A Call To Artists -- Will You Answer?

brought this to my attention a few days ago. posted a journal that hit me right in the heart. I wrote about the tragedy in Connecticut last week, without really knowing how to react to it, until I read that journal. I'll copy and past it here, but will also link directly so you can reply if you wish. Some may feel like it doesn't seem like much, but I believe it is a great step toward making the day one of remembrance of those affected, and NOT about the killer (who, let's face it, WANTED the attention). I will be contributing, and I ask that this holiday season, if you are able, to do the same. If it can contribute even a small amount of healing to anyone involved, then we will have done a great thing.


A Call To Artists

"I haven't been on Deviantart in what feels like a decade (though it's only been a few months...yearish), but recent events have inspired me to get online and make a call out to artists of all ilk. From any artist, amateur to professional, self-taught to educated, hobbyist and the like. To painters, doodlers, writers and poets. I'd like to make a call for something that needs attention to be remembered. Whether you're American, Canadian, African, Mexican, French, Russian. It matters not your age, your race, the color of your skin or your hair. Your social status, religious beliefs, rich/poor, it matters not. I'm calling out to all of you and I hope you all hear me and will take into account what I say.

Here in the United States just a few days ago there was a massacre of twenty children and six adults. As custom to any media American, the victims are laid wayside while the assailant is painted a martyr and will be remembered for years to come until the next monster comes around to topple his reign. It happened with Columbine and Virgina Tech. It happens daily in the Middle East and every part of the world. Children are hurt by people that should be showing them the way, guiding them down a path to a healthy and intellectually sound adulthood. Instead they are hurt, broken and murdered.

My spark to do something good in this world may have come from a tragedy that happened in the US, but for me it is beyond that. The massacre of the twenty children may not affect you, you may be living in Europe or Asia, but in a small way, it affects the world. It sends out ripples and makes you think, there's a small possibility that this could happen to me as rare as it might be. It takes one small moment to change the world, it may not be instantaneous but it's effects will eventually be felt world-wide. This is no longer about the children in the US. It's about ALL of them. All the children lost because one adult made a single terrible choice, it's about the children of the future who will be hurt by one single adult, and it's about the children still suffering.

My call is for any artist that feels any inclination to do something about it. Whether it be to show their anger, to show that they will take a step to change the world around them, or that there still is a glimmer of hope left within humanity. Children ARE our future, and if we don't take steps to guide them and teach them right, then we only breed more hate and hurt. You don't have to be a parent to understand this, you don't need the word of God to make this make sense, you don't need a fancy degree or work with children directly to understand that they are innocent and they NEED adults to do right by them.

I issue a challenge to anyone to create something from the heart for the kids that are still suffering, to the lost and to the parents as well. I will be making a space somewhere to post up anything submitted to the public and any so inclined to send me something physical I would like to make a collective book to send to the families of this massacre. I don't care what it is so long as the context is appropriate and not harmful. It doesn't need to be beautiful, so long as it's from the heart. I welcome letters, poetry, short stories, small comics, illustrations anything.

I implore you to share this with anyone you know, anyone that would be interested, through journals on deviantart, tumblr, twitter, reddit, facebook, I don't care. The more people we get involved the bigger our impact. This isn't about personal fame or glory, this is about showing that there is still a shred of humanity left in us all, that we aren't a completely desensitized collective and that we still know what the word compassion means.

If you have any questions or concerns or would like more information or would like to help in this endeavor, my name is Candice Hernandez, you can contact me through personal message here on deviantart, through comments, my personal e-mail is candicechernandez@gmail.com.

Art is the purest form of expression and through us all we can make a change, no matter how miniscule it may seem. Please show your support for the kids, those still here and those that were lost to us.

Stop glorifying the monsters and remember the innocent."

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