>> TONIGHT ON GREATER BOSTON, WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, THE PRACTICE OF SIR -- CIRCLE KEEPING AND HOW IT'’S USED TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES IN BOSTON AND BEYOND.

THE CITY IS INVESTING IN ITS STREET ART FROM BOSTON TO THE NORTH END.

I'’M JOINED BY TWO ARTISTS WHO HAVE MADE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES ON THE WALLS OF THE CITY.

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THE TERM RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, AS THE CONVERSATION ABOUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM HAS EVOLVED IN RECENT YEARS.

IN THIS CONTEXT THE PRACTICE BRINGS THE VICTIMS OF CRIMES TOGETHER WITH THE PERSON WHO COMMITTED THEM.

THE GOAL IS RECONCILIATION AND FOR OFFENDERS TO UNDERSTAND AND REPAIR THE HARM THEY'’VE CAUSED.

IT'’S DERIVED FROM AN INDIGENOUS PRACTICE CALLED CIRCLE KEEPING AND IT'’S ABOUT A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN JUST CRIME AND CONSEQUENCES.

JOINING ME WITH A FULLER PICTURE OF THE PRACTICE ARE LINDA, A TEACHER AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE COACH WITH BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE CHAPLAIN, FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE LEWIS D BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE.

NAMED AFTER HER SON WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A STRAY BULLET AT AGE 15 BACK IN 1993.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME TODAY FOR THIS CONVERSATION.

>> ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU FOR ASKING US TO BE HERE.

BETHANY: WE BEGIN HEARING ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN THE MAINSTREAM IN TERMS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, BUT THAT IS NOT THE BEGINNING OF IT, IS IT?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS AN INDIGENOUS PRACTICE THAT HAS BEEN PRACTICED WORLDWIDE, ACTUALLY.

SO, THERE'’S NOTHING NEW ABOUT IT.

IT IS A PRACTICE THAT IS BASED ON COMMUNITY BUILDING AND IT'’S A VALUED BASE WAY OF BEING.

IN THIS PRACTICE EVERYONE IS VALUED FOR WHO THEY BRING.

THERE ARE NO DISPOSABLE PEOPLE IN THE RESTORATIVE WORLD.

WE TALK ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN SCHOOL AND IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

THERE'’S A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY THEY OPERATE.

BUT IT IS AN INDIGENOUS PRACTICE, IT'’S SOMETHING THAT MORE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT, AND IT CLEARLY HAS TREMENDOUS BENEFITS.

WITHOUT QUESTION.

BETHANY: CLEMENT TINA -- CLEMENTINA, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE?

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TO BE A PART OF THIS.

I THINK FOR US, AND I GO BACK BEFORE I SHARE THAT DEFINITION BECAUSE WHEN I HEAR OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, ALTHOUGH IT IS AN INDIGENOUS PRACTICE, THERE ARE SO MANY DEFINITIONS, THERE'’S A SCHOOL BASE AND I'’M READING A REPORT THAT TALKS ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE BUT NOBODY KNEW THEY DID THAT REPORT.

SO I WANT TO COME AT IT FROM MORE OF AN INDIVIDUAL.

I DIDN'’T KNOW I WAS DOING RESTORATIVE JUSTICE UNTIL I WENT TO AN EVENT THAT WAS SHARED -- THAT SHARED HOW WE WORK WITH THE FAMILY OF A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS CONVICTED OF KILLING MY SON, AND THEN WORKED TO MEET WITH HIM IN PREPARATION FOR HIS REENTRY.

WHEN WE SHARED, SOMEBODY SHARED THE PLATFORM WITH US.

THEY INVITED US TO SHARE THE PLATFORM WITH THEM.

IT WAS A WHITE WOMAN WHO WAS SHOT BY A YOUNG BLACK KID AND SHE FOR GAVE HIM, AND THAT WAS THE EVOLUTION OF HER.

