Learn Together

Art can be used to express ideas and ultimately promote positive changes in the world. By giving children a voice through choice, opinion, feelings, and emotions, they learn that they are important and valued.

Materials

  • Cardstock, heavy weight paper, or newspaper
  • Pencil
  • Scissors 
  • Tape
  • Markers, crayons, or color pencils
  • 8½ x 11 inch sheets of paper or large poster board

Make Together

The statement “Black Lives Matter” refers to the social media hashtag, anthem, and slogan that drives the Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice. 

Explore ways to talk about Black Lives Matter as a family through this parent guide.

On June 5, 2020 a Black Lives Matter mural was painted in bright yellow near the White House. Cities all over have been inspired to create their own Black Lives Matter murals to commemorate this national movement.

CMOM’s former Artist-in-Residence Tijay Mohammed, along with artists Sophia Dawson and Patrice Payne, were selected to design the letters along Centre Street near Foley Square in New York City.

Each artist selected a word in the phrase to create a unique mural design with color and meaning. 

The word Black was designed by Mohammed. He used Kente fabric patterns and Adinkra symbols, which represent concepts like royalty, unity, and legacy. The word Lives shows images of mothers and their children and the word Matter is inspired by the words tradition and triumph, with the E standing for evolve. Check out a drone video that captures the completed mural!

In Mohammed’s art he uses and recreates patterns, symbols, and everyday objects and people from the community. His process is inspired by “Sankofa”, a symbol which means learning from the past for a prosperous future.

Create letter stencils to create your own multicolored Black Lives Matter poster by watching Let’s Make Stencils or follow the directions below:

  • Cut your cardstock, heavy weight paper, or newspaper down to about  5½x8½ inch sheets. You’ll need one for each letter in the statement BLACK LIVES MATTER.
  • Letters repeat in the phrase like A, E, L, M, and T. You can just make one stencil for each letter to reuse them. You should have 12 sheets of paper.
  • Use a pencil to draw out the form of the letter and go back in with the marker. Try to make the letters all the same size.
  • Use scissors to cut out each letter. Make sure to start and end your cutting in the same spot. Cut the outline of the shape. Don’t worry about the holes in the B, A, and R. Today we will just use the outline.
  • Gather 16 pages of 8½ x 11 inch sheets of paper or a large poster board.
  • One letter at a time, carefully place your stencil on top of your paper or poster board. Tape it down on one end with a tiny piece of tape to hold it in place.
  • Use markers, crayons, or color pencils to color within the outline of your letter.
    • You can draw pictures within the letter and think about this statement. What does each letter represent to you?
    • You can create patterns.
    • You can also color away and scribble, dot, shade, and fill in each letter with different colors.
  • Once you are done, carefully lift your stencil away.  You’ll see that all your coloring created the shape of the letter.
  • Once you have completed all your letters line them up to spell BLACK LIVES MATTER. You can tape the letters up on your wall or hang up your large poster board to show your support.