Pop-up Art Show and Listening Room - Remembering the 2020 Protests Five Years Later
“It is important to talk about what happened, especially when it comes to institutional violence … to tell the stories, show the photographs, and honor those affected. They have all the weapons and we have cardboard signs - but signs, images, and words are powerful in a different way.”
The pop-up art show and listening room was not a large event; with handpainted activist art, protest posters, slide shows, photographs, and personal testimonies, it was heartfelt and impactful. We put a “trigger warning” on the door because the large black and white photographs depicting the protests on June 1st and 3rd in Huntsville, AL, 2020, were disturbing. The audio from a video with sirens and screams, could be triggering. Seeing the images of those who were killed by police in our community might be too much…
In the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, protests erupted all over the country, including Huntsville. With unwarranted fear, businesses boarded up their windows and police got their riot gear ready. The protests were peaceful until the permit expired, the signal was given, and multiple municipal agencies attacked peaceful people with tear gas, rubber bullets, and bean bag rounds.
We felt it was important to display the signs and photographs as a tangible reminder, and listen to poignant firsthand accounts . The speakers that day, retold their experiences with bravery and emotion. There were tears, but there was also laughter and a strong feeling of fellowship. Some of us have been friends since those days.
