News

Art With a Message

November 16th, 2020

Several students in Doug Turnbull's woodworking class participated in making a Black Lives Matter sign, using lettering techniques and fonts of their choice.

"The project sparked a lot of conversation, which was valuable," he said. 

Students who worked on the sign wrote a reflection on the project and thoughtfully expressed what Black Lives Matter means to them. Below are excerpts and the letter or letters they crafted.

Nick C. '23

"I participated in the Black Lives Matter project because I want to help make the world a little more united. The world is really divided right now. It is divided because there are some people that get treated worse than others just because of the color of their skin or their gender. I can make a difference by standing for what I think is right and supporting Black Lives Matter by donating and trying to stop people from making racial stereotypes."

David D. '21

"The reason I participated by crafting the letter “E” on the BLM sign was to show my support to the people who suffer from discrimination. By creating a sign, I'm helping spread the word, as well as my opinion, on the situation. All people should be treated equally, through the system or through the eyes of others. One group does not and should not stand above all." 

Rowan H. '24

"There are a few reasons why I chose to participate in the making of the Black Lives Matter sign. One important reason is because 100 years ago, people of color were forced into labor and they had no say or no pay. Imagine if you were forced into work that you did not want to do? Imagine if you had to do work with no pay at all? It is not right to make people work at jobs that they don't want to do, such as long days in fields. Black Lives Matter means a couple of things to me. First, it means that all lives matter but right now in our country Black Americans are asking for a little more support. Black people deserve the same rights as white people would. Secondly, I have noticed that our country has been facing a lot of hatred lately and it makes me want to help others increase awareness about the topic. Working on this sign gave me a sense of pride.

Jakob K. '23

"What black lives matter means to me is that we need change and we need it now. There is absolutely no excuse for police brutality against people with a different skin color or beliefs.  Black lives need to be treated way better with law enforcement and the justice system."

Aliyah K. '21 

"When people tell me they don’t understand why “only” Black lives matter, I tell them to think about this: if there’s one building on fire in a neighborhood, the fire department will help the house on fire. They’re not going to spend time spraying their hoses at the houses that aren’t on fire because those houses don’t need their help. This is what I think about when I hear people say “all lives matter.” No one is saying that they don’t, but they’re saying that there’s a community on fire and they need everyone’s help to put the fire out." Read Aliyah's blog post about being a Black woman on a mostly white campus.

Steve L. '22

"When I look at the sign that we made, I see that every letter is different because each person who made a letter is different. Even though none of the letters look the same, they are all important to convey a message. If you take away a single letter the message is lost. This really reflects the Black Lives Matter movement by showing that our differences do not have to stop us from working together. Each of us is unique and though we may look different we all have something to add."

Griffin P. '21

"I believe that Black Lives Matter is all about equality. People have the right to choose their voice and opinions. Discrimination can lead to violence. For example, if I was pulled over for speeding in my car, and I was white, I would maybe get off with a warning. But if I was Black and got pulled over for the same thing, I might be arrested or endangered, which is unfair. On paper, both should end in the same way. Different skin, different outcome. It is time to change the system."