Words matter. Over the past year, we have seen the Chinatown community put at risk from anti-Asian rhetoric. Rather than focus on the xenophobic language, Catalyst Commission awardee Rajiv Fernandez spreads messages of positivity. Inspired by ShaoLan’s Chineasy, Rajiv’s designs use Chinese characters integrated with drawings to convey the impact of the words. These Chinese messages are paired with a single actionable word in English to empower AAPI communities. Rajiv notes “This is a way for both Chinese and English speakers to feel connected through a single message. The words chosen so far include ACTION, AMPLIFY, VOTE, RESILIENCE” and more.” Stickers and posters of the designs adorned Chinatown from June-October of 2021.
Public art project sponsored by Think!Chinatown and The Creative Sanctum.