you were in a person of color shoes. That is why I feel like both of my sources kind of tie into everything I want to say. The significance of my artifacts are to show that there are people that are united, there are people that want to stand up for each other and help each other. Bibliography Rambsy, Howard. “Dr. Howard Rambsy on Black Authors, Jay-Z, and New Perspectives on Race.” “It’s important for people to immerse themselves into a space where they’re discussing race and racism from others’ perspectives.”, 22 July 2020 Suciu, Courtney. “How Do We Talk to Students About Racism?” Teaching students the hard history of slavery and race relations in the U.S. to better understand the present and prepare for the future, 09 September 2020. Catalog Entry Author(s) Milardie Milard, Student, Fitchburg State University ALFA Mentor Joyce Hinckley Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "We Are One": Selma Civil Rights March ALFA Black Lives Matter curatorial activism writing II spring 2021 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/66d2fdcf1ad8c6fee6d9f3fa15710ecc.jpg?Expires=1779926400&Signature=i%7EGtTjd2ywZRD1gRdyYs7g36kLdh5ZDp5Wn-B8%7ERIF3bSDMK0mFFjJuP3mZTPZMxnxhxzZqhn5zFmXkQQ6E9ud5Uvny%7E4hGsPTKTZrS7gswMn4flc5brsIV3vX7hpNIw-re0y8f8GdM0-rGxF9rEK6iWeZCH5dLPZZUX%7EraXjy1KnZpD4LjF7MN9DcXRSINUH32zKqYSmlOTKu6nuWbCLMNHJtAiziiCjhRIxCtSgttyYLcOJ9RQnDNSphJIyhYZjSKceB04hNeMrWNElUF0vsIaG1HDySHjiOl6gKxK%7EclTvLPBjggMIMQegVvo54q6AZi4pWSKrn%7EVFZIE%7EqYKWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 30d9f5121f5d249687b81d3f091844d8 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/18822c2d482225ae47542f085834bf35.jpg?Expires=1779926400&Signature=Ip4QX43gAEyoBg6r5PDbvA9s%7ElCYldzU90PSfo96iKaO6P-IHpDR9xGALqHBQTD80SOyjioRrQSlCI1hgay4QUClJx6HcEEq9JM%7EylgQsz0bU9IdQIQnPmmHAFakvS74bK1Vy1CeHdicxtOJoz6BYxFmjQp6CJXX2FGCUO3jCqdvJN6hzv9E5KPSY0p9iLeYeCUMwFyHj9kGy0B%7EN2GHiy0c2jsYxi30htMSbzg1lmlKVCdQQ5lvqg877tHK2CDSmK-6Na3Ei7AYbE195GXS48reBfxUXhedUNyfm1NAJDGDi%7Ezn3ktA0hJtqtyR3BIJXn-87ctoMO2s67%7EQGYL6nw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 6bd6b55c6264a9ff3c8a8326c9834424 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/59365c5f83b3a4f7d548cb18a63b8806.jpg?Expires=1779926400&Signature=A9ISEw7TbmGxkqj97lkCVeh5QH69fXWXC5U74avFS-1FZtkKsXtxblbf0EgMplsdv3XJkgvHSFprJJyO3BZTRr%7EIE9Li8wuy6srTXxxUbDS2cZFfaEaBmZsgz5dGuWW7WPV7g-uOqdAmrl-SfSNEY369rqULm10x9B54x%7EpPkXjPEduclHXNPycKWtMIo9xTSlRs-HgfKEoWtCdYGEnf6wyYdWkS1Gpb9hPtG-mllDKCtd6q4aLTCbuHO1uJg5%7EzVJMFEvvqavwjxrLGvSO-qEN-qARHbfVsEMW6gBgoSml8CXqw3gFjrO9XfBU6ejeW9JADmnADDpFPJx99Qp-Qeg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 42aede77ebce1e7e0242a4f4e6740c60 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/34f54d187e06465b6f836fd26b457357.png?Expires=1779926400&Signature=GK1USNF03-ATK9Y81IFINfRlDeGa6bE3DtY7YJbaetQMf6zEwbZYCmKCbO0yLnxAsNQNdsAuWcyr5gmHRQfBCckh3WVG8Cra14g11ETEEbqYW6pS4UeqShyTrOdZoYxV8wC5p31WRkEQCIfyvf0CTuK-Vqe040hQ97F1TjxIOMCXiJMWypTfFzWmh-KncLMADu2cn%7EajgOER7zPeVHR9YcH0%7EMQP7CX5L0uqs4OmjbbMV%7Ee4TizXn3s4lSqowFJgpeswQzUrgEHlN2DAgalBOus7sLr9oz6JsGDoe%7ElvuCsiixOXEg3dA4GD0pjQ6mGthsgrnlsgB3NSRIXIglyUZg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM fec861542d47bdd0937f6892b4b45ef2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ALFA Mini-Exhibitions Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Heritages of Change Exhibition Poster https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/7ed91f5c53eb95f15d699bfdaef01438.png?Expires=1779926400&Signature=HwTFT1lzgRUFTGWT1yfBiSVF5ZXCClBPZ7Hz2z0NqvIVdDK5ARG5y0RhH2y9Xp5TE4xHCGs0E6cWecnD%7ESTeGe2p9uo-83pT7irNKJSc8No0vl01BJT8dPAhAj9lzrjUUaAMgjgdaVpJpcqRnbpXJGiSwxae%7EGmE-wAhI8icyVlIm1iZIyL2GNtEv1XNButUJJYzw5Ef0jYS2mqjgQosify7XQAU9OBcMb3up4qKfwyyvRZCg4Vze5cw5%7EGnkNzqfy7wfTMoo3Uqx99ZpNTGX7EPzbewe-uPqGkHXy4pmmTP2OoiyH4wSefaK04GTftKTHlV3Na4U2BxzGXtWX-w-g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 7fbf576cc5899c4e2e62fd111226b6d4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ALFA Mini-Exhibitions Still Image Catalog Entry The artifact is a billboard located on the outside building of Fenway Park where the Red Sox play in Boston, Massachusetts. This billboard promoting Black Lives Matter was put up right before opening day at Fenway. I am choosing this artifact becauset this giant sign on the building actually really caught my attention when I went into Boston with my friends not too long ago. This photo perfectly depicts its location right outside the stadium, and if you really look at the photo you can see it actually overlooks the Massachusetts Turnpike. This was such an ideal artifact because it is located at one of the biggest tourist attractions in one of the capitals of New England where many people will be able to view it. The words “BLACK LIVES MATTER” are spelled out in the team's iconic font. The billboard was placed and paid for by the Red Sox Foundation. The sign also includes the Red Sox emblem to show that the team stands with the movement. Red Sox CEO and President Sam Kennedy says that the reason behind the billboard is not a political statement or for endorsement, but rather to express the stance and support that the team as a whole wants to show towards the movement as well as their belief in a nondiscriminating, equal, and inclusive society. If viewers choose to follow the advertisement and visit the Red Sox Foundation page, additional information and a statement can be found in regards to "Social Justice, Equity and Inclusion" from the team President and CEO Sam Kennedy. The reason this has importance is because the Mass Pike is a highly travelled and populated highway, and this giant sign really catches the eye as you are driving by