CRP Blog & Updates Archives - Page 9 of 19 - Community Rejuvenation Project

How do we Rectify Abatement Incompetence?

November 29, 2012

Despite the massive amounts of money poured into the graffiti abatement industry and public works agencies, abatement workers still appear to have serious challenges differentiating between legal (and historic) murals and illegal vandalism. The workers in Nogales recently painted out a 16-year-old mural by well-known local artist Alberto Morackis. Abatement, like many city jobs, takes workers all over the city, yet the buffers still managed to be unaware of that they were painting over a landmark in their community. This brings…

Nova Scotia Discovers the Solution!

November 27, 2012

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CRP Blog & Updates

Halifax property owners have discovered a solution for their vandalism problems. Instead of chasing away the youth at night, they are encouraging higher quality works on their space during the day. What they have discovered is that most young writers simply want to express themselves. Given legitimate forums and encouragement, they focus on developing themselves and their style and they create masterpieces. According to the youth, blank walls are a target. But high quality murals and masterpieces invoke respect. Its…

Gardena and the Inflatable Felony

November 23, 2012

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CRP Blog & Updates, Op-Eds

This is the first of a three part series by the Community Rejuvenation Project on the perpetual criminalization of aerosol culture, the abatement industry and the politics of incarceration. We begin with the problematic issue of “charge stacking,” which occurs when a prosecutor increases the severity of a charge or adds additional charges to an arrest to add leverage when making a plea agreement. This phenomenon was documented in Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow in relation to the drug…

Street Art vs. Gang Injunctions

November 19, 2012

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CRP Blog & Updates, Op-Eds

This is the third in a three part series by the Community Rejuvenation Project on the perpetual criminalization of aerosol culture, the abatement industry and the politics of incarceration. In the last two articles, we address the inflated penalties and intense criminalization of the aerosol movement. This is further demonstrated in the article below. MTA crew has been targeted with the first ever gang injunction against a writing crew, apparently in response to a huge “blockbuster” painted on the walls…

Los Angeles’ War on Aerosol Writers

November 19, 2012

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CRP Blog & Updates, Op-Eds

This is the second of a three part series by the Community Rejuvenation Project on the perpetual criminalization of aerosol culture, the abatement industry and the politics of incarceration. In the first article, we addressed the methods that law enforcement uses to inflate vandalism charges, pressure them into plea bargains and then cash in with exorbitant fines and fees. In this article, we address the prison industrial complex and the realities faced by everyday youth swept up into this system through…

ASU unveils 6th mural in civil rights series

November 17, 2012

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CRP Blog & Updates

This story really touched our intern, Jordynn. “Reading this story sparked a lot in me because it stands for something many people in our city believe in. Being that CRP is located in Oakland we want to show all different aspect of political murals from different backgrounds to express what we stand for.” Indeed, murals have the power to tell our history, honor our heroes, and acknowledge things in our past that are left out of our school history books.…

“Milkin’ It” video featuring CRP selected for multiple film fests!

November 16, 2012

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CRP Blog & Updates

Oakland, and particularly East Oakland, is the backdrop for British superstars Cornershop’s video “Milkin’ It.” Filmed by Astrid Edwards, the video includes numerous murals by the Community Rejuvenation Project, including “Peace and Dignity,” “Black and Brown Unity,” and “Sprout” on 83rd and MacArthur. It also features numerous other Oakland writers in shots from infamous 23rd yard. The video was recently selected for International Film Festival of Antigua & Barbuda and Indie Fest in the US! Good luck, Astrid!

The Living Walls Controversy and the Build-Up of Bureaucracy

November 16, 2012

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CRP Blog & Updates

CRP has been following the Living Walls controversy in Atlanta’s Pittsburgh neighborhood closely. The article below illustrates the lasting impact that this melee is going to leave. One of the areas that Living Walls excelled at was navigating the city’s bureaucratic red tape. At least three city agencies signed off on the project. Nonetheless, as we reported earlier, Atlanta city officials are still considering removing the mural because additional hazy, permissions may have been legally required. These legal requirements have…

Kansas City & Oakland: A Tale of Two Policies

November 14, 2012

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CRP Blog & Updates

On the surface, Kansas City’s new “graffiti” program is nothing new. But its simple initiatives are far more progressive than Oakland’s recent proposal, which is focussed almost entirely on increasing the financial burden on youth caught for vandalism and their families. Kansas City is passing out paint to community members who want to cover-up unwanted writing themselves. While there are some inherent issues with supporting vigilante buffing (see what just happened in Atlanta), and the potential for legitimate artwork to…

When Communities Attach to Ads

November 13, 2012

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CRP Blog & Updates

The Community of Manitowoc has spoken. The Budweiser Beer Bottles will be saved. A massive advertisement somehow avoided any Manitowoc signage laws for over 30 years and when the ad came under threat of removal when the plant was bought by another company, the neighborhood rose up to protect the beer bottles. Advertising always seems to have an easier ride than murals. It can be mass produced. It is paid for by large corporations with deep pockets. They don’t seem…