I made this sticker back in October of 2024 but somehow forgot to post it on my blog. So here it is again.
Stay Principled & Curious means to me. Stick to your guns but be willing to learn. So many jobs and careers in the arts ask us to not speak about issues or to remain quiet about injustice and I say fuck that. If you know something to be true, share it, stand by it, and let folks know. If you make a mistake, correct it. If you learn new information, share that too. But don’t remain silent. That is how injustice is allowed to continue because those with wealth, tech, and power bank on those who cannot speak and those who know something but remain silent staying silent. Nope.
If u support education, read,act. Via @liberated.esc 🍉‼️URGENT ACTION! ALL HANDS ON DECK. Protect Ethnic Studies from censorship, silence, policing and control! AB 1468 is replaced by AB 715 ‼️🍉
Call California State Legislators and the Education Committee to STRONGLY OPPOSE AB 715!
Instead of listening to constituents, educators, parents, and legal advocates, DEMOCRATIC Assembly Members Rick Chavez Zubr and Dawn Addis are doubling down on efforts to police and criminalize Ethnic Studies by introducing AB 715.
This bill will strongly impact educators’ ability to teach Ethnic Studies curriculum without fear of retribution or censorship. Silencing dialogue doesn’t create safety—it shuts down vital conversations about the world we live in!
☎️ ACTION 1: Call members of the Education Committee and urge them to VOTE NO on AB 715. Protect Ethnic Studies from censorship and manipulations!
Al Muratsuchi: (916) 319-2066 Josh Hoover: (916) 319-2007 Dawn Addis: (916) 319-2030 David A. Alvarez: (916) 319-2080 dia Bonta: (916) 319-2018 Leticia Castillo: (916) 319-2058 Robert Garcia: (916) 319-2050 Josh Lowenthal: (916) 319-2069 Dr. Darshana R. Patel: (916) 319-2076
☎️ ACTION 2: Call your California Assembly member TODAY, Tomorrow and every day. Look up your who your Assembly member is: https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/
🚗ACTION #3: go to Sacramento this Wednesday, May 14th at the Bill’s hearing to make a public statement strongly opposing AB 715
SAMPLE SCRIPT: I’m calling as a constituent (or as a concerned California citizen) to Vote No on AB 715. AB 715, proposed by elected assemblymembers of the Democratic Party to create an oppressive threatening environment for educators will not only stifle and silence necessary Ethnic Studies teachings but also police any discussion and learnings about Palestine and Palestinians. It will create a repressive environment of persecution and fear among educators who dare mention historical facts that put Israel in a negative light. It would not be any different than the those who want to suppress the teachings about Rosa Parks because it makes white people feel bad or uncomfortable to learn factual history.
My folks who’ve been down-u already know. For the folks who’ve never been involved in any resistance -paper, calls, emails, protest, direct action. I know, you’re in survival mode. Do what u can. For the folks who have some sort of privilege, get off your ass.
Whether you are old, young, white, Black, Brown, Queer, hetero, disabled, able bodied, red, blue, green, GET INVOLVED w/ organizing against the current gov’t attacks. Join an organization, support independent journalism, volunteer time, art, voice, $, resources, connections, whatever u can-folks have been sounding the alarm and if u haven’t done anything u gotta act-NOW!
This isn’t new. But, because the cheeto is back I’m reminded that it we all must speak up when able. I’m not going to hit every issue, I’m human. But over the course of my life I’m going to try many times.
Why Fuck ICE? “Immigration and Customs Enforcement” is not being used in this current onslaught of raids affecting real people to protect America. They are wielded as a tool like cops and immigration laws to reinforce a harmful narrative, a story. That story says Black and Brown people are the cause of poor and working class White Americans’ problems. Why do they reinforce this BS? To rile up White folks and others so they are emboldened and to distract them from the fact that the billionaire class is robbing them and us blind. Jobs have been going over seas where they can pay them less w/less worker protection for decades. Its about keeping some pointing the finger at migrants instead of realizing who is screwing them over. Its also about putting fear and terror into the hearts of hard working everyday people of color in the US. And it is about good ole white supremacy.