it.The Red Sox have backed the Black Lives Matter Movement for a very long time, but the team also willingly admits to not having the most perfect track history either, stating that the team has its own racist past and they are trying to change that and show their support and spread a positive message about social justice and equality among everyone. This sign does have more meaning behind it. Not only does it promote New England Sports teams support and dedication to the movement, but it also holds sentimental meaning to some of the players and former Red Sox players as well. Many former players have spoken up about the racial discrimination they have either faced, or witnessed, coming from fans at Fenway Park. One retired outfielder Torii Hunter admitted that he has been called the N-word by younger fans several times, and admitted that he has heard more racist remarks in Boston than any other city in the country. Soon after the billboard was put up, the Red Sox posted a tweet on Twitter (which can be seen in the article) in relation to Torii Hunter’s comments, explaining that the racism present is real and it does happen, not only to the Black players on the team, but also to the workers in the stadium on game days and how this small group of fans does not define nor represent the Red Sox fan base as a whole and how real change starts from within. Owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner also explain how the billboard is symbolic of the team's history and aims to help implement change after stating that the billboard helps to display their message about racial equality after being one of the last teams in the MLB to integrate when they signed Elijah in 1959. The billboard was actually unveiled the day after the 61st anniversary of his signing to the Red Sox. This was not the only effort they made to promote anti-racism and social justice; after they became new owners in 2018 after former owner Tom Yawkey was fired for racial allegations, Henry and Warner had Yawkey Way renamed so it no longer associated the Red Sox with him and to show that Fenway Park is inclusive and welcoming to every person not even just involving race but also no matter your gender, sexuality, or preferences. One more thing that was done by the Red Sox team to promote their dedication to the movement was not only did they hang a giant billboard, but they also hung a 120 foot banner across a major portion of the seats and bleachers inside the actual stadium behind center field. The team and the Red Sox owners again state that this banner was put up as an acknowledgment of their dedication and commitment to racial justice in the community. Bibliography “120 foot long Black Lives Matter sign covers Fenway Park bleachers.” WCVB Channel 5 Boston, 24 July 2020, https://www.wcvb.com/article/120-foot-long-black-lives-matter-sign-covers-fenway-park-bleacher s/33418582. Brito, Christopher. “Boston Red Sox put up massive Black Lives Matter billboard outside Fenway Park.” CBS News, 23 July 2020, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/boston-red-sox-black-lives-matter-billboard-massachusetts-turn pike/. Concha, Joe. “Boston Red Sox unveil 250-foot Black Lives Matter billboard next to Fenway Park.” The Hill, 23 July, 2020, https://thehill.com/homenews/media/508636-boston-red-sox-unveil-250-foot-black-livematter-b illboard-next-to-fenway?rl=1. Mason, Chris. “Boston Red Sox: ‘Torii Hunter’s experience is real,’ racial slurs were reported 7 times at Fenway Park in 2019." MassLive, 10 June 2020, https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2020/06/boston-red-sox-ceo-sam-kennedy-torii-hunters-experi ence-is-real-racial-slurs-were-reported-7-times-at-fenway-park-in-2019.html. Smith, Deyscha. “Sam Kennedy explained the ‘Black Lives Matter’ billboard outside Fenway Park.” Boston.Com, 23 July, 2020, https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2020/07/23/sam-kennedy-response-black-lives matter-billboard-fenway-park. “WEB EXTRA: Black Lives Matter Billboard At Fenway Park." CBS Miami, 23 July 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_uV63Wfn8g. Photographer(s) Maddie Malhotra Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Red Sox Promote Anti-racism and Social Justice ALFA athletics Black Lives Matter writing II spring 2021 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/2409ccfb06fbc73ab79ff65abb4f90f4.jpeg?Expires=1779926400&Signature=evnRVFs4l66mcCQ8YnJ0ncmmllikh79g9aktbB5qpQ0yQ9u%7EXWtgIvYpwMZUd43V4BOkYUapdYGDyLKGxwOzMSPtQP64BMsUZe53jA04GiL9cO8y1jomrRTvN5wU%7Eo5YXx5DBpH5jxCu5JlKY4-TYMJKgIwj2fs2OzHOt6qpuzcwEht58iBzr7doqEqHjBLZcQdwTZfqj8kXm0HhgHkxmtfEtqcEsU5fkdB59Tpmh%7EH9LJneYdqqlGuePObSiSIK5YOhNqzWUjJCJdpXUUYHISgoFlfyJee2VU7dWHF390tXojGMk61EEuyN12jNwLYLEbF2E6o8nIbnkFgdrZoe7g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM ff5386c79e65b8b5d53102506d3116a7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ALFA Mini-Exhibitions Still Image Catalog Entry The reason that I chose this artifact as well as the sources that went along with it was because I wanted to pick an artifact that spread lots of positivity throughout the area I live in after some of the worst times that allowed people to get together as one and do something as a community. The mural itself is each letter spelled out of “BLACK LIVES MATTER,” each letter painted with a representation of what each individual artist wanted to showcase and what message they wanted to display involving the movement to help spread awareness. Around last summer when the BLM movement surrounding the death of George Floyd was a huge matter and people were protesting and rioting, the city of Worcester got pretty damaged as it got later in the