Cities across the country are using large scale art installations to send a message to end racism now. NBC 5’s Noelle Walker reports plans to use Main Street in Downtown Fort Worth as a canvas.
The words “END RACISM NOW” are being painted in black and white over all lanes of traffic in the 800 block of Main Street, immediately north of the Fort Worth Convention Center.
"Black and white, that's two opposite ends of the color spectrum," artist Sedrick Huckaby said. "You see that mixed in the whole thing, and that's what it's about."
Huckaby and his wife, Letitia, came up with the creative concept to have volunteers, who have signed up to participate, help emblazon an anti-racism message by signing their names inside the words "end and "now."
"And shine a light on the situation in a positive way," Letitia Huckaby said. "Let's get rid of some of the underlying troubles that we've had and bring this country together," Sedrick Huckaby said.
The husband and wife creative team were contacted by the project coordinator, Deborah Peoples, to add the public display of unity to the national conversation.
"I just said, as the 13th largest city, we need to speak out," Peoples said. Peoples is the Tarrant County Democratic Party Chair, but said the project is not political. "While it's a tragedy that brought us here, this is a great moment in time and we need to take advantage of it."
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“We are in the middle of a very pivotal moment. It is a time where we can re-examine our national priorities, and [this project] is a way of creatively inviting people to join,” Sedrick Huckaby said.
In addition to filling in the black paint on the word RACISM, on Saturday volunteers will be asked to sign their names in black onto the white lettering on either END or NOW. Due to tightening COVID-19 restrictions, new sign-ups have been cut off and social distancing will be maintained. All participants are asked to bring a mask.
“It will sort of incorporate their personality, their signature into the statement they are signing onto,” said Letitia Huckaby. “This is something that needs to happen right now, and I think that is something that’s really powerful.”
Main Street between Eighth and Ninth streets will be closed as of 6 a.m. Friday and remain closed through 6 p.m. on Sunday. Barricades will be placed at either end of the work area.
The paint is water-based and will therefore be temporary, but the Huckabys believe it might last for upwards of a month.