SHE PROVIDED A SPACE FOR US TO SHARE WHAT WE WERE DOING FROM THE VICTIMS PERSPECTIVE.

AND WHEN WE HEARD THE WORD RESTORATIVE JUSTICE WE SAID, OH, JUSTICE IS ONE OF OUR PRINCIPLES OF PEACE, AND OUR FOCUS IS PEACE.

BUT AGAIN, HEALING A SURVIVOR IS SENSITIVE AND HEALING CENTERED.

I THINK FOR ME, I COME AT IT FROM THE COMMUNITY-BASED PERSPECTIVE AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL JUSTICE.

THEN THERE'’S EQUAL JUSTICE.

THERE'’S SO MANY LEVELS OF THE CONCEPT OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, YET, WITH THE SAME OUTCOME.

SURVIVOR CENTERED, TRAUMA INFORMED, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WHERE HEALING IS CENTRAL TO IT.

SO WHEN WE STARTED THIS WE REALLY STARTED THE TEACHING PEACE THROUGH LITERATURE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING WHERE WE ARE PROVIDING THE TOOLS FOR THE TEACHERS AND FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT THE ONGOING RACISM AND INJUSTICE IN THE NOVELS THAT THEY ARE READING AND HOW THEY CONNECTED WITH THEM.

AND WITHIN THAT PART OF OUR WORK THE YOUNG PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT THEY HAVE A COMMITMENT, YET, IF THINGS DON'’T CHANGE, BECAUSE WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE CRIMINALIZED TO TALK ABOUT JUSTICE.

FOR ME, IT'’S STILL UNPACKING THE MANY DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.

AND I THINK AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING SURE THAT WE BRING IT BACK.

THOSE OF US, PEOPLE OF COLOR, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ELEVATE THAT AND BRING IT TO THE FOREFRONT.

AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION, THAT WE ARE NOT WAITING FOR IT TO HAPPEN ON THE NEWS OR FOR THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM TO FEEL WHO IS WORTHY OF GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

THE DEFINITIONS OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, AGAIN, THERE'’S SO MANY DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF IT.

I THINK FOR US, IT'’S THE SURVIVOR LED, OFFENDERS SENSITIVE, TRAUMA INFORMED AND HEALING CENTERED.

WEHIHILE WE DON'’T USE THE WORD RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, THE PRACTICES OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ARE INGRAINED IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

BETHANY: THAT IS IMPORTANT.

THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

THE WAY I COME TO RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS, MY CHILDREN ARE PART OF A SCHOOL COMMUNITY THAT HAS GONE THROUGH SOME VERY DIFFICULT CHALLENGING -- DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING TIMES.

WITH VIOLENCE AND LOTS OF HARM.

THE TERM HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP MANY TIMES.

I AM FRIENDS WITH CIRCLE KEEPERS WHO ARE ABLE TO EXPLAIN IT TO ME, BUT WHEN I'’M IN A ROOM WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND I HEAR THEIR CONFUSION ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE BECAUSE THEY ARE HEARING ABOUT IT FROM THE NEWS AS A CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNIQUE AND I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE WILL BE HEARING MORE AND MORE ABOUT THAT IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES WILL BE ACCESSING IT, AND IT'’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE IT COMES FROM.

WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, WHAT I HEARD FROM YOU IS, IF IT'’S TAKEN OUT OF THE CONCEPT OF CRIME VICTIM AND A PERPETRATOR, IT COULD BE SAID THAT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS A PRACTICE OF LISTENING TO THE OFFENDED, WHETHER THAT BE AN INDIVIDUAL OR A COMMUNITY, AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OFFENDER, AND THE GOAL IS TO PROMOTE HEALING AND COMING TOGETHER.

LINDA: AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

CLEMENTINA: NOT JUST THE OFFENDER, FOR US, IT'’S THAT OFFENDER'’S FAMILY NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THIS.

