In 2018, I joined the Poor People's Campaign as a cultural organizer. Since then, I have supported the Poor People's Campaign's network in visual design and art builds, finding new ways to illustrate the interlocking injustices of poverty, systemic racism, ecological devastation, war economy, and false moral narrative that the campaign seeks to dismantle.
The first Poor People's Campaign started in 1968.
[photo of pin]
Printing and visual imagery was always a key strategy in movement history. The famous photographs of protests were strategy manifested – knowing where cameras are watching, we position ourselves accordingly. Knowing where photographers will be available, we be ready to be loud. Cultural actions have been consistent in the development of the movement. Theomusicology and
One of the most explorative elements to teach people of social movements is what a campaign is, and where visual imagery sits within that campaign.
Charles Tilly usefully states a social movement campaign can have three components: claims, repertoire, and WUNC. Claims are our demands, analysis, research, our theory. WUNC is one of the most important pieces for visual culture: Expressions of worthiness, unity, numbers, and commitment. It's there that visual culture situates itself.
[Photo of sketching]
Imagining actions as their own sculptural elements, visual artists view an action as a three-dimensional film. In motion, alive, where anyone can view the action in the "round". We craft elements that are
[Photo screenprinting]
Skills like lettering have been used consistently. The design process was flipped on its head.