day and the peaceful protesting turned chaotic. The protest did remain peaceful throughout the day, but as it got dark, stored were robbed, police officers were harassed with smoke bombs and fireworks, which I distinctly remember seeing on a snapchat story from an eighteen-story building in the city and somebody threw fireworks out the window at police officers who had to assemble in riot gear. The reason that this has a connection to the theme of my mini-exhibition is because my exhibition is on the Black Lives Matter movement and how artists used their creativity and talent to spread awareness and positivity surrounding the BLM movement. One of the artists who worked on this mural said: “It incites the passion within us to carry on in a way that can’t be ignored. It unified creative minds and gave hope to many people who needed it, Some people just see a dumb mural. But what it does is it brings attention to the immediate need for these conversations to be had and shoves that in the faces of our leaders and nay-sayers.” This mural was painted by Nicole Coleman, Narvicto DeJesus, Sharinna Travieso, Amber Tortorelli, Amora Andino, Laura Evonne Steinman, Coca Shahed, Edgardo Rodriguez, Khalil Guzman-Jerry, William “Slim Dawg” Santiago, Kristian Rodriguez, Tiger Gaskin, Blaze Diaz, Joshua Croke, Savonne R. Pickett, Alexandra Marie, Brian Denahy, Hana Lasell, Eric Fogger, William Thompson, Richelle Gray, Dwayne Glave, Jennessa Burks, Eamon Gillen, Arli and Edmy Ortiz, and last but not least Ferdinand Nazario. They all came together to work on letter by letter each explaining the significance and meaning behind their choice of designs inside their letter. Some features in these letters painted by each individual artist include the Tree of Life all the way to African origins and flags. They all explain how they wanted to help spread awareness and make an impact. This mural is found just in front and adjacent to the DCU Center, which is one of the biggest attractions in the city of Worcester. Individual artists talked about how this project allowed them to feel united and empowered together as one in the “rough times” and “instills love and inspires hope.” This type of work brings people together no matter what your race or religion and allows every person to feel involved and empowered. When the artists described how this project made them feel they used words such as "honoring," "pride," "illuminating," "love," "empowerment", and "understanding" were just some of the many emotions that this mural left on not only those who created and worked on it but the community as well. One question that this raises for me is why these times need to be rough at all. If things as simple as painting a mural could make people feel united and spread awareness, why can things like these be used to spread awareness rather than imposing violence and hateful acts? The reason I thought this was such a powerful artifact and so good to use because it helps to spread awareness in a positive manner and bring people together in an effective way, and because it is part of my hometown and will forever be a piece of history for the BLM movement in one of the major cities in Massachusetts. It is also both different and similar in different aspects to my previous artifact because it surrounds the idea of how different art forms have helped to make an impact and change the BLM movement, and instead of the art of song and lyrics, this artifact presents physical street art that will leave a permanent impact on the BLM Movement in New England. The personal significance of this artifact to me is because this is from my hometown/city and because I saw this mural up close and in person, and it really does draw your attention and spread a positive message. It makes people gather and come together as a community and want to do better. It spreads the message of coming together to make positive change especially because it was painted shortly after the protests and riots. This mural also sparked more artistic vision throughout the city of Worcester, inspiring the George Floyd murals and inspired the community to participate in the #blackouttuesday movement for justice against police brutality and racial stereotyping. Bibliography “19 arrested in Worcester after police were hit with rocks, fireworks.” WCVB 5, 3 June 2020, https://www.wcvb.com/article/multiple-arrests-made-in-worcester-massachusetts-after-protesters-clash-with-police/32737462. “About $10,000 worth of clothing, sneakers stolen from EbLens in Worcester by looters." MassLive, 2 June 2020, https://www.masslive.com/worcester/2020/06/about-10000-worth-of-clothing-sneakers-stolen-from-eblens-in-worcester-by-looters.html. Berg, Matt. “Massive Black Lives Matter mural in Worcester painted by local artists, hundreds of volunteers.” Boston Globe, 16 July 2020, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/16/metro/massive-black-lives-matter-mural-worcester-painted-by-local-artists-hundreds-volunteers/. “See photos of Worcester’s Black Lives Matter mural, with unique designs in each letter by local artists." MassLive, 15 July 2020, https://www.masslive.com/worcester/2020/07/see-photos-of-worcesters-black-lives-matter-mural-with-unique-designs-in-each-letter-by-local-artists.html. Semon, Craig S. “‘Beyond the Paint’ spotlights artists behind Black Lives Matter Mural." Telegram and Gazette, 13 August 2020, https://www.telegram.com/story/entertainment/local/2020/08/13/beyond-paint-spotlights-artists-behind-worcesters-black-lives-matter-mural/113861886/. Catalog Entry Author(s) Ayva Borelli, Student, Fitchburg State University ALFA Mentor Gail Hoar Photographer(s) Joe Jacobs and Matt