Page 31 - Paths to Change

2. Why might the street mural have more significance than other means of supporting the Black Lives Matter movement (e.g. signs, murals on buildings, street signs)? This mural has more meaning because it is on a public street in the capital of the United States. A government official (the mayor) had to approve it and it shows that people in positions of power support the Black Lives Matter movement protestors and do believe that the lives of Black Americans matter. Anyone can say they support or show their support personally, but it is more meaningful when established government (the very system being protested) makes such a large demonstration of support. 3. Are physical symbols and representations of support for protests important? Why or why not? Yes, these symbols are important, but must be accompanied by actions to make real changes and combat racism in our society. The symbols and representations like artwork, pins, or black squares on social media give people an opportunity to show where they stand and possibly even engage people in dialogue about how to change things. Seeing these symbols also brings attention to issues that the privileged among us may not realize exist. 4. How does this document help you decide whether protests bring change? This document helps because it shows a tangible response to the protests following George Floyd’s murder. A plaza being renamed, and words of support being painted on a major street in support of the protestors shows that even elected officials have taken notice and been moved to respond. Even if the response is simply acknowledgement and support, that is often the first step before systemic change. Suggestions to Increase Accessibility Shallow scaffold: o Provide context, explicitly connecting the visual text to previous texts and learning o Think aloud demonstrating how you might “read” a visual text and draw conclusions Medium scaffold: o Provide a background information one-pager detailing the 5W’s o Discuss the photo in segments (e.g. address the medium, the location, the words, and the meaning separately) Deep scaffold: o Introduce a supplemental text to provide context o Introduce additional stills or video of the creation of the mural o Provide sentence starters to discuss various facets of the mural The Black Inquiry Project 30