The urgency of being allied and supportive of BLM compels continuing actions to confirm solidarity. The capacity to share thoughts and intentions with immediacy on this platform has lead to this succession of iterations of a Black Lives Matter T-Shirt.
The lack of a design which I felt could convey my commitment as an Asian American (and share with others) prompted these postings. It also revealed, in feedback, that the use of an existing Chinese translation (which I utilized in my second version) has been twisted into a mocking capacity by some, including a Chinese version of “all lives matter” and translating “precious” into “expensive.” This drove me to a critical examination and discourse (with help from friends and scholars) to reach the version that is presented here.
This T-shirt design and fundraiser for BLM is only a start. The path to end systemic racism will require a sustained effort in all fields with a critical evolution of our capacities – putting our intentions to rigorous testing is required.
I appreciate all the previous liking, sharing, and wanting of one of these. I hope you still do. We will start production and I will let all know how to get one next week. Regarding the transcription, this was shared by a comrade in the quest to get a Chinese version worthy of “Black Lives Matter.” From the China Counter Current Post:
There is an idiom in Chinese: ”性命攸關“, which means “vitally important, a matter of life and death“. “Black Lives Matter“ can be translated into “黑命攸關“ by changing the “lives“ “性命“ to “黑命“. Here the “soul“ part of life is now characterized by “black”, and this is how we understand this slogan.
Onward with Soul!
___ Mel Chin, artist