Wright Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Spreading BLM Positivity through Beautiful Street Murals ALFA Black Lives Matter mural writing II spring 2021 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/eea0fdac3b8bbf45e4f27c7657a269f4.png?Expires=1779926400&Signature=Ks599X0%7Eb5Wn-syWTo8HV6-t9Lw4tWpstgqB1B6QDZoysoI8H0nOrGpukzEiib4XqXJ6FIIi8FN-sWt%7ENBBwPL99uuOdZr%7EItgI6CjrUqBPpyDoFl5znbezvoZ%7E9BR8ascHFKPJSFuPFWBcnJBGg9JP2jcc9rKDiLHe%7E4DJhM3UbO0mbe8olCV1IYmE2JFjQblEETHkAQ-BqqDWgbHo2hHZc2UL9LHxp9xUHMAZodZ%7EJ3Z3KDJ20ERc9P9wA051D1TZ%7E0A-snC9%7ErQI5v%7EyDS-iNuU4qGnNOPkZMdEdMvGeHXgw4SNUW44Dw21aVQaaINEV1Uy3Yzw44e3Y6rGVfZA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM f939c9fef12eb892c72b0f760d2f8b44 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ALFA Mini-Exhibitions Still Image Catalog Entry My artifact is the music video for “I’m Not Racist." “I'm Not Racist” was released on November 28th, 2017, and this song touches on the topic of racism and Black Lives Matter. I chose this as one of my artifacts because it was written by a now very famous artist who is originally from Worcester Massachusetts, about ten minutes from me. Joyner Lucas is an artist who focuses on addressing topics that nobody else is comfortable discussing, and the issues that he addresses such as the Black Lives Matter movement grabs the attention of many people. He discusses closeted racism and how the progression of the overuse and emphasis of the word "n*****" in the song represents how people are becoming too comfortable with their use of that word. He first mentions that “there is no resolution, it is just f*** you, f*** me, aight,” saying that is what is wrong with the world and rather than trying to find that resolution we simply accept the negativity and hatred towards one another. His music video for “I’m Not Racist” received twelve million views in its first week of release, and today it currently has 145 million views due to its real and raw talk regarding systematic racism and stereotypes as well as the use of offensive language. The music video displays a white man and a black man lip syncing in a heated argument about race and stereotypes, but both the white man and the black man’s side of the argument is voiced by Joyner Lucas. Personally, I am not sure if that was the intention of Joyner Lucas, but I think that alone displays a huge message in itself. We need to stop picking sides and stop allowing this divide between races. When you consider the lyrics of this song “Quit the pitiful stuff and then maybe the police would stop killin' you f***s,” you can see how much Joyner really addresses the issues and problems with racism and also the topic of police brutality. Many stereotypes are brought up in this, such as the one regarding a Black father’s presence in his child’s upbringing when Joyner states, “I see a black man aimin' his gun, But I'd rather see a black man claimin' his son." When the conversation shifts over the Black man's perspective one of the first lyrics is" “The power in the word "N****" is a different sin/ We shouldn't say it but we do, and that just what it is/ But that don't mean that you can/ Say it just cause you got nigga friends." This is around the time when Joyner Lucas gets into the discussion about the word “N****” and how abused and effective this word really can be. When you look at the white man perspective of the song and you observe the lyrics “Call everybody "N****" and get a n**** mad, As soon as I say "N****" then everyone react.” In his lyrics and meaning video he explains how people say their favorite rappers are saying the N word left and right so what makes it wrong for them to use the word themselves? Why is it not acceptable? The lyrics dive deep into the stereotypes of Black people and how they are over-associated with gangs and violence as well as drugs and how that image is beginning to be associated with being something cool and hip, when in reality it is very dangerous. When you listen to the lyrics he also mentions Tupac, whom Joyner Lucas describes as somebody he as well as many other people really looked up to because he openly made mistakes and how he was conscious and learned from his mistakes, and I think he put this reference in the song to educate our youth not only about the issues of racism but also the fact that we need to have more of this kind of attitude, admit to our wrongs and learn from our mistakes. The concluding lyric for the white man perspective when he says, “there's two sides to every story, I wish I knew yours,” also ties into this idea of being open minded. Joyner says the meaning behind this was to show that “hey, I am not gonna say all of this racist and messed up stuff and leave it at that, I wanna know what you think about me and hear your thoughts” (Lucas), which is where it shifts into the Black man's perspective. I think this is so representative of the Black Lives Matter movement because although nobody wants to admit there are probably people advocating for the BLM movement who are closeted racists and the fact that the white man says all of those racist things during the heated discussion and then just says I wish I knew your side of the story is so contradicting, but it makes not only the video but the lyrics so much more powerful. This thought raises so many questions for me: why do we think it is okay to say some of things we say knowing it is wrong, and then try to make them okay like it does not leave a permanent mark on the person we are offending? What caused our nation to be so divided and why is none of the efforts we are making to fix it working? And I think the answer to this is simply because we are part of the problem trying to fix the problem