This design was created through a collaborative effort of organizers and artists in Phoenix, Arizona. I applaud Ernesto Yerena, Sandra Castro and Orlando Arenas and crew for coming up with this amazing print. It pushes the out an analysis and worldview that is critical to real, transformational change.
The crew had made 300 hand printed screen prints but they definitely want this image to go out far and wide. I offered to distribute it as a downloadable PDF via the Dignidad Rebelde website to get it into your hands.
**EDIT** Recently a critique has been made about mis-steps that may have been taken in the design of this poster.
Blogista Adrienne K. (no full last name given) recently wrote “Representing the Native Presence in the “Occupy Wall Street” Narrative”. You can read it here:
http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com/2011/10/representing-native-resence-in-occupy.html
While I agree with many of the critiques written in the blog I do have some commentary to make. I believe dialogue is an important process in the decolonization. I believe that since the image has been so widely circulated that this analysis and critique need to enter the discourse. The image is already in many people’s minds you can’t remove that.
I encourage folks that work on this to publish a statement to address the critiques. Indigenous people and oppressed people need to come together not, as a friend keenly articulated do this:-“the firing squad on the Left is in a circle.” (Whether “Left” is the right umbrella term or not is not the point…the Oppressed…the Radical you pick).
As an additional footnote. One thing I find problematic about her approach is that she didn’t credit the artists of any of the three pieces she includes in her write nor did she publish any of the statements that people put out with the work. I guess the artists of this piece aren’t the only ones who didn’t take enough time to do their due diligence, huh?
While I find her critiques valid I also find her approach abrupt and unresearched and her tone self-righteous. Let’s dialgoue and support each other not cut each other down at the knees.