“OPTIC VOICES: MAMA’S BOYS” can be viewed at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Downtown, until Jan. 31, 2023. Pictured, from left: Lezley McSpadden, Rev. Wanda Johnson, Emmai Alaquiva, Michelle Kenney, Gwen Carr, Valerie Castile. All of the mothers lost their sons to violence at the hands of police officers.
by Renee P. Aldrich, For New Pittsburgh Courier
“My truthful intention with ‘OPTIC VOICES: Mama’s Boys’ is to hug the very core of a mother’s heart through the cathartic vessel of art.”
This statement made by Emmai Alaquiva is a perfect description of the project currently housed at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Downtown. It resonates through every photo, scene and visual one experiences during a walk through the display. The installation is an interactive, multimedia exhibit that addresses the trauma and healing of mothers who have lost their sons to systemic violence and aims to highlight their legacies and cement it in history.
It was while he was working on two projects during COVID that Alaquiva saw through “OPTIC VOICES,” a way that the arts could shift the narrative when it comes to humanizing victims of systemic violence.
“As artists, we have an obligation to be truthful in our approach to history,” Alaquiva said.
Having received the inaugural “B.U.I.L.D. Residency” through the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, supported by the Richard King Mellon Foundation along with other support resources, it allowed Alaquiva to breathe life into the project. Alaquiva told the New Pittsburgh Courier he was “very appreciative” of those organizations for their support.
While it was truly a lights, camera, action opening night of the art installation on Friday, Oct. 21, and then the reception on Saturday, Oct. 22, attendees had the distinct opportunity to hear from each “mama;” their voices, perspectives, and individual reflections of their pain. But more importantly, there was the opportunity to hear the honest narratives about these young men who lost their lives too soon, about who they were as people, their interactions within their environment, the plans they had for their lives, and the dynamic of the relationships between mothers and sons.
VALERIE CASTILE SPEAKS DURING A PANEL DISCUSSION AT THE AUGUST WILSON AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER. SHE IS THE MOTHER OF PHILANDO CASTILE.
The mothers participated in a panel conversation unpacking the dynamics of their losses. There was Rev. Wanda Johnson, mother of 22-year-old Oscar Grant III, killed in 2009 by Bay Area Rapid Transit police; they had been called after a report that a fight was taking place at the Fruitvale Station. Gwen Carr, mother of 44-year-old Eric Garner, who lost his life at the hands of New York City police in 2014 after he was held in an chokehold and strangled to death. None of the officers served time for this killing, as Carr still fights for justice. Lezley McSpadden, mother of 18-year-old Mike Brown, who was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. The shooting was subsequently deemed justifiable though there were witnesses who claimed Brown was surrendering when he was shot. Michelle Kenney, mother of 17-year-old Antwon Rose II, who was killed in East Pittsburgh in 2018 by Officer Michael Rosfeld. Rose was unarmed, and running away from Rosfeld at the time and was shot in the back. Rosfeld went to trial for the killing, and was subsequently acquitted on all counts. And Valerie Castile, mother of 32-year-old Philando Castile, who was killed during a traffic stop by police officer Jeronimo Yanez in Minneapolis. Castile was shot multiple times in the chest as he was attempting to tell the officer that he was licensed to carry a gun. Riding in the car with him was his girlfriend and 4-year-old daughter. Officer Yanez was cleared of manslaughter charges.
GWEN CARR, MOTHER OF ERIC GARNER
The panel was facilitated by Celeste Smith, senior program officer, arts and culture, with the Pittsburgh Foundation. In a most delicate manner, she prepared the audience for what was to be a powerful discussion with the potential to “trigger” attendees. She urged the audience to “take a collective breath, as we prepare for a look into the hearts of these women who still fight for justice for their sons.”
Erica Givner, LCSW, was on hand to offer information on what it means to be triggered. She shared with the audience that triggering is usually a physical, emotional or mental response to a traumatic experience—often a deeply disturbing experience. Givner went on to suggest that each person define for themselves their particular trauma, what the trigger feels like and if at any point the person feels that they need to “leave this space, you should do so.”
LEZLEY MCSPADDEN, MOTHER OF MIKE BROWN
Smith led the ladies into the importance of sharing the truthful narrative, and posed the query to the moms: “Can you just talk a bit about the importance of taking control of the narrative?”
Reverend Johnson responded by saying, “Because our children who have lost their lives end up being demonized by the media as soon as it happens, with the intention of trying to find something that will make people begin to believe that the victim got what was coming to him, that somehow they deserved to be murdered. What we instruct mothers and families of young men/women is to tell your story the way it happened. Make sure you not only tell the story of what happened, but tell what your children did right. People need to hear the other side, instead of the negative aspects that are depicted in the media.”
McSpadden interjected: “It is also important because tragically, the sons end up being double-slandered, first in the court system, and then in the media. It is our narrative that brings back the humanism of our child—the humanism that was snatched from them once in the court system and then through the media.”
While narratives were a key element of the dialogue, the moms continued to engage and talk about their experience, bringing the audience into their emotionalism, sharing some of the places of their deepest pain and frustrations. Smith posed the question which addressed some of that.
“Can you just share with us, how do you have the strength to keep returning to this conversation and keep fighting?”
A MAN LOOKS AT A PHOTO OF MICHELLE KENNEY ON THE WALL.
Carr responded, “I am determined to keep up the fight, and that’s even though I’ve been told by legislatures in New York that no matter how hard I fight, they aren’t going to indict any of the other officers, but in 2019 Officer (Daniel) Pantaleo, the one who actually choked my son to death, I did get him fired. But the fact that there were other officers involved and there was no criminal charges filed against them…and this is why I keep on fighting.”
Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, continued: “Though they tell me it’s a lost cause, I don’t believe in that. I believe in not giving up, continuing to fight and keeping the faith. I believe that if I do this long enough, that something will come out of it, whether I am here to see it or not, God sits high and looks low. My fight is not just for Eric but for those that come after him.”
“I know most of us have mental issues, but I am certain that the man who murdered my son had to have something wrong with him,” voiced Kenney, mother of Antwon Rose II. “Because no one in their right, sane mind would shoot someone in the back like that.”
The mothers continue to seek justice for their murdered sons. They’ve established foundations in their sons’ name. They’ve stepped up and become change agents within a system that, in many people’s eyes, is set up to devastate Black families by the senseless killings of Black men and boys.
After a 15-minute break, there was one last question from Smith: “What is one question you’d like to answer that no one has asked you?”
Carr answered. “No one asked me about my relationship with my son, and I’ll just say that we were very close, and talked every day.”
Then it was McSpadden’s turn. “Really, I don’t want more talk, I am so tired of talk and answering questions, I’d like some positive action to take place, for justice to be served and for no other mother to be up here on this stage talking about her murdered son.”
REESE RANDALL, FIRST LADY MICHELLE GAINEY, JANIS BURLEY WILSON
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