BECAUSE MANY TIMES THE FAMILY IS NOT INTEGRAL ON THE OFFENDER SIDE AND WHEN THEIR LOVED ONES COME OUT AND THEY ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING, THEY MAY GO THROUGH IT, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE BRING WHOEVER THAT CAREGIVER IS, BECAUSE I CALL THEM THE SILENCE OF VIOLENCE.

AND THEN THAT RETALIATORY VIOLENCE CONTINUES, AND THEN THESE FAMILIES ARE THEN CRIMINALIZED BECAUSE OF THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT THEIR LOVED ONE WHO WAS MURDERED NOW HAS BECAUSE OF THEIR CRIMINAL RECORDS THAT WILL THEN BE PUT OUT WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

BETHANY: THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

LINDA: I WAS ABOUT TO SAY THAT THE FOUNDATION OF CIRCLES, INSTEAD OF'’S JUSTICE CIRCLES IS RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.

IT IS ABOUT ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS.

RECOGNIZING THAT EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY IS NEEDED FOR WHAT THEY BRING.

PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES AND THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE MISTAKES.

BUT EVERYONE THAT'’S INVOLVED NEEDS TO HAVE A SAY IN THAT PROCESS.

SO -- THE FOUNDATION IS RELATIONSHIP BUILDING BECAUSE BEHAVIOR IS RELATIONAL.

THE RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE WITH SOMEONE DETERMINES HOW YOU ARE WITH THEM.

PARTICULARLY, IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE'’VE SEEN CIRCLES, WHEN THEY ARE DONE WITH EFFICACY, CHANGE THE SCHOOL CULTURE.

BETHANY: GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF HOW -- MAY BE, I'’M SURE IT'’S TOO BIG FOR THE TIME WE HAVE HERE TODAY, BUT WHAT'’S A SMALL EXAMPLE OF HOW A CIRCLE COULD CHANGE, BEGIN THE CHANGE OF A CULTURE IN A SCHOOL?

LINDA: WHEN I WORKED AT THE SCHOOL, THERE WAS A FOOD FIGHT IN THE CAFETERIA AND IT WAS OUT OF CONTROL.

AND WE -- THE PRINCIPAL DECIDED -- SHE REALLY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT, SO WE DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE DEALT WITH IN A RESTORATIVE MANNER, SO WE HAD CIRCLES IN DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CIRCLES.

WE SIT IN A CIRCLE.

BETHANY: BECAUSE IT'’S IMPORTANT TO FACE EACH OTHER?

LINDA: THE CIRCLE REPRESENTS A COMPLETENESS.

AND IN THE CIRCLE THERE IS NO LEADER.

MY VOICE IS NO MORE IMPORTANT THAN A STUDENT OR ANYONE ELSE.

WE HAVE CIRCLE KEEPERS, BUT EVERYONE IN THE CIRCLE HAS A VOICE.

WE NEED TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE.

IF PEOPLE DECIDE THAT THEY DON'’T WANT TO SPEAK, THAT'’S PERFECTLY FINE.

BUT WE HAVE A CIRCLE, WE HAVE A TALKING PIECE, AND THEN WE HAVE A SET OF QUESTIONS.

AND RESPONSE TO WHATEVER HAPPENS.

IN RESPONSE TO THIS FOOD FIGHT, STUDENTS HAD CIRCLES IN THE INDIVIDUAL CLASSROOMS AND OUT OF THAT CAME THE IDEA THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING JANITORS GO AND CLEAN THE MESS UP, STUDENTS WOULD.

AND THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAT -- TO HEAR WHAT THEIR CLASSMATES WERE SAYING.

WHY IT HAPPENS, WHAT THEY COULD'’VE DONE DIFFERENTLY.

SO IT CHANGE THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL TO THE EXTENT THAT ONE OF THE YOUNG LADIES IN THE GROUP I WAS IN SAID, SHE WAS PISSED AND WANTED TO GET THE PERSON WHO THREW SOMETHING AT HER.

AND BY THE END OF IT SHE HAD CHANGED HER MIND SAID.

