Rise for Climate Jobs Ca March Arts Team Murals

"Yesterday was so fulfilling! Waking up before dawn & spending the 24-hour interval shutting downward the SF Financial District with my friends, painting two full metropolis blocks with 11 #ClimateChange murals in creative civil disobedience. 36 affinity groups did blockades which close downwardly Banking concern Of America, Citibank, Chase, US Bank, and protested Bolsonaro at the Brazilian Consulate." —Joshua Kahn Russell, street painting volunteer

September 25th, Solar day of Climate Strike in San Francisco

The forenoon is still absurd at 7am.  The mural crew meets upwardly at Market and Montgomery streets to go over the morn's programme. Nosotros've measured and counted and practiced for the final month, just the shape of the day alee is still unknowable. Anybody seems game, enthusiastic, upwards for what comes. We all walk a few blocks through Wall Street Due west, center of San Francisco'south fiscal district. The streets are beginning to be blocked off for the twenty-four hour period by members of the 1000 Grandmothers and many others. The four intersections are defined by 32 foot fabric banners, by wooden facsimiles of oil derricks, by people who came prepared to stand up all 24-hour interval so mural painters tin fill the streets with art.

In these 2 blocks, lined past some of SF'south biggest banks, xi community groups are about to paint their visions of solutions to climate chaos.  Five hundred or so brushes are lined up ready for paint equally people beginning chalk out circles and eye marks for each of the 25 foot murals. Some people chalk around a plywood template to mark the basket weave pattern, designed by local indigenous creative person Ed Willie, to exist painted as a edge effectually the mural groups' circles.

As the mural designs come to life, radiant images announced in the street—at that place'due south a rising feeling of tenderness and amazement. Each group has thought about how to bear witness what they see as a powerful solution to climate damage. All solar day people ask, "Do you need any assistance?"

Gradually, hundreds of easily fill in the border with natural clay paint from the Sierra foothills.  Information technology was our plan to fill the street border to border, merely it'due south unexpectedly moving to really run across the Miwok cherry clay blanketing dark asphalt.

A work crew of three guys stands chatting on the sidewalk; 1 of them steps in and picks upward a brush. People walking past say thanks to those who now look paint-covered.

 A woman tells us she works in one of the highrises, and asks if the painting volition be permanent. Nosotros start to explain that information technology's temporary art. She says, "I wish it wasn't. I'grand coming back on my lunch to assist you pigment."

These murals call for justice and advocate for solutions to the climate crisis.  Each mural grouping answered the question, "What is a solution to climate anarchy and injustice in your community?" They were created by a range of customs organizations and youth groups, who created the designs and coordinated the painting. The groups and statements are listed below. The murals were mostly painted with natural paint fabricated from Ione Miwok Red Clay from the Sierra foothills and as well children'southward-type colored tempera paints.

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TODAY, hundreds of Earth protectors shut down the streets in the fiscal district of San Francisco as part of the #GlobalClimateStrike, enervating that banks and politicians no longer fund or back up dirty fossil fuel energy. eleven gorgeous murals amongst the backdrop of clay-based paint and Cali Native basket designs to remind EVERYONE whose state they are on! Aeriform Video by @anestivega of @malucostudios. Music by @atribecalledred and @eldusty. Special thanks to @350org, @350usaction and @davidsolnit for helping make this happen and all the artists that designed, painted, and Close. It. Downward. Street Landscape Teams: Edward Willie, Protect World Defenders - Colombia, @brasilsolidaritynetwork, Queer Magic Analogousness Group, @idlenomoresf, @pacificislanderclimatemarch, @mona.caron and @theartofthegreennewdeal, @sunrisemvmt @bayareasunrise, @poder.sf, @trustyourstrugglecollective, Bay Area Spiritual Communities, @extinctionrebellion @xrsfbay.

