#HereToStay: murals of resistance and civic engagement

ABSTRACT

Visual art provides a platform for activists to make political standpoints, highlight social struggles, and reinforce collective identities in a silent, yet powerful way. Protest art is a form of non-violent action that allows expressions of dissent and inspires change. Murals are a unique form of protest because they are in public spaces and reach a large audience that is then exposed to political and social critiques, often highlighting past and present injustices. In this article, we introduce the work of Yehimi Cambrón as a case study. Cambrón is an artist living in Atlanta, Georgia where her murals depict historic and current issues by mingling Atlanta’s rich history of the civil rights movement with her personal story of being an undocumented immigrant. We analyse her work through the lens of non-violent theories and in the context of street art and protest murals that have brought awareness to a variety of cultural, structural, and violent conflicts. In line with the literature on protest art and non-violent action, we argue that murals like the ones from Cambrón are a form of non-violent civic action that give voice to marginalized groups by using publicly visible space to confront social and political issues.

KEYWORDS:

• Case study
• civic engagement
• immigration
• protest art
• public art

Acknowledgments

We thank Ms Yehimi Cambrón, Art Educator and Muralist, for her insights and contributions to this manuscript and for her leadership in using visual art to foster dialogue on important social issues.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez

Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez is Associate Professor of Social Work and Human Services at Kennesaw State University. Her research focuses on the nonprofit sector’s role in facilitating immigrant integration. Rodriguez’s coedited book, Green Card Youth Voices: Immigration Stories from an Atlanta High School (2018), documents the experiences of young New Americans in their own words. She has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications. Rodriguez holds a PhD in Public Administration and Policy and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Georgia. She earned her Master’s in Public Affairs at Rutgers University through the US Peace Corp

Lina Tuschling

Lina Tuschling is a PhD Candidate in International Conflict Management at Kennesaw State University, where she also taught International Relations. Her research interests include nonviolent movements, social identity, dissent in democracies and civic activism. Lina’s recent co-authored publications include the journal article ‘Opposition from within - Israeli soldiers resist the occupation’ and the book chapter ‘Nonviolent theories and International Relations’ in Understanding Conflict Management.