For the last six months, bright and brilliant Black Lives Matter murals have decorated the streets, walls, and skies of our globe.
This week, a new mural is being painted on Fifth Avenue in New York City, giving Trump Tower a mesmerising art piece, right on its doorstep.
A new Black Lives Matter mural is being painted on Fifth Avenue in New York City, right outside Trump Tower.
Traffic between 56th and 57th street has been blocked so that the colossal yellow letters can be properly painted on the pavement. It’s certainly a spectacle to behold; symbolising unity and raising awareness for the much-needed racial equality movement.
Of course, Trump had something ignorant to say over twitter, calling the mural a “big, expensive, yellow Black Lives Matter sign” that was “denigrating this luxury avenue.”
Yet in response to his post, New York City’s mayor reminded Trump that “Black people BUILT Fifth Avenue and so much of this nation” and that his “‘luxury’ came from THEIR labour, for which they have never been justly compensated.”
Here’s what you don’t understand:
Black people BUILT 5th Ave and so much of this nation.
Your “luxury” came from THEIR labor, for which they have never been justly compensated.
We are honoring them. The fact that you see it as denigrating your street is the definition of racism.— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) July 1, 2020
Whilst the mural is symbolic of the city’s recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement, some have labelled it as merely ‘performative’ if the Government does not further invest in the black community.
Recently, there have been calls to decrease police powers and funding and create legislation to further protect and safeguard black lives, like the CAREN Act that has been introduced in California. Let’s hope the New York City mayor makes good on his twitter promise to being “committed to the message.”
As we increase awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement in any way we can, like murals, we can advocate for more changes and actions to help achieve racial equality.
