Hope and Justice

some random thoughts

My song is about someone having thoughts about suicide, but then he thinks about all the good times he has had with someone special.

The Police Officer!

When I was 12 years old, I went to a summer camp (a place I went to from 8 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday) at Allan Witt Aquatics Complex and that particular day, different dispatchers (like firemen, police officers, etc) came to teach us the importance of safety. Me and the remainder of the children were directed outside where we were shown the police car and firetruck. We were instructed to only look and walk around the outside of the vehicle, with anticipation we eagerly scrambled into a single file line. Once it came around to my turn, as I was toward the back of the line, one of the staff members, who had an issue with me, the reason still unknown to this day, shoved me into the cop car and closed the door. As a result, I climbed through the middle and tried to exit through the front door on the driver’s side. Upon exiting, the officer saw me and drew his gun, yelling at me to get out of his car and put my hands in the air. The gun remained drawn, pointed directly at me for several minutes, with numerous younger kids watching. After the incident, none of the staff present did anything or comforted me, I didn’t tell anyone the full story until a couple of months afterward. That instance, unfortunately one of several, has shaped how I view the world and thought that it‚and be a good example to bring more awareness; especially coming across it at such a young age.

Ripple Effect

Our film follows a teenage girl who is struggling under academic pressure and high expectations, questioning her worth. She finds hope during this hard time when she is reminded that there is beauty in everyday interactions, keeping in mind that the scope of one kind gestures is greater than expected.

The Exterminator

Such a large number of bees and other pollinators are being unnecessarily killed due to toxic pesticides that so many people are unaware can contaminate them in a number of ways. I hope to educate people and draw attention to the everyday dangers bees may face, the importance of bees to the planet and food supplies, and how non-harmful pesticides can be so impactful

Smoky World

Air pollution has been a prevalent problem throughout my life, and respiratory health concerns should be taken seriously. My childhood home was located in a high-pollution area, and I would suffer from health problems when I lived there.

Justice is (not) Blind

People of color, poor people, and other minorities are disproportionately criminalized, which is unjust.

Bulletproof

It’s incredibly disheartening how school shootings are almost normalized now. They happen, we talk about them for a few days, and then everyone goes back to normal until it happens again. No child should lose their life to violence, especially not the kind that could be easily prevented by gun control laws.

Raising Hope

The woman I was drawing wasn’t going to be able to finish high school with a child, but through many revisions decided she would find success rather than failure. Many young women in this position are unable to finish highschool and have difficult paths to figure out. I realized that although life throws curveballs, people are still able to achieve their goals under tough circumstances. My hope is that women in this situation are able to make choices that are best for them, and no matter what have support to help them achieve their goals and education.

From Caged to Unafraid

My art symbolizes coming out for queer people. As more and more people and forms of media become more accepting of the LGBTQIA+ community, there is more hope.

How to Help A Friend

My drawing represents how to help a friend. Sometimes there are issues, conflcits and problems and sometimes when you need help you cna turn to friends. With friends you can feel free to talk about your problems. Letting friends know you are there for them is so important.