20 men project
What is 20 men project?
Right after George Floyd got murdered a group of concerned Chester County residents came together on ZOOM ( because we were in the midst of the global pandemic) to talk about about what was happening so far away in Minneapolis and if this could happen in our community.
One of the points of discussion was, the way black and brown men are portrayed in the media. Christine Martey Ochola had the vision of positive images of men in our community and reached out to Sandrien de Bruijn-Mesman of Sandrien B Photography to see if she would like to bring this project to life.
It took almost 9 months for the first man to be ready to be photographed. But when more and more men were being photographed, there came more trust and understanding about the project and as of April 2023, 30 men have been photographed and interviewed so far.
On the highway we often see images of black males as criminals on billboards, hear descriptions of black male criminals on the radio, and see frequent images of police wrestling a black male into hand-cuffs on TV. Rarely do we see the same display for female criminals (of any race) or white male criminals.
At R.A.C.E group PA ( Racial and Cultural Equity), we prefer to share images of the majority of the black males, honest men working hard and going about their daily lives. The 20 Men Project is reintroducing black men and boys to the American public.
It is only through the truthful depiction of black males in our society that we will recognize that they are not a threat to our communities, our lives, and livelihoods. A powerful and positive change will occur when all Americans begin to see black males as neighbors, friends, and productive members of their community.
Imagery plays a big role in how society responds to various events. The widely viewed video of George Floyd being murdered by a police officer mobilized a whole country to rise and demand justice and changes in policing. The 20 Men Project is working to change the narrative that prevents the creation of a just and equitable society.
The project presents an accurate depiction of the majority of black males. We seek to open hearts and minds to these wonderful members of our community, because there can be no justice and no equity until the lives of ALL Americans are valued equally.
Where can you see the 20 Men Project Exhibition?
March 2023
Exton, PA
The Arts and Athletic Club invited us to exhibit in their storefront in the Exton Mall during their first Artists of the Month celebration.
May 1-12
West Chester, PA
The Chester County Hospital in West Chester, PA invited us to exhibit at the Medallion room and in high traffic areas in the hospital.
JUNE 7
West Chester, PA
Arts Holding Hands and Hearts invited us to share the story of 20 men project during their Restorative Justice event.
June 19
West Chester, PA
The Juneteenth committee of West Chester, PA invited us to exhibit at the 2023 Juneteenth celebration at the Melton Center in West Chester.
September 1-30
Harrisburg, PA
We will exhibit in the State Capitol building.
October 6
West Chester, PA
Chester County Community Foundation invited us to be part of the West Chester Art Gallerie walk.
How will the portraits be shared?
When we started this project we had the following ideas on how to share the project with the community
- Exhibitions in public spaces, such as but not limited to: government buildings, schools, art galleries
- As a part of journalistic publications such as newspapers and magazines
- In educational lectures on racial stereotypes and harmful media-biases
We have 30x40 size canvasses of each man and are bringing these portraits to community events and public buildings to share the amazing stories with the community.
Photos are also shared on the RACE Group PA social media accounts and website.