at the same time. Bibliography Lucas, Joyner. "I'm Not Racist" Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified.” Genius, Dec.15, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqhjpQxfq4Q. Catalog Entry Author(s) Ayva Borelli, Student, Fitchburg State University ALFA Mentor Gail Hoar Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "I’m Not Racist" by Joyner Lucas ALFA Black Lives Matter music writing II spring 2021 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/3a48f659eb76cd80d9004d251428f8e0.jpeg?Expires=1779926400&Signature=aGOykaIr5at4kCBlV7Hsrmf1PZcklxBGwYTLqBaMISYnfZbObGLUOgyQ9AqE07QtmJpAYbC9F1pLiDDe4E4DJoj%7E6tIEcfqufmD84tBpQgTy3wK6J9YkxWA-vs0g7HRG-yoKBhG9xGMx2GepFlS1cR15zLHPSDCvqH0o40hhc6A6aHi58CfdUbSljoI5%7EtNcEESqXddofoRR5TtJbiHNolqDEZOARhviUykX2h6MJGkp7Q4NeaoJRwyDLO8qaIZHA8WPtL%7EkC118pYhM24djO2w3W%7Ene8p91wteEgPjUSrXxbs4OpQQZzCK3bo2MrWlaGzRYoVoFxUCOGwm5kKSwKw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 74cedfa7a9c0536c07cea21023ac4d13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ALFA Mini-Exhibitions Still Image Catalog Entry COVID-19 has endured a lot of stress on the whole world. People all over the country have been stripped from so many things in life during the year 2020. This included loss of jobs, homes, and more. With the rate of employment plummeting due to the pandemic, so did Americans' income. Since many people were not able to work and provide for their families, as well as paying bills, rent and other expenses. Rent was put on the back burner and many had to stop paying, simply because they could not afford it anymore. Even though renters were unable to pay, rent was not exempted. This left many upset which led to a rent strike in New York. The artifact shows tenants in Queens, New York, participating in the rent strike. With the sudden loss of many jobs, tenants aren't able to pay their rent, instead need to pay for food. Ysvelia Silva is a woman who lived in one of the complexes in Queens, she was also the one to start and bring attention to the strike. The strike started May 1st, 2020. Silva did not start this strike as an act of disrespect to landlords, but to simply shed more light on the situation. People are not capable of paying rent, when they do not have an income. Most people in the apartments joined in on the strike, “Many of the residents can’t afford rent next month, organizers say. Others are able to pay but say they won’t, to help bring more attention to the cause.” (Parker). Even if residents were capable of paying rent monthly, they still participated by not paying to add more attention to the strike. Not only New York participated in a rent strike in 2020, but also many other major cities across the country. So, of course the pandemic had a huge effect on the working class. The root problem for the cause of the rent strike was the skyrocketing rate of unemployment in the United States. Around April, 2020 is when a nationwide lockdown occurred, this caused a lot of people to either stop working or become unemployed. During this period the only people allowed to work were essential workers, which included health care professionals, as well as grocery clerks. The Bureau of Labor Statistics stated, “The unemployment rate in April 2020 increased by 10.3 percentage points to 14.7 percent. This is the highest rate and the largest over-the-month increase in the history of the data (available back to January 1948). The number of unemployed persons rose by 15.9 million to 23.1 million in April. The sharp increases in these measures reflect the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to contain it.”(U.S). A stay at home order was issued to the U.S in March of 2020 and in just one month the unemployment rate rose by 15.9 million. COVID was so sudden and no one was prepared for what was to come. Not being able to work caused stress on millions of people. With not having a steady income people were not able to pay rent or other necessities, and in some cases left people homeless. As stated above, many people became homeless during the pandemic due to numerous circumstances. Becoming evicted was a big promebel starting to occur in the early stages of the pandemic. No jobs, means no income coming in, then means not being able to pay rent. With the uprising in evictions there was a federal order that had to be put in place a few months after the pandemic started, “The large volume of evictions left many people experiencing homelessness unhoused as shelters were forced to reduce capacity. Interestingly, this surging number of evictions led to a Federal Order to temporarily halt residential evictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, for many landlords, the order created a financial burden of housing renters with no payments.” (Fish). Everything surrounding rent became a huge problem, not only for the tenants but also the landlords. The landlords depend on the income from monthly rent to help pay their expenses and now they are not able to. The photo above shows Wilson Siguencia outside his apartment building. He is standing in front of a sign that was made that says “Cancel the rent dont increase the number of homelessness.” New York is one the states with the highest population of homelessness. The message of the sign is to not increase the homeless rate because of a pandemic that was unavoidable.The point of the rent strike in New York was mainly aimed at lawmakers, “rent strikers want state lawmakers to impose a “universal cancellation of any rent, mortgage, or utility payments owed or accumulated during the length of this crisis”(Parker). One outcome of the rent strike that occurred in New York, is that no one could be evicted