When you need to debate with anyone (Blk, White, Latino, Asian, etc) who is applauding the current raids bring up some things. Talk about the 1% vs the 99%, race, class, what this country will pay for (War/Genocide) and what they pretend to have no money for (universal health care, housing). Seek independent and trusted news sources outside and within social media. Watch and think: Who’s narrative is being highlighted, and who is has a distorted voice or no voice at all?
If you’re an artist, make art. If youre not an artist, share art that informs, engages, etc. Lend your support to grassroots organizations and people working to protect migrants who have legal, civil, and human rights by donating time, money, or other means. Know this is a racist legacy of attacks going back centuries in the US of A. Latinos, Black folks, Aapi communities, Arab, and white allies have fought back and won victories before and they will again.
Really just wanted to make the statement, hard to get my Thoughts together this AM. But I imagine The US govt as the biggest thug on earth w/700+ military bases across the fucking planet. Problem is, The Romans fell, the British has had to give up territories and colonies. The US empire will fall too. For us reg working people to eat, be healthy, happy, for the funk to end-capitalism and empires have to die. What else on my mind? Palestine, Congo, Haiti, Central America, Puerto Rico, Guam, NewZealand, Sudan, New Caledonia, Brics alliance, G7 countries, voting locally & 4 ur state, voting strategically but keeping in mind that organizing and solidarity w/poor and working class people across the planet. #artofrobertliutrujillo#downwithimperialsm#handstyles the only thing the US elites care about is “paper” and power. They don’t care about religion, justice, none of that.
Here’s a quote that I heard in an interview w/ educator and historian Erica Buddington. She was quoting one of her teachers but I found these words through her so I put her name and attributed it to her teacher Mr. Bowman. Handwriting by me.
What this means to me, sometimes you have to pop out, step out, or step out of what is conventional thinking. Do you research, homework, due diligence, etc. But if you know what everyone else is saying or doing goes against your moral compass, push back with integrity and openness to learn.
Hey, new sticker for my fellow artists. This is my first time trying a holographic sticker. It turned out pretty cool. Cop one for you or your team HERE
Thank god for Maurice Cherry who has done so much work to highlight Black designers, artists, and creatives with his work. I just came across Cymone or “Simon and Moose”. Wow, what a breath of fucking fresh air it is to see this person’s work. She is Amazing.
What’s this bruh? This is where I share artists that have been inspiring to me in my work sometimes directly and other times indirectly. Check out Cymone Wilder’s website here. You can see the many clients she work with , her personal work, merch, and more. Wow is what I keep saying to myself.
I haven’t highlighted that many type artists or designers who work with letters but I will do that more because I pull inspiration from them as much as I do illustrators or muralists. Cymone is someone you should watch and follow. Like now, do that now. Here is her IG.
You can read an interview she did with the Nashville Voyager (where she’s based) and get a sense of what makes her do what she does. Stay tuned for more.
Did you catch the posts I made about these other amazing artists?
Just painted this new joint before the San Jose Made show and LOVE LOVE LOVE how it came out. I get in a rut sometimes and returning to this subject matter and composition really helped me do my thing and get loose. Check out some of the process art for this one below.
If you’d like a print of this bad boy, please visit my shop at THIS LINK
What is Ethnic Studies? Short version is that US history is Eurocentric and throughout time either mis-characterized, ignored, or completely barred stories and history from African American, Native American, Latinxs, and Asian Americans. I throw in Middle Eastern families as well. In the late 60s San Francisco State University (my 1st college) and then UC Berkeley were the first schools in the US to create college departments that housed teachers and courses dedicated to some of this knowledge. And to be frank, it is not just about a diverse we are the world photo. It’s a bout understanding systems, power, challenging that, and changing the narrative. And that is why some are terrified of it.
