If you’re interested in licensing, purchasing, or collaborating with any of the artists showcased, explore the Funky Pedaler portfolio and complete the form below to be connected with these brilliant creators.

Contributors: 

Jillian DeGrie · Adam Harris · Savannah Harden · Brandi Durrance · Yancy Art Studio · Kire Torres · Natalie Gagliardi · Raven Hindman · Jonathan Gross · Christy Treekhem · Chloe Register · Tony Rodriguez · Ernest Brants · Robert Shingler · Dominique Ramsey · Bob Rissetto · Julia Hagerty · Yuko Shimizu

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View her website here.

This project blends branding, illustration and concept-driven communication into a cohesive series of posters and packaging designs. Aimed at conscious consumers and future-forward brands, the campaign highlights how design can speak with clarity – without shouting.

Be sure to head over to Bart’s website to view more of his work.

Her life journey continues to inspire her work—after living between Venice and Paris, an extended trip through Asia broadened her perspective. Now based in Bordeaux after a period in Valencia, Catherine draws daily inspiration from the architecture and vibrant cultural landscapes around her.

Thoroughly researched, Marcou distilled his knowledge into aesthetic choices and compositions that reflect elegance and boldness. Known for his signature blend of geometry and motion, Marcou brings a refined aggression to the project. Dominated by a bold, unapologetic red, the series feels more like a statement than a study. “Red was the anchor,” Marcou explains. “It had to carry the weight of the entire visual system – power, speed, intensity.”

The elegance comes through in the details: precise line work that slices through the compositions, and layered textures built from hand-scanned acrylic strokes. These aren’t just aesthetic choices – they ground the project in physicality, bridging analog craft with digital finesse.

What started as a passion project quickly turned into a personal deep dive into automotive iconography. Dark Horse doesn’t just celebrate the Mustang – it reframes it, stripping it down and rebuilding it through an artist’s lens. The result? A visual experience that hits as hard as the machine that inspired it.

See work in progress below.

The Golden Age of comic books, from approximately 1938 to 1956, is widely considered to be an early pinnacle of the art form. Many famous characters that still fight bad guys to this day, were illustrated by many accomplished artists, including many Black artists. The art and stories of the era are well documented by historians, journalists, and comic book aficionados. However, until now, one group of artists has gone mostly unheralded, those notable Black artists of comic books, and author Ken Quattro has dubbed them, “Invisible Men”. Borrowing some themes and pluralizing the name from Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, the iconic 1952 novel about race, class, and communism; Quattro has uncovered the stories of 18 important Black comic artists from this Golden Age.

Quattro, a trained journalist and accomplished short form author, set about his journey to tell these stories more than 15 years ago. A brief conversation with Black comic artist Matt Baker, led Quattro down a long path which has resulted in this stunning debut book, Invisible Men: The Trailblazing Black Artists of Comic Books (published by Yoe Books, an IDW imprint). Quattro has unearthed the incredible stories of these Black artists that have gone unrecognized and often uncredited for the last century. 

“These Black artists worked through ‘comic shops’ which were like factories, or assembly lines,” Quattro explains. These comic shops hired numerous artists to illustrate stories for the comic book publishers and had to turn them around on very short deadlines. “Comics were selling like crazy, and the publishers would hire these guys to give them content. And these comic shops would hire artists and put them in rooms with drawing tables and make a 64-page comic book in two days.” 

One reason for the lack of information about these Black artists in this age of comics is because they were hired by these comic shops, but they weren’t allowed to work around the other white artists and they made their contributions to the comic books at home. “These Black artists wouldn’t get an assignment when they went to a publisher on their own, but working through a comic shop, they could get an assignment and take it home and work on it”.

A lot of these artists were self-taught, but a lot of them were also classically trained, which Quattro says most people find surprising. “It’s an ironic situation where you had these guys who were very accomplished artists in one part of society, but they were considered almost inconsequential in another part”. Elton Fox is a great example of this, born in Baltimore in 1909, he got his fine arts degree from Syracuse University in 1931. Also, E.C. Stoner, who drew the Blue Beetle, was classically trained at the Académie Julian in Paris, France. One of the most shining examples in Quattro’s book of a fine artist that paid the bills drawing comics, is Alvin Hollingsworth, whose comics and paintings are both highly sought after in the comic book and collectible art worlds. 