from their apartment until late june. It became a little more helpful when the CARES act signed into law the first stimulus check to be sent out to people all across the country. The first Stimulus check sent out was for $1200, with an extra $500 for each dependent. The stimulus check was sent to families at the end of april and beginning of May. This money was very helpful for many individuals that were struggling with paying important bills, one being rent. The rent strike in New York was effective. Participants wanted to get a message across to not only the landlords but all lawmakers. Many tenants were unable to afford to pay rent and nothing was being done, so the renters of New York had to get their message across one way. The meaning behind striking is to get a solution from a problem. People all across the country were struggling, something needed to be done. So having members of a New York community come together and have a renters strike is very memorable. No one wanted to see more and more people become homeless in the midst of a very horrible pandemic. Bibliography Fish, Go. “The Effect of COVID-19 on Homelessness in the US: United Way.” United Way NCA, NCA, 16 Feb. 2021, unitedwaynca.org/stories/effect-pandemic-homeless-us/. Parker, Will, and Nicole Friedman. “Rent Strike Planned for May 1 as Pain of Coronavirus Deepens.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 27 Apr. 2020, www.wsj.com/articles/rent-strike-planned-for-may-1-as-pain-of-coronavirus-de epens-11587988800. U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Unemployment Rate Rises to Record High 14.7 Percent in April 2020.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 13 May 2020, www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2020/unemployment-rate-rises-to-record-high-14-point-7-percent-in-april-2020.htm?view_full. Catalog Entry Author(s) Sydney Flores, Student, Fitchburg State University ALFA Mentor Bill Ayadi Photographer(s) Christopher Gregory, Wall Street Journal Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Homelessness and Rent Due to COVID-19 ALFA COVID writing II spring 2021 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/ab32b3cd121aeef71e78bd692df0ba4e.jpeg?Expires=1779926400&Signature=rjG%7ETw1Q%7EgAwlkEJwXKDFQKtwEQLKrTJK5r-u8MnOwN19OVDjFEh1h-BLNzQdsC0YuKzg8vgnEtWWTN8w8p88%7EzTdkfooYFWtC3zXmljFWk7CJSklMc1HO5vVpmmxdpNXBeTqKJnBhVIxR7zPGe4ehcP804kS9J-QV-ujnW0ZVKJx49Cd%7Evre-Lq5CUDZ4ElcxJTtp-UQ2rV4-dBie8yQt9r3NItogDl65MfrLz41S4UUJOhS%7ELsZU6k5te%7Ep06RmNQVvrjT1q%7EpMW63gLGZuNublVRpYkTBX3UFZ5SpFZC7dA7NQDveiTyuOe6rKf76hyHyAAjnsXvRovCTbNluiw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 3925aeb3516cd15a0c456e9155399a14 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ALFA Mini-Exhibitions Still Image Catalog Entry Artwork has been a very important component during these uncertain times of not only the pandemic but also the year 2020 in a whole. Art has become so important because it is a form of expression, especially during this exhausting year that has just passed. Harvard University started the “COVID-19 Community Archiving Project” where students and members of the community were able to submit art or anything that had significance to them during the pandemic. The artifact I have chosen is a piece submitted from a Harvard student, named De Nichols, who created this piece in memory of a friend who had passed from COVID. There are many aspects of this piece that have such a deeper meaning when looking thoroughly at it. Harvard created the “COVID-19 Community Archiving Project” so people within the Harvard community could express themselves during these tough times. This project contains so many artifacts so that people hundreds of years from now can look back on. It is an educational tool for the future generations. Each artifact that was submitted correlates with that person's personal experience. Students, Staff, and alumni of Harvard all have the opportunity to share their journey during the pandemic. People were able to submit artwork, videos, poems, and more. Many schools have given opportunities for students and others to share their experiences somewhat like Harvard has done. For example, I am currently a freshman student at Fitchburg State University and I was able to participate in a project called the “Fitchburg Historical Society 2020 Letter” This project is where students were able to write about how the year 2020 affected them. All of the submissions are from the community of Fitchburg, Massachusetts and will soon be artifacts for the future to read. De Nichols is a student at Harvard Graduate School of Design and is the one who created and submitted this piece of artwork. She made this piece to honor her friend that died due to being infected by covid. The woman in the artwork is wearing a mask and sadly passed from COVID which is directly correlated with the topic of covid. But the quote on her shirt also has a very deep meaning that can be connected to COVID and other topics such as Black Lives Matter movement. I think this is a very unique piece, Caroline Enos stated in her Boston Globe article that, “The piece has also been printed out and displayed on one of the windows of Harvard’s Science Center as part of the Windows at Harvard public art project.”