If you don’t know Elizabeth Catlett John, allow us to put you on.
She’s a badass and revolutionary Black political artist who was exiled from America to Mexico due to the themes of her art. Her art speaks to not only Black liberation but her experience as a Black woman living in Mexico. In her own words, she says, “I am inspired by Black people and Mexican people, my two peoples.”
This Black Future month, we couldn’t talk about the far-reach of the Black diaspora and the global roots of Black liberation without talking about Elizabeth Catlett.
Her art is a clear image of the symmetry between Mexican and Black art, culture, activism, struggle, and solidarity amongst oppressed people.
Elizabeth Catlett’s work spans, drawings, sculptures, and prints. But through all of her artwork, she never lost sight of the global struggle for Black liberation.
“We were concerned not only with problems in Mexico; the problems of whatever oppressed people, colonial or semicolonial, were of concern to us.”
— Elizabeth Catlett
Elizabeth's art, life, and advocacy speak to the interconnectedness of our struggle as Black folks. Solidarity across the globe is the only way that we will win a future of Black liberation.
This month, we will continue to celebrate and uplift Black leaders across the globe. From these ancestral leaders, we implore you to take these lessons forward: Our struggle is global. Our art and culture are our connectors. Our ancestors fought and resisted, and they won. And so will we. Freedom is our inheritance.
In solidarity,
Black Lives Matter
Our grassroots movement is pushing for Black liberation every single day. We are striving to create a world where Black people do so much more than just survive. It’s time we thrive.
As an organization one of our biggest hurdles is consistency.
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