Acrylic & Oil on Canvas
30″ x 40″

The creation of this piece, made me feel like I was in a tug-a-war. It’s hard for me to understand why anger pushes us to destroy our communities, ultimately ourselves. At the same time, I believe the intensity of the anger expressed was an accurate representation of the frustration in the community. The L.A. riots were bigger than the Rodney King incident. They were the result of built up anger from lifetimes of being tormented by the LAPD. It can be hard to channel anger into change instead of destruction - especially when the education and the access are replaced with oppression and discrimination. 

 My family lost their home during the riots - but my family also participated. Looting jewelry stores, taking gold and shotguns, my family was a perfect example of the chaotic energy that circulated within the community. We try to take what we believe we deserve - out of frustration and anger - but end up losing everything in the process. We end up re-structuring our own communities, and not for the better. The riots brought people together. Many of us found ourselves in union - begging that our own grocery stores, homes, communities would stop being vandalized. Many of us prayed that we could find a more peaceful way to create the change we deserve. Many of us prayed for peace.