(Enos) It's so great that people have exposure to this piece, and knowing many people will perceive it differently. Firstly, to describe this touching piece of art, I would like to touch on the colors used. There are 2 vibrant colors orange and pink which are found in the woman's mask as well as her shirt. There are also 2 dark colors in the background and also the women's complexion. Different colors can have a lot of significance in someone's artwork. Although it is not exactly known why De Nichols chose the colors she did, the colors do have their own symbolism. Pink can symbolize love, carining, and acceptance. Orange can symbolize energy, warmth, and balance. De Nichols could have chosen these colors because she thought they were a good representation of his friend who unfortunately passed. The darkness of the background might not have had a specific meaning. But by using the navy blue background it allows the orange and pink to pop even more. Having such bold colors really catches the viewer's eye. By having the shirt orange it draws you in and when you look closer you can see there is writing on the collar. The collar says “Hope is all many of us will have left” Having this quote on the collar really adds a whole new level of meaning behind this art piece. This quote describes the year 2020 very well, because for a lot of people, hope was all that they had left. The United States suffered greatly due to COVID-19, people lost their jobs, as well as many other important items, such as their home. The pandemic caused a great increase in homlessness in the United States, and even more so affected people of color. Jachova Williams states in an article that, “In April, Black workers' unemployment rate was 16.7% compared to a rate of 14.2% for white workers.” (Williams) So I think the quote “Hope is all many of us will have left” can also correlate with the Black Lives Matter movement that was occuring during the pandemic. Both the artist,De Nichols and the women in the art piece are both of color and can relate to both of these events that will go down in history. The year 2020 stripped so many things away from people and hope was really what everyone had left. Hope that life can get better and return back to normal. This piece has so much meaning behind it. Not only is this a remembrance of a friend that passed due to COVID-19 complications but it also has another meaning behind it by using a quote about hope. To me this art piece can not only fall under the COVID topic but also Black Lives Matter. Although it is unfortunate that this pandemic had to occur and put everyone's life to a halt we are able to create artifacts and history. There are many organizations and schools that are creating projects based around the pandemic so in the future others will be able to learn about what the people of the United States had to go through. Such as stated about Harvard and Fitchburg State university are 2 of many schools that are creating artifacts. The year 2020 as well as COVID-19 will never be forgotten, and we are currently living through a pandemic that will become history. Which is very amazing to think about. This piece by De Nichols matches perfectly with how the year of 2020 happened. Bibliography “19 Community Archiving Project.” COVID, The President and Fellows of Harvard College , covid19.archives.harvard.edu/ “Color Symbolism and Culture.” Symbolism of Color: Using Color for Meaning, Incredibleart, www.incredibleart.org/lessons/middle/color2.htm Enos, Caroline. “What Was It like to Live through the Pandemic, Grandpa? University Archives Seek Items That Capture COVID-19 History - The Boston Globe.” BostonGlobe.com, The Boston Globe, 26 June 2020, www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/26/metro/what-was-it-like-live-through-pandemic-grandpa-university-archives-seek-items-that-capture-covid-19-history/ Williams, Jhacova. “Laid Off More, Hired Less: Black Workers in the COVID-19 Recession.” The RAND Blog, RAND Corporation, 29 Sept. 2020, www.rand.org/blog/2020/09/laid-off-more-hired-less-black-workers-in-the-covid.html Artifact Owner Harvard Graduate School of Design Loeb Fellow De Nichols (Artist) Catalog Entry Author(s) Sydney Flores, Student, Fitchburg State University ALFA Mentor Bill Ayadi Photographer(s) Sam Naylor Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource COVID-19 Art ALFA COVID writing II spring 2021 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/33439/archive/files/54fba2b6c56141c06eb698f55221f2fd.jpeg?Expires=1779926400&Signature=ByWP1zPYP48MtI0B4XjrIxuLk2ddrI52FH%7E0TbXRRzHoyzbV7uMN01bfArSRoOzoDlue1Vfota81h0wFqWfpN-GzRqOtNRaGMGpMTEeRofVr6s2PnA9hk4x6M7uYUkQXQNxFC%7EV3TpkjzMgDpbRDqszjDMhKQvLBZPKg5B8XnmkMOdKe4gCBF1QxWH6Pp%7E1jL26LdHKpzb87kuOL7IssEVuGGE9hMg5X2U9rz8CXsFXuzBDT%7EYJgMNQeMksmzB11QYKez7d55pAQl-4DqIpyj16wS8Q%7E6qvaI4ysuDq0ALmy0jf39jcYn8aorEBzwH28pI60vvlNXNIXw8FF4JWhyg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM f17607378e02c632ff7eb7e683fadfc4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ALFA Mini-Exhibitions Still Image Catalog Entry COVID-19 has been an awful virus that has affected the entire world. Almost a year into the pandemic, the United States hit a very sad milestone. The United States has now surpassed 500,000 deaths of Americans due to being infected by Coronavirus. Charlie Baker, the governor of Massachusetts, ordered all flags to be flown half-staff in honor to all of the Americans who have lost their lives due to the pandemic. The order says flags will be flown half-staff at: administration building of each public institution of the Commonwealth, other state owned businesses, as well as military installations. This artifact shows not only the American flag being flown at half-staff but also the Massachusetts state flag being flown at the half-staff as well.This photo was taken on February 25, 2021 in Westfield, Massachusetts. Another aspect of the photo that you can see is the heart carved in the snow. The heart and the flags being flown at half-staff really shows the respect for this tragic event. In the past year, there have been 500,000 deaths of