Stand Up, Kneel Down
By Israel Francisco Haros Lopez
Artist’s statement: “Stand Up, Kneel Down,” digital art, was made to speak to the historical connection of Colin Kaepernick’s act, to speak to the issues that continue to plague our communities. His kneeling and those actions that have followed suit will stand in history as a moment when a peaceful quiet act spoke fiercely, loudly, to the greater political reality that is begging for change.
Israel Francisco Haros Lopez was born in East Los Angeles to immigrant parents of Mexican descent. He is a recent recipient of the Kindle Project’s Makers Muse Award for his community work. He brings firsthand knowledge of the realities of migration, U.S. border policies, and life as a Mexican American to his work with families and youth, as a mentor, educator, art instructor, ally, workshop facilitator and activist. Even with a 1.59 high school G.P.A., Israel managed to go back to community college and raise his grades to get accepted into U.C. Berkeley and receive a degree in English Literature and Chicano Studies followed by an MFA in Creative Writing. At formal and informal visual art spaces, Israel creates and collaborates in many interdisciplinary ways including poetry, performance, music, visual art, video making and curriculum creation. His work addresses a multitude of historical and spiritual layered realities of border politics, identity politics, and the re-interpretation of histories. Visit the artist’s website at www.waterhummingbirdhouse.com.