I spent the month of January inspired by the women’s movement

Over the past months I’ve been corresponding with many of my female colleagues and friends about the real political costs of our current presidency. I get the sense that in most of my friends minds the real danger is that our new administration poses the undermining of our politics. Basically the norms that sustain our liberal democracies. The divisive politics of identity. Ideals of equity, equal rights, diversity and inclusion have been drowning under the weight of a rhetoric that raised racial and ethnic tension and inflamed passions against imagined enemies

I spent the month of January inspired by the women’s movement. More specifically, I am inspired by the women I’ve met through Everybody Has A Story. Each year, you have provided your talent, compassion, empathy and humility. I’m inspired by each woman's story. I’m inspired that you speak out.

I also solved something about myself who felt like I didn’t have a voice but wanted to join something and couldn’t quite find the place to do so. Where I landed has become an initiative that can be described as Art for Social Change. I’ve created a series of 18' x 24" pieces of art featuring Everybody Has A Story female performers who have inspired me. Jetta Cruse, Linsay Adrian Kelly, Jess Lucille, Janet Hines-Norris, and Chandra Williams will be included in the series. Eventually I see more pieces of work coming out of my experiences and look forward to creating other featured artwork.

What I intend to do with this needs to be supported by you. I will feature the initial series of artwork via limited edition lithographs. I'll promote them on my Facebook store, Twitter and Instagram as well as on my website www.sultminecreative.com. In turn, each of the artists have chosen their favorite charity. I will in turn provide 25% of each lithograph sold to that charity or not-for-profit. I will also donate 10% to Everybody Has A Story’s 2017 choice this year; South Bend’s Perley Fine Arts Academy.

As this initiative unfolds, I hope that other local artists will join me. I really believe that we need to use whatever power we have – for good.

#ethnictension #imaginedenemies #compassion #female #singers #SouthBend #artforsocialchange #EverybodyHasAStory