Afro-Colombian Mural: Currulao y Desplazamiento

The “Afro-Colombian Mural: Currulao y Desplazamiento”on U Street in Washington DC celebrates the strong and vibrant Afro-Colombian culture. It has been painted by DC based muralist Joe Bergner, with the sponsorship of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Even though Afro Colombian communities were in the middle of the war between the government armed forces, the paramilitary, the guerrillas, drug cartels and other delinquents, they have always chosen peace before violence. Even today, they still hope for a better future with peace for all Colombians, and they use their rich culture to keep that hope alive no matter how difficult it can be. The size of the woman and people below her show the importance of culture and community plays a major role in their life. The colors are vibrant, warm, inviting, and welcoming. The positive images are shown against the presence of the paramilitary forces of Colombia. You see the community members fleeing from these forces. It is meant to educate the public about the widespread displacement and other human rights issues related to the armed conflict.

Stereotypes in 2010 ????

Many people are not aware of how big of a role media and popular culture play in the lives of younger generations. The gang life, drugs, sex and partying that are frequently displayed in today’s shows, movies, and even ads are not forgotten. It is glorified in the minds of our children who are easily influenced. The bigger problem is the fact that we allow the wrong people in the spotlight. The self-representation of African-American is often misconstrued due to the fact that there are so many types of people who represent the ethnicity. One of the easiest examples to provide would be one involving music. On one hand you have artists like Common; conscious rap which promotes values and morals cherished by the African-American community like universal love, unity, and education. On the other you have artists like “Soulja Boy” who promote selling drugs, promiscuity, and living lavishly. Of course the flashier of the two would attract more attention, but lets be honest, which is better for our children. As long as we continue to allow figures like that to represent us on a world stage the balance cultural hegemony will always be shifted against our favor. In his essay “What is this black in black popular culture” Stuart Hall touches on the subject. “Cultural hegemony is never about pure victory or pure domination (that's not what the term means); it is never a zero-sum cultural game; it is always about shifting the balance of power in the relations of culture; it is always about changing the dispositions and the configurations of cultural power, not getting out of it. There is a kind of "nothing ever changes, the system always wins" attitude, which I read as the cynical protective shell that, I'm sorry to say, American cultural critics frequently wear, a shell that sometimes prevents them from developing cultural strategies that can make a difference. It is as if, in order to protect themselves against the occasional defeat, they have to pretend they can see right through everything -- and it's just the same as it always was. “