By Leanna Yu, Editor-in-Chief

As teens across the country look for ways to get involved in student activism, Mills artists dedicate their creative skills to fundraise for Black Lives Matter organizations.  From painting customized shoes and water bottles to creating George Floyd t-shirts, multiple students have garnered support from their peers and community members to raise donation money. 

In early June, rising seniors, Gabriella Handoko and Joseph Tom started an art project where they specially paint personal items in exchange for a $10 minimum donation to a charity or organization of the customer’s choice. Handoko and Tom have been working independently, with Handoko disclosing, “I’ve donated to small, black and non-black minority businesses that were affected by looters [including] restaurants, beauty salons, and convenience stores. All of the places I’ve donated [to] haven’t reached their monetary goals yet.”  In addition to custom Vans, Air Force 1s, Converse, and Hydroflasks, people have also requested posters and canvases. With a large quantity of orders in under three weeks, Handoko has raised over $500; Tom has had a similar experience with the success of business, donating to other small businesses (Rebuilding Joy’s Beauty Supply) and organizations like NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Homeless Black Trans Women Fund, Gianna Floyd Fund, and Justice for Breonna Taylor.

Tom was inspired to begin this project with the urge to take his activism beyond spreading educational material, signing petitions, and donating: “I really believe that everyone has talents, interests, and platforms to elevate their voices on the current social climate of our society… I took my interests in painting and used it to empower myself and others to be more active in this movement.” Both Handoko and Tom have been posting their customers, donations, and custom pieces on Instagram to display their work and spread awareness in their passions.

Mina Lim, an upcoming senior, has also been instigating a tailored project to sell handmade t-shirts with a transferred print of her artwork honoring George Floyd. By participating in a local protest and experiencing the effects of strong unity in voices, Lim found herself wanting to donate to the Bail Project, where money is used to bail peaceful protestors who were unjustly arrested. Lim was called to action after witnessing the shocking video of the murder of George Floyd, expressing how this made her realize the fatality of systemic racism ingrained in America. She discussed her own journey and ways to demonstrate her feelings, reflecting,“As I was finding my voice, the thousands of people protesting, risking COVID and clashing with the police inspired me [to take further action from home].  And I found my voice in my art, in a way that others could share my outrage.” Alongside promoting her clothing on social media, Lim has published a $15 listing on Depop, a peer-to-peer fashion marketplace app for unique items, in hopes of sharing her design to a wider audience.

Each individual artist has made great contributions to their community, gained personal growth, and used their creativity to inspire others. Handoko relayed these ideas of her project’s influence on herself: “Selling customs has definitely kept me busy, but I’m glad to have something to do in lockdown. Not only do people feel excited over something I’ve painted, but I’m contributing to a greater cause that I care about—overall an extremely fulfilling experience.” Lim shared how her shirts have allowed her voice to be heard when worn, adding, “As people in my community have purchased my shirts, my voice is shared and hopefully adds to our collective outrage and desire to build a better society…This is a human rights issue, not a political debate.” All three seniors hope to inspire others to speak up, get involved, and engage in activism through their form of artistic expression.

Cover Photo Credits: Mina Lim