Art by Ameya Okamoto
“For me, the relationship between the creation of my art and social change is symbiotic. I believe that visual art uniquely allows me to influence society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences across space, time, language, and culture. In my current practice, I aim to make art more accessible to all by bringing art to communities that otherwise do not have access and telling their stories to inspire more understanding, empathy, and progress.
Right now, we are witnessing the intentional and aggressive destruction of infrastructure put in place by hard-fought victories of the civil rights movement only a generation ago, of the Civil War a century ago, and the Revolutionary War at the founding of our country that were working to move us all towards a more equitable society. Seeing and deconstructing social injustices and creating art are both powerfully innate parts of who I am as a person. No matter my future career, I will be using creativity and my art to illustrate and support a world where we can live better together. The fight for justice is continuous and far from over, and I am committed to move through our increasingly complex world with empathy and creativity. As an artist, educator, organizer, and overall multi-hyphenated creative, I intend to continue asking hard questions and create art that amplifies and gives platform to the voices of others.”
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