Street artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh creates a powerful message amid times of divisiveness, reminding white people that many cultures, religions, languages and sexes are the strong tethers deeply rooted in the fabric of America.
“America is Black. It is Native. It wears a hijab. It is a Spanish speaking tongue. It is migrant. It is a woman. It is here. Has been here. And it’s not going anywhere.” Fazlalizadeh states in her work, which, according to The Huffington Post, “was done specifically to challenge whiteness and the accepted idea of who an American is.”
Scaled in Oklahoma City, Fazlalizadeh’s latest piece and its conviction was inspired by our current political landscape: “After the election, I immediately knew I wanted to make some public art during my trip to Oklahoma in a few weeks for Thanksgiving.” The post is especially purposeful as it makes a statement about what is considered to be “minority” in a country whose very richness is sustained by its diversity.
Fazlalizadeh gained her notoriety with her “Stop Telling Women to Smile” series, which tackled gender-based street harassment. Today, she’s focused on reminding her counterparts that being American isn’t reserved for any one identity. To see more of Fazlalizadeh’s work, visit here.