Artist Statement
David Sarpong
Social Justice Posters
A lot of kids in New York City use basketball as an outlet to keep away from many negative things, such as gang violence. When people view the galaxy, I want people to think about the infinite number of futures we can reach. I am passion about this topic, because a lot of people don't really see the potential that they have within themselves and don't know that their goals and aspirations are within reach.
Being a black man in the United States typically fosters a lot of hatred for white people due to the harsh history white people and people of color share; however, I don't let it dictate the way I treat white people today, because I was taught to love and respect others. However, everyone is not raised like that, so it is important to shed light on the fact that there is division in this country and that we need to unite. If all "races" don't come together and stand united, we won't be able to progress and succeed as a society. I put “races” in quotes because there is truly only one race, which is the human race. I chose to split the background because, as much as I don't think of race as a real thing, we can't ignore the reality that society today is race driven. I decided to go with a ying-yang feel with the text by putting the opposite color on both sides to represent the balance when both races work together.
Inclusive Stock Photography
The Inclusive Stock Photography project was designed to address the scarcity of people of color, multicultural people, and LGBTQ+ people in commercial stock photography by creating professional-quality images of these underrepresented people in a variety of everyday settings, including romantic and platonic relationships, family, and communities.