Why Discriminate When You Can Lend a Hand?

Artist Statement

Why Discriminate When You Can Lend A Hand?

Makenzie

My piece is an acrostic on a canvas. I used white paint to spell the words RACE DISCRIMINATION, and then I used different colors for the words I associated with the topic.

I chose this subject because I saw a man in Portland, ME who was in an accident. This occurred on my birthday, December 3rd, 2017. The Middle Eastern man was afraid that he would get blamed for the accident because of his color and age. When I heard him say that, I felt bad for him because I witnessed the accident and knew it was not his fault.

This incident and my research inspired me to make this piece. As of 2012, 55 % of Arab American Muslims have experienced discrimination and fear future discrimination. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, said in a report that Muslims face many incidents of discrimination. These include mosques being set on fire, hijabs being pulled off women’s heads, being denied jobs or promotions, and more. “Nearly 35% of the anti-Muslim incidents last year happened after perpetrators noticed a person’s ethnicity or national origin and made a connection to Islam,” according to CAIR. I hope that my piece can bring attention to this issue of discrimination.