Americans due to the global crisis everyone has undergone. Joe Biden, the 46th President said that “500,000 Americans have now died from the virus. That is more Americans who have died in a single year of this pandemic than in World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War combined.” (Biden) By sitting back and really comprehending all of the deaths due to COVID, something had to be done to honor everyone who has not only passed away from the virus but also people who were infected as well. The coronavirus appeared in the United States in the beginning of 2020. On February 22, 2021, the number of deaths in the United States exceeded 500,000 due to only one COVID-19 cause. Nick Tate, an author of an article published on WebMD stated that “The novel coronavirus is now the third leading cause of death in the U.S. -- behind heart disease and cancer.” (Tate) Also, in the article, a doctor named Amesh Adalj, said the numbers of death shouldn't be this high and that it could have been preventable. You may ask, how could the death toll be lower with this extremely contagious disease?Well, in the beginning months of the pandemic the United States should have mandated a stricter nationwide quarantine, also known as a lockdown. You can compare other countries who had stricter rules and see the difference in the death toll. For example, Brazil has had 246,504, Mexico at 180,107, India has had 156,385 and the United Kingdom at 120,81 deaths in just a year. Brazil is the second highest country with deaths and the United States has more than double the amount in the period of time. There has been much controversy when it comes to the death toll for COVID. Many think that people who have died from COVID though testing positive, there could be an underlying condition to have caused death. An example from an article published by AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) is about a man that had cancer, “The man had contracted COVID-19 and was struggling to breathe, recalls Sara Auld, MD, a critical care physician at the hospital. He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and intubated. “Given his already fragile state, his condition quickly took a turn for the worse” and he died, she recalls.” (Boyle) So covid was his reasoning for death, but could it have been cancer? In the beginning of the pandemic even if a person had an underlying condition if they were infected and died with covid, it counted as a covid death. “Federal and state governments gradually altered such policies over the spring and summer to say that in order for a death to be counted as a COVID-19 death, the disease had to have played a role.” (Boyle) The CDC then counts the deaths due to COVID, which is found on a death certificate as well as other underlying disease, andkeeps a running toll of deaths due to the cause of COVID. It is a tragedy to have so many deaths, but things are slowly getting better. More so in a way that people who are now getting infected health care professionals know a lot more than what they did in the beginning of 2020. Although after a year of the pandemic, there are still thousands of people getting infected, there has also been a great improvement. Now, people are more knowledgeable about COVID, but a vaccine was created. The first dose was given in December of 2020. While going through a presidential election in the midst of a pandemic, Joe Biden got elected as the president of the United States and set many goals, which made Americans hopeful for the future. One of Biden's goals was having 100 million people vaccinated in his first 100 days in office. He was able to surpass that goal and is now hopeful that 200 million people will be vaccinated within his first 100 days. Biden has handled this pandemic very seriously. So in February of 2021 he knew he had to do something to honor all of the lives that were lost due to COVID. To do so he ordered all the flags to be flown at half-staff. What is the meaning of a flag being flown at half-staff? The meaning behind it is that when the flag is being flown at half-staff it is a symbol that the country is mourning. Not only that but also remembrance and respect of the people of the United States. Having half a million deaths in a year is something that has never happened to America before. As stated above, there weren't this many deaths that happened in World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War combined. Biden knew he needed to acknowledge this tragic milestone, so the flag being flown at half-staff is a respectful symbol to show the country that we remember and care about all of the deaths that have occured. Bibliography Biden, Joseph. A Proclamation on Remembering the 500,000 Americans Lost To Covid-19. 22 Feb. 2021, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/22/a-proclamation-on-re membering-the-500000-americans-lost-to-covid-19/ Boyle, Patrick. “How Are COVID-19 Deaths Counted? It's Complicated.” AAMC, AAMC, 18 Feb. 2021, www.aamc.org/news-insights/how-are-covid-19-deaths-counted-it-s-complicated “Flags at Half-Staff in Massachusetts through Friday.” WWLP, WWLP, 25 Feb. 2021, www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/flags-at-half-staff-in-massachusetts-thr ough-friday/ Tate, Nick. “500,000 Americans Now Dead from COVID-19.” WebMD Health News, WebMD, 22 Feb. 2021, www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210222/500000-americans-now-dead-from-covid-19 Catalog Entry Author(s) Sydney Flores, Student, Fitchburg State University ALFA Mentor Bill Ayadi Photographer(s) Westfield 22News Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Flags at Half-Staff in Massachusetts ALFA COVID writing II spring 2021