Who We Are
The founding members of BAS include a diverse network of practicing artists of all career levels, business leaders and community organizers.
OUR STORY
Black Art Speaks is a
collective group of
artists seeking to share
their voice through
the power of art.
“We Want What You Want” a poem by visionary, Alandes Powell, inspired the dream of seeing these words captured in the Black Lives Matter! Cincinnati Mural. Each letter visually represents a line in this poem.
In less than 20 hours over the course of 3 days, 17 black lead artists and a host of volunteers joined together under the united vision of seeing these words brought to life.
We Want What You Want
Finding Voice Through Art
by Alandes Powell
We Want What You Want
To raise our kids in Peace
We Want What You Want
To provide for our families
We Want What You Want
To live free from unjust persecution
We Want What You Want
To be treated equally, fair and just
We Want What You Want
For rules that oppress people like us to be lifted
We Want What You Want
For systems designed to negatively impact our families to be eradicated
We Want What You Want
To truly see this as a land of opportunity
We Want What You Want
To witness our children, grow into adults
We Want What You Want
To play with our grandchildren and celebrate as they graduate from high school and college
We Want What You Want
To walk in a place of Education and know it is truly used to educate
We Want What You Want
For others to see the males in our lives as gentlemen with kind hearts and not thugs and criminals
We Want What You Want
For others to see the ladies who look like us as beautiful and deserving of equal rights just like the ladies in your life
We Want What You Want
Equal Pay, equal opportunities, and to know you desire our presence at your professional table and not just tolerate it
We Want What You Want
To know that the people carrying the gun have a desire to protect and not kill
We Want What You Want
To know that your voice will speak against the wrongs and support the rights
We Want What You Want
A place that our Art of Blackness will be safe as it hangs in your place
We Want What You Want
Nothing more and Nothing less
