"Fighting for the Lost"
By Shelton Santos
"My main inspiration was of course the sad story of Oscar Grant. I tried to infuse cultural images such as Adrinka african symbols. I wanted the piece to focus on the local perceptionof African Americans and how this relates to the violence going on in Oakland. American colors flow into the word 'respect' upside down above a picture of the U.S. upside down to convey the lack of respect for people of color in this country. The 'O.G.' stands for Oscar Grant. The picture of the young black boy in the right side represents all of our youth and the anger they must feel, wanting to fight back against the system. The African symbol in the red patch is called Akoben(war horn). This is a symbol of vigilance and wariness. I used the checkered patch to represent the game we all have to play to exist in this society." - Shelton Santos
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The Oscar Grant Memorial Arts Project is Co-Sponsored by Media Alliance