A post shared by Maluco Studios (@malucostudios) on Sep 25, 2019 at 7:31pm PDT

Every bit we write this on the last mean solar day of the Sept 20-27 global climate strikes the Global Climate Strike coalition says, "At a total of over 7 million and still counting, the calendar week of Global Climate Strikes is on par with the 2003 anti-Iraq war protest as ane of the largest coordinated global protests in History. From September 20th to 27th, millions of students, parents, trade unions, businesses, wellness workers, scientists, celebrities, people of all backgrounds, ages, regions and faiths came together in all corners of the world calling for climate activity."

"We are surrounded by the financial institutions that turn a profit from climate chaos, and the government offices responsible for the climate crisis. We disrupt today to stop catastrophic climate disruption tomorrow, and to back up future generations."

After two massive student climate strikes in March and May, the next climate was strike called: "Starting on Friday 20 September we will kickstart a week of climate action with a worldwide strike for the climate. We're asking adults to footstep upwards alongside us. Information technology is fourth dimension for all of us to unleash mass resistance – we have shown that collective action does work. We need to escalate the pressure to make sure that change happens, and we must escalate together."

In the U.s.a. in that location accept been seen a serial of climate strike mass irenic directly actions during the week of climate strikes; in DC, Seattle, Duluth, MN and other cities.

 Climate Justice Street Mural Project

The overall project was coordinated with the Climate Justice Street Landscape Project, which the pair of us lead with a team of artists and activists. The Map and Program created for the effect read, "We paint these solutions in the heart of 'Wall Street Due west,' equally Montgomery Street is nicknamed. We are surrounded past the financial institutions that profit from climate chaos, and the government offices responsible for the climate crisis. We disrupt today to stop catastrophic climate disruption tomorrow, and to support futurity generations."

The Climate Strike street murals were part of a mass nonviolent direct activity initiated by Idle No More SF Bay, Extinction Rebellion SF Bay, Diablo Rising Tide, 1000 Grandmothers, and the Social club of Fearless Grandmothers, coming together every bit Climate Justice SF.  Climate Justice SF issued a call to action, reading in part, "On September 25th, nosotros name those responsible for destroying life as we know and need information technology.  We'll begin weaving a new web of community-oriented and earth-based solutions, putting on big display the depth and latitude of our love for this planet and for all the generations to come. We are calling for you to speak the truth of our enkindling to all those who are notwithstanding defenseless in the nets of turn a profit. Come disrupt business-every bit-usual in the offices of those institutions profiting off the devastation of the system of life we need to simply survive. We are inviting you to assist create street murals, each ane representing a part of the whole vision we have for our firsthand transformation. Come dream, paint, and teach our community how nosotros move forward at this moment in time."

Street Mural History

For seven years, communities and movements in the San Francisco Bay Area have painted street murals for social justice and climate justice, with clay from the Sierra foothills and not-toxic tempera paints. Last year, 55 groups painted climate solutions murals over v blocks as office of Rise for Climate Justice, also coordinated by the Climate Justice Landscape Projection.

Through trainings and encouraged past a Street Mural Guide, painting street landscape as a participatory office of actions is spreading to groups beyond North America, similar this 1 in Victoria, BC.

This was the Climate Strike Street Landscape Map-Program created for the twenty-four hour period:

The Groups Behind the Murals:

ColombiaConexion:

We had a terrific time joining the protestation and blockade the other day! Information technology was hugely gratifying for ColombiaConexion to spread the word about 1 of the near urgent calls in the global south: Defending the life of social leaders who protect the environment. We believe this was relevant as not everybody sees and comprehend the magnitude of the ongoing genocide in Colombia, Brazil, and other countries similar the Philippines and Mexico. The land defenders are mandated to be the ones who go on the voice of the ancestors live. Frontline communities are existence killed for disrupting and protesting about water sovereignty and land reform in our countries. It feels indeed a privilege to take over the streets of one of the major cities in usa and do what nosotros did. Art represents the virtually compelling narrative to bring these problems to the people, and at present we have the tools every bit a collective to make it happen.