Almost all of the comic book publishers were owned and run by white people at this time. One notable exception was “All-Negro Comics”, which was started by journalist and artist Orrin Cromwell Evans in 1947, but it had a short lifespan as Quattro tells us. “When they went to publish the second issue, white paper suppliers wouldn’t sell him paper”.  An original copy of the first and only issue of “All-Negro Comics”, is worth tens of thousands of dollars, in almost any condition.

Most people think the first Black comic book “superhero” was Black Panther is 1969, but Quattro reexamines this common misconception with the emergence of the Matt Baker creation “Voodah” in 1945 for Crown Comics. “He was a Black Tarzan, but even though he was Black on the interior of the comic book, on the covers he was colored white, and the reason for that, was that in the south, they wouldn’t put a comic on the newsstands that portrayed a Black character in a positive light”.

These Invisible Men may never become household names, but these trailblazing comic book artists share the same spot in the pantheon of the legendary artists from the Golden Age. Artists like Ezra Clyde Jackson, whose daughter is now a U.S. Congressperson. Or Owen Middleton, who when released from a life sentence in prison, found a career in comic books. And don’t forget about Orrin C. Evans who founded the first Black comic book company. And then there’s E.C. Stoner, who was one of the primary artists in the Harlem Renaissance and was the talent behind the “Nazi punching” Blue Beetle. 

Invisible Men: The Trailblazing Black Artists of Comic Books is available everywhere, including Amazon, but Quattro encourages you to go pick it up at your local comic book shop, and to maybe get a few Black artist comic books while you’re there too. 

You can also find out more about Ken Quattro and his Comics Detective work on his website. 

A global pandemic abruptly altered the interpersonal relationships that exemplify the creative team experience. But these people who live on the edge of convention are pliable and technologically skilled, allowing them to migrate their work disciplines into their homes. Suddenly, the entire creative industry, like many others, is living the lifestyle of a freelancer, tethered together only by WIFI and self-governance.

Illustrators and art buyers share this independent commonality unlike ever before. Since the golden age of illustration in the 1930s, the dynamic between maker and buyer has been distinguishable and separate. An artist’s life was in stark contrast to the office-dwelling cohort who paved the way for the anticipated art. Outside talent would occasionally visit the workplace to share a portfolio and make an impression to snag a new assignment.

Whichever way one sells a product or service, illustration emerges from a joint interest in making something new and unique. The one-on-one between art directors, art buyers, clients, editors, producers, film directors, and ideally, the artist remains a constant place for synergism. This treasured collaboration is fertile ground for inventing and reflecting memorable images of who we are. Our cultural, societal narratives and aesthetics make for great illustrations.

Besides the fading in-person interview, art directors once relied on their Rolodex (today’s contacts), artists’ directories, and direct-mail promotional pieces to keep up with the trends and emerging talent. Portfolio review days (speed-dating for creatives) were a popular way to streamline the search for new talent and seek bonds with creatives outside the office walls. It has always been competitive and cultivating the up and coming or employing seasoned veterans was a path to earning art directors and designers’ prestigious awards and recognition.

Finding that talent can be daunting and ongoing, according to Eng-San Kho, one of the partners at Love & War, a small but chic Manhattan branding agency. He remembers a time when his office was inundated with sales sheets and promotional postcards from artists and photographers that fell into three categories. Some samples were discarded, some saved for later, and a few pinned to the walls. Today, online search engines make finding talent a bit easier for art directors like Kho, but the task of sifting through so many options and search criteria can still be all-consuming.

Image Above: Created by Mark Stutzman. Tear-out poster in Billboard Magazine for Art Director Eng-San Kho and the team at Love & War for EMI Music Publishing.

As art directors and buyers cull the internet for viable talent, stock catalogs and in-house images gnaw away at commissioned work.

“If we’re up against a tight deadline we often rely on stock photography,” Kho explains. “The cost of licensing existing art versus commissioning new art is often easier.”

The artist’s hand can be substituted with cobbled-together imagery and digital tricks of the trade. Although it can be good-looking, an assemblage pales next to the magic that emerges from collaborating minds. One may fill the space nonetheless, and without the need for commissioning outside services or expanding creative margins.

Kho explains some clients may not be able to handle the creative process that comes with commissioning work. It can impose a greater demand than they can professionally manage. However, someone on staff who is familiar with developing original concepts for illustration can coach coworkers and clients to make it an enjoyable and exciting endeavor.

The digital age is now on simmer and a staple of everyday life, crossing every demographic. Standing out is increasingly difficult when every designer has access to similar tools and stock imagery. A visual sameness can be safely on-trend but misses the individuality of fabricating art out of thin air.

