The purpose of the various Dragon Projects is to bear witness to violence against people of color, to visibly connect the incidents (it’s so easy for people to think it was just one unfortunate circumstance); and to honor and memorialize those in the last 20 years who have lost their lives because of racism. It is modeled after The Clothesline Project which was created by Rachel in 1990 to bear witness to violence against women.  When George Floyd was killed, or Freddie Gray or Michael Brown there is intense, widespread outrage and mass protests but then things die down until the next murder. The Dragon Projects connects these isolated events, touches people’s hearts and brings awareness that it is part of a system.

There are three distinct Dragons. The Dragon Line Project; designed to be accessible; very easy to make, to reproduce and display. (at the bottom of the page is a pdf with all the information that can be printed or used in whatever way is desired). The Dragon Panel Project, the first Dragon and the Dragon of Many colors which is about “ordinary” People of Color who did extraordinary things.

The Dragon  Panel Project grew out of a “Vigil for Victims of Hate Crimes: Holding in the Light Those who Suffer Vicious Human Rights Violations” initiated by James Varner at New England Yearly Meeting in 2013 and sponsored by Barnstable Friends Meeting. For that event, Rachel creating two panels on black foam core that named Trayvon Martin and James Bird. The following year she added a panel for Michael Brown.

Soon after this Rachel created a dragon by adding more panels, a dragon head and tail and the Dragon Panel Project was birthed.

Yet another killing. Yet another black body dead because of police misconduct. Prayers, hopes and tears are not enough.

Hope is not a requirement in fact it can be soporific. Change happens with or without hope, as long as people keep fighting; refusing to be silent or docile. In 1990 there were the most women ever in Congress at 32 and the most Blacks at 22. In 2020 there are 141 women and 122 POC. Change happens.:

“Someday every child born into this world will be guaranteed an entire life completely safe from rape, from incest, from violence. Someday every child born into this world will be guaranteed an entire life completely free of racist and sexist discrimination. Someday every child born into this world will be guaranteed an entire life of respect, dignity and influence.
When this occurs we will have changed human mentality so profoundly that all violence will be able to be eliminated. I believe that this is our future. People all over the globe are starting to realize just how powerful we truly are. We are realizing our strength, courage and intelligence. We are realizing our incredible potential. !!We will no longer be silent. We will no longer be docile. We are the agents of change.!! We can and we will create a violence free earth by opening the power that is inherent in each of us to change tomorrow.
I am simply an ordinary woman, yet I feel confident in making this promise to you because I believe that together we can unlock the knowledge, skill and enthusiasm within each of us and collectively bring the world back into balance. A balanced world in which everyone’s wisdom, vision and energy have equal authority and power.” ~rch

Do you feel it important to remember the continuing violence against people of color?

Do you want to honor a person of color killed with race as a likely factor, who touched your heart?

~Make a black and white panel for them!

(FYI, when making our panels we intentionally try not to focus on how they were killed or the murderer/s. Rather we give attention to how the individual lived,  their life, so full of potential, that was snuffed out. We also connect one victim to the other by listing the locations as “From ___ To ___”)

………

Do you want to honor a person of color who is not well known and who did
something amazing?

The Dragon of Many Colors is for you!

~Make a multi-colored panel for them!

Anyone can do a Project!
All you need are foam core panels, and a
little imagination. There is no “right” or “wrong”
way — follow your light. Make it your own!

~Make a head and tail, attach them all together with “velcro”, TA – DA!
Dragons can be displayed almost anywhere

join with others, let us know

TAGS: [Collective Action]