We Wear the Mask Virtual Community Meeting

“WEAR THE MASK”?

Even though Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “We Wear the Mask” was written in 1895 (and later performed by Maya Angelou in the 1980s), the poem is timeless in its depiction of what it means to “wear the mask.”

This relatable art not only makes us reflect upon our experiences with the physical masks worn during the COVID pandemic, but also the figurative masks worn by people of color (or other marginalized communities) to protect themselves from the emotional, spiritual, and even physical violence they may experience when showing up in the world as their authentic selves.

At the 7000 block of Euclid Avenue stands a “We Wear the Mask” pop-up mural (pictured above). But a new, more permanent mural is taking form and will be unveiled in the first half of 2022.

The “We Wear the Mask” mural is spearheaded by Graffiti HeArt, with lead artist Stina Aleah. An artistic expression of what it means to wear the mask today, the mural sheds light on the suppressed trauma of people of color as they wear the mask of conformity.

The community partners backing the mural hope it will foster healing and give a voice to community members through the visual medium of graffiti art.