Interestingly enough, a dearth of originality is carving out a place for illustration. Some firms are engaged in reviving the tradition of print media and product premiums, to reach audiences with a tactile advantage – something their competitors may not be able to afford. There is greater awareness and appreciation for traditional visual media, and hand-crafted art amidst the digital glut of Creative Cloud effects aimed to resemble illustration.

Technology connects everyone but the convenience of clicking can also build a virtual wall with single-dimension communication. Working on a project from start to finish is possible without ever speaking in person – but that does not mean anyone should fall prey. Each project is an opportunity to foster camaraderie, trust, and inspiration between creative services, and the final product benefits from those human tenets.

Greg Burke, Senior Creative Director at Atlantic Records, is always searching to see what visual talent is available to him – not a one-size-fits-all proposition. He is tasked with the complex role of developing visual continuity for top recording artists on multiple levels. Developing imagery, packaging, and merchandise is a labyrinth riddled with subtlety. The nuance, uniqueness, and essence of each recording artist’s sound must translate into thoughtful imagery that represents them.

For many years, Burke has bookmarked his favorite artists in hopes that one day, the right project will ignite a fresh working relationship. He sometimes seeks creative talent that fits a specific assignment. New searches, with a specific creative direction in mind, keep him adding to his collection of illustrator’s names. Burke’s years of experience have taught him that some illustrators’ styles may change over time. Old reference he fondly recalls that fits an immediate project may no longer be part of their repertoire. Although for him, keeping his reference arsenal handy still helps spark ideas.

Burke’s search criteria begins by finding talented individuals. He then looks at the body of work an artist has curated to ensure that a single image catching his eye is not a fluke but consistent with the larger body of work.

Image Above: Created by Mark Stutzman for Art Director, Greg Burke. Cee Lo Green’s Lady Killer Album under the Atlantic Records label. Cover design used for promotional merchandise instead. 

“There are times when you may see an image that you love but the rest of the portfolio is inconsistent and all over the place,” says Burke.

He is reassured if each portfolio piece is as strong as the one that reeled him in. He is also okay with artists having diverse styles as long as they show mastery in each. When shopping for an artist, Burke looks at the collective strength of an artist’s work to show him they can habitually fulfill a creative direction.

As a courtesy to the talent and to preserve the integrity of a project, Burke says he will never ask an artist to create something he is not confident is within the scope of what that artist can do. In his opinion, that is a setup for failure.

With the reality of hard deadlines, Burke requires professionalism from every artist. Knowing that each person works differently, he will engage in a direct conversation about timing and process. As a good gauge, Burke will select a piece an artist has completed and ask how long it took from start to finish. A project schedule can then be built from that example.

Spicing things up.

Kho and his team are passionate about infusing art into their agency work whenever they can.

“We try out a specific artist who might not be the obvious choice for a project,” he says. “We like to see what they’ll bring to the table.”

More often, Love & War fits the assignment to the artist in the same way they fit their work to their client’s needs. Ultimately, it is about making sure the work serves the targeted audience and meets the business goals rather than being dictated by a design agenda or trend, according to Kho.

Artist relationships are very important to Kho and his team who take advantage of video calls whenever they can. Being able to see who their speaking with personalizes and expedites much of the working process. Kho also likes that the work takes center stage with the screen-share option on video calls with clients. Without the distractions of others in the room, all the attention is on the presentation.

Their team like having creative people they can rely on or have in the cue for future work as well. Returning to an established, good working relationship adds a level of confidence and efficiency that Kho says can help a project run more smoothly overall.

When eyes meet.

Burke describes the personal relationship a bit differently, depending on the circumstances.

“There are illustrators who will always be a go-to because of the quality of their work and the great communication skills,” Burke says. “But there are times that a project will be a one-off, and you are fully aware that you may not be using this illustrator again.”

Creative briefs can also dictate how much Burke needs to steer a project. Sometimes he requires control of the final product, whereas others have a bit more flexibility and more input from the artist themselves. Art directors like Burke want artists he works with to understand the parameters of commercial art, however. Commercial art sometimes comes with the disappointment of client input, so it is essential to Burke that artists understand the confines of the trade.

There is a distinct difference between commercial and fine art. Art directors appreciate illustrators who embrace the commercial world and how sometimes you have to take one for the team rather than indulge individual expression.

“An illustrator must also understand that at times directions for revision will come from a recording artist or other outside sources,” says Burke.

