SAY THEIR NAMES: A MURAL IN SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

In addition to the protests that occurred across the world in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, local artists channeled their grief and rage into a powerful new mural in Springfield, Massachusetts. 

In June, a local community organizer friend reached out to me to ask if I’d document the process. I was honored to volunteer my time and services for such a project.

We worked out a few logistics and agreed to meet at the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services building in Springfield in the afternoon for the first of three days of shooting. That first day, I watched and photographed as the artists prepared the wall, planned, and projected the design. Much of this work had to happen after dark, and when I left at 2 am, they were still going strong. 

The following two days consisted of documenting both the creation of the mural and the community members who came to witness and support the project, the artists and each other. People spoke, sang, made music, prayed, cried and celebrated together.

Below is the statement about the mural from the organizers. 

SAY THEIR NAMES

A tribute to People of Color killed by police

We were inspired to create this mural by the death of George Floyd. We believe more must be done to prevent the excessive use of force by police, which disproportionately harms People of Color. They hope this mural will create a space for public and communal mourning, inspiration and conversation. We believe free expression and community conversation during a time of heightened tension increases the likelihood of peaceful and constructive action. We hope that this mural will help people heal, process emotions, gain new understanding, and inspire concerted effort to eliminate individual and systemic racism.

“Say Their Names” includes the names of more than 60 unarmed People of Color who have been killed by police in the US in the past 12 months (from June 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020). The people whose names are included in the mural are those reported as unarmed when killed. The names and demographics of those killed, as well as the circumstances of their death, were drawn from the research by MappingPoliceViolence.org. Included are also some names of Springfield residents who have been killed in interactions with the police.

Artists

Wane One has been an active and progressive participant in the NYC graffiti community for 36 years, since 1983 when he was 13. Wane has painted two murals in Springfield: “Beast in the Paint” is on the Columbus Center parking garage, and “Hope is Welcome Here” is at the FOH Shelter on Worthington Street.

Dionelo Alvarez aka Souls Nyc was born and raised in the South Bronx. Souls NYC painted a mural with Wane One at the FOH Shelter on Worthington Street in Springfield.

Nero is a self-taught, multifaceted artist with over 24 years of experience. Nero has been painting walls since 1994, and has been working as a tattoo artist since 2006. Nero painted a mural during Fresh Paint Springfield 2019 on Spring Street.

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