Bus Stop, 2022, Acrylic, oil, charcoal on canvas

This painting brings attention to people who are experiencing homelessness within Los Angeles/Los Angeles County. All races and groups of people are faced with becoming homeless today, but racial minorities experience this significantly more than White people. African Americans, in fact, make up more than 40 percent of the homeless population in the US. Unfortunately, there are countless reasons for one to experience homelessness, however most racial hindrance and disparity are rooted in past racial/social policies that have designed educational, housing, health, and economic barriers for people of color. The figures in this piece represent the increasing population of homelessness within Los Angeles. They are struggling for room on the bench of the bus stop; treating the bench as a bed or temporary place of rest. The advertisement hidden behind them on the bench reveals a face reminiscent of those who were behind these placed policies.

Boy Sitting Down Eating After Skating, 2022, Oil pastel, acrylic, charcoal on paper

This illustration depicts the downtime during skateboarding. It’s challenging to capture that feeling of sitting on the curb with your friends, eating an entree from a nearby bodega/restaurant after a hard session. Heavily inspired by Leimert Park and Fairfax, the streets in the painting remind me of these moments and the skating community in Los Angeles.