He realizes that any necessary revisions to appease the client may not enhance the artwork. In those moments, both he and the illustrator share in the disappointment. Bonds can form throughout the journey of pleasing clients, even if the outcome strays from the original inspiration.

How this valued relationship begins between the illustrator and the commissioning body can vary. It may result from a deliberate search using directories like the Workbook or through referrals from colleagues. Love & War also relies on word-of-mouth referrals for new business, talent connections, and everything in between.

“We don’t seek referrals for new commissions, but we do our best to spend enough time interviewing new-found illustrators to make sure we’re all aligned on scope and expectations,” says Kho.

There may be some internal conflicts about sharing talent you discover as an art director, according to Burke. On one hand, if he finds an illustrator he loves, Burke wants some exclusivity with that illustrator, but on the other hand, he does not want to see that illustrator to miss out on other opportunities.

“I freely share illustrators whom I respect and who’s work I admire with colleagues,” Burke says proudly. “I’m a little jealous when someone else gets to use one of my recommendations that I may never get to use myself, but I get over that pretty quickly when I see the amazing work in the end.”

Burke also reserves his artist recommendations for art directors he respects. His experience in matchmaking is the product of his interest in facilitating impressive visual work.

Ultimately, relationship-building is an essential part of sustaining a career as an illustrator. Work is not as plentiful as it once was, so solidifying connections can keep the door open for future assignments. If each new relationship only results in one project, maintaining a full schedule will require an exhaustive roster of new clients. And as Kho explains, assignment work is not part of every incoming project. Much of what they do is design solutions and does not require illustrative works at all.

For an illustrator, building valued and sustainable relationships boils down to a few core elements – making deadlines, high-quality and consistent work, good communication, and accommodating a client’s needs. A successful commission is measured by delivering what has been promised to the client.

Making commercial art for a living will always have its challenges and forever be changing. If the unchangeable aspect is what propels the kinship between artist and buyer, there is a bright future toward which the two entities can look forward.

Article Author, Mark Stutzman is Best known for his rendition of the young Elvis Presley Stamp, Stutzman’s illustrations are used in advertising, on products, posters, magazines, book covers, and other niche markets. His work is well-known in the entertainment business; on Broadway: Young Frankenstein, The Musical, Annie Get Your Gun and in the mystical realm of David Blaine and his event “art” posters. He has created artwork for movie products and premiums for Batman, Jurassic Park, and Space Jam, as well as book covers for Steven King and is an acclaimed playing card artist. With a client list topped by McDonald’s, DC Comics, MAD magazine, The New Yorker, Nickelodeon, Rolling Stone, Microsoft, Time, and Esquire, he’s had the opportunity to influence many worlds through his illustrative works.

[Editor’s Note: Guest Post and Illustration by Dave Arcade.]

Ever since we were kids we’ve heard the adage “practice makes perfect” and this is true if you don’t have access to command Z or in other words, what you do can’t be undone.

However, for illustrators working in the digital format this means we don’t have to be perfect. It also means we have way more options for how to travel from point A to B. Thank goodness for that because let’s be honest, with social media taking a noticeable slice of our time, among the many other plates we have to spin to make it in the freelance game, one could argue that we don’t have as much time to practice our craft as our predecessors.

Furthermore, is sketching even the best use of our time? Is that the only avenue by which we elevate our work and tap into our true potential? I don’t think so. At least not for me. Not in the time we live in and the tools we have access to. Not to mention one of the more underutilized arrows in our quiver, our brains. You don’t need to practice drawing to make better drawings.

I know this sounds paradoxical but my body of work is proof of this contradictory statement. I don’t spend much of my free time sketching. I rarely sketch at all. This is not to say I rarely do personal work. I spend a lot of time on personal work. I spend very little time sketching. More time executing digital pieces. However, where this begins isn’t with the muscle memory in my drawing hand. It’s the muscle in my head. Specifically the practice of coming up with ideas.

You don’t need to practice drawing to make better drawings.

I’ve learned my pieces are better when I spend more time upfront ideating my way through a rough rather than practicing my craft so that I can get through roughs more quickly. Plus it only takes a few seconds to jot down an idea. It can take an hour to draw one. Every artist begs, borrows, and steals. It’s in our process and our innate desperation to execute at a certain level. Below is a list of tools, practices, and approaches that have helped develop my style and it has nothing to do with sketching.

Ideas first, sketching second: Take a full day or two typing up ideas. Go through a reference. Make a new Pinterest board. But, write down every idea before you draw anything.

