Anthony Ruiz Rodriguez
SCHOOL: Coliseum College Prep Academy
PILLAR: Student Supports
ARTIST STATEMENT
The symbolic image I used in my art piece was black and brown unity through music. The images I used to represent this were Tupac Shakur and Chalino Sanchez. I was inspired to create this image because these two people were some of the biggest representations of Latino and Black communities. The image of Chalino and Tupac shaking hands shows the strength that my community holds through empowering each other's cultures and music. As someone who has lived their entire life in a very Latino and black setting, I felt like this image strongly represented what my community stands for. Along with this their music has influenced me to become a better person and helped me push through hard times. Similarly to me, it has helped many high school students in my community struggling with depression or other mental illnesses. The Oakland background of the image represents the style and culture we bring to the table that separates us from other cities. Usually, when people who may be unfamiliar with the bay area hear about Oakland they often tend to think about violence and poverty levels. However, I personally see Oakland as a community of primarily black and brown uniting to create something beautiful. One of the ways we express that is through music. So many artists today are collaborating especially black and brown to signify that one type of genre doesn't always have to fit into a category of a certain group of people. The quotes I chose were to express the two artist's beliefs and how they strongly reflect the values I live by today. I know what I am capable of achieving and look forward to overcoming any challenges that I face as I pursue an institution of higher education.
