Houston, TX – Today, United We Dream and Black Lives Matter: Houston unveiled Move Into the Future, a public art installation at Emancipation Park, that honors and celebrates Black and brown youth leaders who have built undeniable power and alliances in the fight for immigrant and racial justice across Texas.
The sculpture, designed by artist Wyatt Closs, features portraits of immigrant youth members from United We Dream and members of Black Lives Matter: Houston. The installation also incorporates artwork from additional artists including Mer Young, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh and Alex Arzu. It will be open to the public from February 26 to May 17.
Access a virtual tour of the art installation here.
Juanita Monsalve, Senior Marketing & Creative Director of United We Dream, said:
“For decades our communities have been pitted against each other and it has been the mission of white supremacists to erase our stories of resilience and survival.
Texas, like many states in the South, continues to experience a blossoming demographic shift toward more people of color and immigrants. But those clinging to power have tried to stomp out our presence, along with the violence inflicted upon our communities, by banning books and curriculum and embracing Confederate statues as well as sports team names like the Texas Rangers, a namesake of an early 19th-century group of white men who volunteered to uphold slavery in Texas by catching and lynching runaway slaves seeking freedom in Mexico.
With a visionary team of Black, immigrant and Native artists, Black, brown and immigrant youth are weaving together our histories in order to spark the solidarity, healing, and learning needed within our communities to protect one another and embrace abundance as we move into the future together. With our bold truth and racial solidarity, we will thrive!”
Brandon Mack, Lead Organizer of Black Lives Matter: Houston, said:
“Black Lives Matter: Houston is proud to partner with United We Dream on this event. For too long, white supremacists have tried to pit Black and brown communities against one another . This event is a demonstration of our communities racial solidarity, unity, and collective power. The issues we face as Black, brown and immigrant communities are unique but they are also linked in undeniable ways. With Black immigrants disproportionately targeted and killed by the deportation forces of ICE and CBP, we know that we cannot achieve immigrant justice without prioritizing Black liberation.
Young, Black, brown and immigrant communities see each other. We recognize one another for our full humanity and know that our power is stronger together. Therefore, we must care and work together to collectively pursue justice for all of us. Immigrant justice is racial justice! Move Into the Future is a symbol of the bridges we are building across communities and serves as a reminder that we all should fight for a just and abundant world for everyone.”