Know the specs: Get the aspect ratio, the PPI (or DPI), and or the document size from the producer on the project first. Ask for it. Demand it. How can you build a composition if you don’t know the dimensions of the frame?

Use a Perspective grid: This is your crystal ball. We visualize better when we have a sense of space. Start plotting out where to put all those ideas you came up with.

Use reference for hell sakes: Remember, you don’t practice drawing things so you need to look at those things while you draw. This is fine. You’re not allowed to trace but you’re allowed to look.

You’re allowed to trace: Don’t trace somebody else’s work. Let me be clear I don’t condone stealing. But I do support tracing things you suck at drawing. Luckily drawing is hard which means there are tools for everything hard to draw. Programs that let you manipulate posture, hand gestures, feet (I hate drawing feet), scenes in perspective, 3D assets you can scale and rotate. Use these tools sparingly but use them. I mean, some of your time should be dedicated to the actual craft, right?

Watch Tutorials: Remember we’re trying to prove that you don’t need to practice to make better drawings, so don’t spend all your time on YouTube. We want to save time, not practice as much and yet somehow make better drawings. So If you can’t draw a nose, watch a quick video by someone who can.

Use the best app for the job: Don’t waste time in photoshop drawing and undoing a long curvature of an object over and over until it’s not wobbly anymore. Drag it out with the pen tool in illustrator and copy and paste that sucker into your photoshop doc. Sounds stupid right? So is wasting 13 minutes on a curve. This goes for everything. Know in the planning phase which program will most likely be used for which task within the composition.

Use the best gear for the job: Are you using an iPad when you should be using a Wacom tablet? There’s a difference and it’s a huge one. Are you limited because you’re using the wrong gear for your style? Focus on what you do best first and commit to the gear that will best support your process and the final execution second. Even if it means you can’t be mobile because you use a desktop tablet the size of a doormat.

When in doubt, sketch: You will need to sketch when part of the composition isn’t working. Go back to step one. Plan and ideate for 10 minutes. Sketch quickly. Then use the right tools to execute flawlessly.

Design while you illustrate: Are you creating balance in your composition or did you zoom in to the upper right corner for three hours and go to town? Are you using scale to your advantage or is everything the same size? This should mostly take care of itself in the planning phase but manage it as you go. Don’t let the final composition act like it’s better than the rough. The rough knows what it’s talking about. Listen to it. Finish the piece. Stop noodling.

Making better drawings doesn’t need to be dictated by the time you’ve previously spent sketching. Especially if you’re like me and you don’t like sketching or it’s not as useful as other tools that help you do what you do best. If sketching does help you execute at a higher level, more power to you. I’m not proposing that you ditch it. I’m only proposing you should ditch it if you don’t like sketching.

Above is an alternate method that has personally made all the difference in the level at which I execute. If you’re a freelance illustrator you will be drawing a lot no matter what. Why not try to make the time you spend on the clock more predictable and productive by shifting time away from what you’re already good at, to sharpen skills and employ new methods in your process that could potentially or even greatly improve your work?

Contact Dave Arcade
North American Representation: Closer&Closer
Email: hello@closerandcloser.co
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On June 28th, 2020 a new Instagram account called @blackatsva published its first post with a simple message: “This is a safe space for current and former black students at SVA to share their stories. You are heard. Your stories matter. You matter.” Accompanying the post was an open call for black students of the School of Visual Arts in New York to submit anonymous stories of their time at the college.

Since that day BlackAtSVA has published a steady stream of posts amplifying the voices of black SVA students, each one offering a troubling view of the struggles faced at the hands of faculty, staff and fellow students. As one reads through the anonymous stories it is hard to miss the common theme, which is that racism is real at SVA and that the voices of black students have long been ignored.

It’s important to note that the School of Visual Arts isn’t alone in this. The BlackAtSVA account was actually inspired by similar social media accounts currently being run by students at popular schools like the Rhode Island School of Design (@blackatRISD) and the ArtCenter College of Design (@blackataccd).

I was alerted to the existence of BlackAtSVA by a post about well-known Illustrator Chris Buzelli that garnered a ton of attention online, in which an anonymous student claimed that he treated them in a demeaning and racist way. After reading more of the posts I was immensely disappointed, but also inspired by the bravery of the students sharing their stories with the public. I soon reached out to the creator of BlackAtSVA to learn more about the project and what he/she hoped would be accomplished moving forward.

. . . . .

