" She told me about the consequences of my actions and generously taught me that my voice was a powerful one. Instead of leading with rage, she helped me understand this difficult crossroads. By the end of the meeting, she asked me to think deeply about what I wanted to say and, more importantly, how I wanted it to be interpreted" (Drew, 2020, pg. 43).
This quote in the context of the memoir resonated with me because Kimberly was lectured by the boss of Studio Museum regarding her posts about Joe Scanlan. She was only authorized to publish a single approved post regarding the scandal, but on her own time, she posted angry tweets and received interviews from art blogs and The Huffington Post. This situation reminded me of a paragraph in the Art of Activism, which states that: " If our process is rooted in vengeance, fury, and hopelessness, our efforts will likely fail"( Ducombe, Lambert, 2021, pg. 59). The quote summarizes the lesson that Thelma Golden lectured to Kimberly because while her message was being heard, the language she was using could make people interpret her in the wrong light and discredit her original statement. She can express her activism through social media by citing evidence and history with the Guerilla Girls. Still, when too much emotion is shown in her language, people might stop listening. Passion and anger can only get activists so far without the opposing side using it to their advantage. For example, many alt-right-wing grift left-wing blogs by taking their tweets out of context and commenting on how absurd and 'crazy' they can be. Therefore to bring attention to socio-political issues, there needs to be a balance between emotion and facts. As much as I want to kick and punch anti-LGBTQ conservatives, I cannot, so I must use research and reasoning to reach a broader audience.
" There was a point in my career where I feared my anger. I feared that my anger would scare others. But looking back, I know without a doubt that I have a right to be mad-" (Drew, 2020, pg. 59).
I chose this quote because it resonated with me and is a foil to the previous quote. Sometimes I try to express my beliefs about activist projects. However, those not actively thinking about activism might be scared about talking about politics and my anger towards it. I am mad about the book bannings and the homophobes and transphobes that populate political spheres that site doctored religious dogma to eradicate individual freedom. Sometimes I feel like I am in a bubble of protection living in Jersey City and having a supportive family; I do not experience the same oppression other LGBTQ people experience, and sometimes I feel like an imposter in my community. Still, as a lesbian, I have been talked down upon by religious family members and idiotic men (I usually use the word 'partner' in case a homophobe is standing behind me). As I write this, I realize how angry I can be about the issues I am passionate about; I have a right to be; most of my friends are in danger! Overall, this book was inspiring, and I started to seek out artists that fall under my labels and see how they approach art and activism.
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| I Just Worked on my Show |
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