On Thurs., King County Metro unveiled “Black Lives Matter” buses, bus exterior ads, and worksite displays across the County.
According to Metro General Manager Terry White, the artwork utilized for the project were designed by Metro employees, and reflects Metro’s commitment towards equity and social justice.
“Late last year, we asked our talented employees to show us what “Black Lives Matter” means to them through visual art,” said White. “We received some incredibly powerful entries and a panel selected three works to be featured, respectively, on two entirely-wrapped 60-foot buses, on 200 exterior bus signs, and on worksite displays.”
The works submitted by transit operators Robert L. Horton, Sandra Padilla, and Juan G. Hood, III from Metro’s Facilities division reflect their concerns about the current state of equity and social justice in America, the pride they have in being American, and their belief that the fight for equality continues.
As it relates to their artistic expressions, you’ll see the historic vision of Horton on two 60-foot Metro coaches, which have been fully “wrapped” with his art. Padilla’s work features images of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Aiyana Jones, who was just 7 years old when she was killed during a police raid in 2010. Their faces will be visible on the outside of 200 Metro coaches, and Hood’s family focused artwork will be part of a poster display across all Metro worksites county-wide.
“With this project, I not only wanted to pay homage to the victims and people who are affected by [bias and racism] but also to add a narrative, a connection to as far as what’s going on so people can understand and grasp what we’ve [African Americans] been going through for many years,” says Horton. “There are thousands of stories that have been omitted or taken out or not been told at all, and new information is coming out about our culture and about our American culture.”
“We just want people to know that we [African Americans] have an American culture here,” added Horton. “We’re just as proud of this country, we fought for it since the days of George Washington. All we want is an understanding that we are woven into the fabric of history here.”
Hood agrees and said that he was compelled to produce something that truly symbolizes that all people, regardless of their race or ethnicity, deserve respect and acknowledgement as human beings.
“I just felt a deep passion to say something on paper, say something in imagery and let the world know that we as individuals that we’re here, we are human beings,” says Hood about his creation. “People should not treat one another they way how we’ve been treated. We’re here, see us, see me, we’re here. That’s what I want to get across, there’s no silence here.”
White says the Black Lives Matter tribute is only the beginning of the work that needs to be done to confront systemic racism and celebrate the diversity that makes our region and country a better place.
“We are honored to display these powerful artistic statements throughout Metro and the communities that are part of our regional mobility system,” says White. “But we acknowledge that it’s just a start — at Metro and in all of America. For us to make things right, we need to fully reconcile what’s gone wrong and what’s still not working. Confronting systemic racism, and taking the necessary steps to fight it, honors the lives lost.
“As we remember George, Breonna, and Ahmaud, we need to ensure that they, and so many others—both known and unknown—are celebrated, recognized, and remembered,” concluded White.