Illustration Age (IA): Please start by telling us what the BlackAtSVA project is all about and what inspired you to launch it.

BlackatSVA (BAS): BlackAtSVA is a platform for black students, alum, and faculty to share their stories about how racism has impacted their experience at SVA. My younger sibling’s highschool actually started a @blackat___ account and when I did more research I found a plethora of similar accounts. I noticed there wasn’t one for SVA and I thought it was important to create a safe space for students to share their experiences.

IA: What did you hope to accomplish? Was it more about giving black artists a place to share stories with each other, creating change in art education, or both?

BAS: I knew that I didn’t want it to stop at sharing stories. There needed to be institutional change. I’ve never fought back against an institution in this capacity so I didn’t know where to begin. I did some research and found documents from the 60’s from black students listing demands they needed from their college. It was insane because a lot of the demands black students fought for decades ago are still not being met.

IA: What has been the response from fellow SVA students and artists or people outside of this circle?

BAS: We have received so much support from SVA students, alum, family, friends – even people who attend other schools.

IA: Have you received any communication or acknowledgement from faculty or staff at SVA?

BAS: Some SVA faculty have privately voiced their support and acknowledgement. However SVA has failed to address the concerns black students have shared on our platform. They sent out a mass email basically saying “Ok we see that you are talking about us and our faculty, we are working on fixing it (aka working on saving their reputation), but we need students to come out publicly to move forward”. Which personally feels like a slap in the face and feels like they are still invalidating our stories. Black students are traumatized, how can you expect us to come out publicly when SVA has been covering up and protecting their white faculty for years. SVA has lacked a safe space for black students to voice their concerns on campus grounds. If we felt safe and protected this page wouldn’t have been created.

I did some research and found documents from the 60’s from black students listing demands they needed from their college. It was insane because a lot of the demands black students fought for decades ago are still not being met.

IA: From my own experience I know that there can sometimes be blowback when speaking out about injustices in the illustration industry. Have you experienced any negativity as a result of starting BlackAtSVA?

BAS: We have received legal threats, death threats, and racial gaslighting comments but I really just look the other way. That isn’t what this platform is about, I will continue to amplify stories in my community. At the end of the day we just want to be treated like human beings and like we exist. I’m not afraid nor will I back down – there is so much work to be done in all areas and it’s so important to keep fighting.

The account raked in thousands of followers because of one story mentioning Chris Buzelli – a professor at SVA. I personally don’t want to center BlackAtSVA around this incident but it is the reason why the account has gained so much attention. We must focus on the black students that have faced blatant racism, how SVA will create a safe environment for current and incoming students, and how SVA will hold their faculty accountable for their actions.

IA: You recently started the BlackAtSVA Aid Fund as part of this project. How will the money be used and what are the criteria for students or artists who wish to benefit from it?

BAS: We opened up a fund in support of former and current BIPOC students of SVA .We wanted to help people in need of short-term, immediate financial assistance. We will disburse funds in the amount of US $500 per person, on a first-come-first-served basis. Like myself many BIPOC students have their transcripts or degrees locked at SVA because money is owed – it’s so heartbreaking. A lot of us would like to continue our education but are unable to because SVA will not release our documents.

Undocumented, international and first generation students- particularly black and working class students have experienced difficulty supporting themselves financially during their time at SVA. These difficulties result in less access to academic support and an increase in feelings of isolation. I just wanted black students to be able to continue their education, pay off any debt, fund their projects, pay their rent, buy groceries or use funds in any way they choose. I wish I had something like this when I attended SVA – I hope to continue to do this for students not only at SVA but around the country.

At the end of the day we just want to be treated like human beings and like we exist.

IA: What have you learned since launching Black at SVA? Has anything surprised you?

BAS: Since launching BlackAtSVA I have learned so much about the history of black people challenging their institutions – especially during 1965-1972. “THE BLACK CAMPUS MOVEMENT: Black Students and the Racial Reconstitution of Higher Education, 1965-1972,” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi – is an excellent resource.

BlackAtSVA has received the occasional condescending comments, gaslighting, threats, SVA brushing us under the rug but none of that surprises me at all because outside of all of this – that’s what it is like to navigate life as a black person. I don’t feel discouraged, I only feel motivated to apply more pressure. There is so much work that has to be done, there is so much racism embedded in the fibers of SVA, every industry, and this country. I hope we can make black students feel safe and protected anywhere they may go.

Thanks very much to the creator of BlackAtSVA for sharing their thoughts.

Donate to the BlackAtSVA fund here.