This landscape is the result of a collective try, the sum of many frustrations. Frustration with policies and governments that are only interested in overworked humans and exploitation of nature and life. I never painted a mural before, and later on this experience I feel that art is the only honest way to assist us limited ourselves, raise awareness and demand change! This experience reinforced in me the importance of working in community, and inspired me to proceed opening spaces to dialogue well-nigh what the solutions are to the current climate crunch and how humans should contribute to more creative initiatives that protect life. Life is sacred.

Brasil Solidarity Network:

Envisioning the future: render to the old ways, the traditional ways that indigenous people have been caring for the Amazon since time immemorial.  Before money and colonization, when medicine and traditional wisdom were taken and warped for economic purposes.

Queer Magic Affinity Group:

With this landscape, we hope to help people feel the interdependence and reciprocity of relationships, necessary e'er and especially at this critical time. Nosotros are featuring three medicinal plants from the Amazon too equally a bird, the macaw. The bird is in reciprocity with forest plants, getting nutrient from them and helping them spread and grow.

Idle No More SF Bay:

Migration has always been natural and must remain and then to relieve lives.  No dams, no walls, no imaginary lines.

Pacific Islander Climate Justice:

Our solution; Aloha Aina—follow Inidgenous leadership and love and respect the country.

Rise Labor & Mona Caron: Green New Deal:

Artist-muralist-activist Mona Caron and activist labor group "Rise Labor" interact to paint Mona's Green New Bargain design. Mona Caron says, "This remix of the archetype Rosie The Riveter image calling for a Green New Deal, implies that "We can do information technology!"—now as much as back then. It's possible, it's urgent, and we're ready to curlicue upwardly our sleeves." (Free poster download of this design available at Green New Deal Arts Project; art.350.org).

Sunrise Movement:

We can and must create a cleaner, sustainable, and better future. Together, with thousands of young people leading the accuse, we tin can topple polluting corporations and build a world with clean jobs and a livable time to come through the Greenish New Deal, the only programme put forward to address the interwoven crises of climate catastrophe, economic inequality, and racism at the scale that science and justice need.

In their Instagram postal service of the murals, Sunrise Motion writes, "Political organizing demands imagination. Whether it's expressed through art or science fiction, nosotros must be able to envision a time to come filled with beauty. Nosotros must be able to hope. We're not simply fighting to avert the climate crisis. We're fighting for a future nosotros believe in."

Bay Surface area Spiritual Community:

From mural co-organizer Anita Kline: "Astonishing, heart-opening day. Thanks to our mural painters from spiritual communities and to the many who saw the 'welcome' pointer, wrote prayers for Mother Earth, and walked the labyrinth nosotros painted, whether in blank feet or high heels."

Trust Your Struggle:

"The Trust Your Struggle Collective painted a mural in colored dirt every bit grandmothers locked themselves to the doors of Wells Fargo Depository financial institution in SF'southward Financial Commune. The landscape depicts a blackness snake, symbol of the pipelines existence built across the Americas, cutting into pieces with sustainable energy growing from its wounds."

"Whose streets?! Our streets!"

Business as usual was disrupted yesterday with hundreds of people enervating climate justice at San Francisco's financial district. Doors to bank were blocked and the streets were painted with earth- based paints with images of the sustainable futurity we want to grow.

PODER (People Organizing to Demand Environmental and Economic Rights):

Our mural, "Liberate the Land/ Libera la Tierra" acknowledges that in order to truly combat this climate crisis, our solutions must be in harmony with Female parent Globe and stewarded by communities first and worst impacted.

Through reclaiming lands like @hummingbird_sf, we are able to connect to the foods and medicines that heal us, and rebuild connections to one country and ane another.

Extinction Rebellion - SF Bay Area:

Our demands are: Tell the Truth About the Climate Crisis; Declare a Climate Emergency and Reach Net Cipher by 2025; and Create a People'southward Associates and a Just Transition.

Our mural depicts the vision to "Invest in Life, Divest from Fossil Fuels." A divestment is not only necessary to realize our demand of net zero carbon by 2025, just information technology also begins the process of changing the exploitive and colonizing organization created by resource extraction.