WHEN YOU HEAR PEOPLE STORIES, IT IMPACTS YOU IN SOME WAY.

THERE'’S NO DOUBT.

OFTEN TIMES YOUNG PEOPLE DON'’T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OR DON'’T TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE STORIES.

NOR DO THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE STORIES OF THE ADULTS.

BETHANY: CULTURALLY, WE ARE NOT TAUGHT TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE STORIES, SO THIS IS ALSO BEGINNING A BEAUTIFUL PRACTICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SEE THE VALUE IN EACH OTHER'’S STORIES.

BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT CHANGES US.

THAT'’S WHAT BUILDS EMPATHY, IT'’S WHAT BUILDS COMMUNITY.

LINDA: LET ME TELL YOU THIS EXPERIENCE THAT WAS REALLY MOVING.

WE WERE IN A CLASS HOLDING CIRCLE AND SO THE CLASS -- THE QUESTION WAS, WHO IN THE CLASSROOM DO YOU RESPECT OR WHO IN THE CLASSROOM DO YOU HAVE ADMIRATION FOR?

THE PERSON THAT MOST STUDENTS PICK WAS THE STUDENT THAT WAS QUIET AND NO ONE EVER REALLY TALKED TO.

SO IT CHANGED HIS PERSPECTIVE TO KNOW THAT HIS CLASSMATES REGARDED HIM IN SUCH A WAY.

HE WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN THAT.

WE DON'’T KNOW -- STUDENTS NO MORE THAN WE THINK AND PEOPLE NO MORE THAN WE THINK AND HAVE A LOT GOING ON.

GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT IN A CIRCLE AND SHARE STORIES AND SHARE WHAT'’S HAPPENING WITH YOU IS TRANSFORMATIVE.

OUR STUDENTS RAN HOME AND THE PARENTS WERE LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SO WE ENDED UP TRAINING PARENTS AT THE CURLEY SCHOOL.

IT IS TEACHING THEM LIFELONG SKILLS.

YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE SELF-REGULATION WHEN YOU ARE SITTING IN A CIRCLE AND YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOUR TURN TO SPEAK.

WE KNOW SELF-REGULATION IS A PRECURSOR TO SUCCESS.

SELF-REGULATION -- BETHANY: TO A GOOD MARRIAGE, TO A GOOD WORK RELATIONSHIP, TO EVERYTHING.

LINDA: ABSOLUTELY.

BASICALLY, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CIRCLES IS ABOUT EMOTIONAL LITERACY.

AND OUR EMOTIONAL LITERACY IS A BETTER PREDICTOR OF LIFELONG SUCCESS IN YOUR IQ.

SO THEY GO HAND-IN-HAND.

ACADEMICS AND EMOTIONAL LITERACY.

WHEN WE CAN COUPLE THOSE TWO TOGETHER IN A MEANINGFUL WAY, THEN STUDENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO LEARN.

TEACHERS ARE MORE AVAILABLE AS WELL TO DO WHAT IT IS THAT THEY DO WITH THEIR STUDENTS.

WE'’VE HAD CIRCLES WITH STAFF MEMBERS AND THEY HAVE BEEN PROFOUND MEETINGS.

TEACHERS ARE CRYING AND SHARING THINGS THEY WOULD NOT SHARE OTHERWISE.

THIS PRACTICE IS INCREDIBLE.

BETHANY: HOW CAN WE FIND OUT MORE FROM YOU AND HOW CAN WE FIND OUT MORE FROM YOU?

BEFORE WE WRAP?

CLEMENTINA: I APPRECIATE THAT AND THAT'’S THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CIRCLES.

IT'’S NO LEADER.

AND AGAIN, I DON'’T WANT TO SAY WE ARE FORCED, YET INVITED.

I THINK THE WORD IS PATIENTS TO BE STILL.

AND IT'’S NOT ABOUT GIVING SOMEONE THE ANSWER.

FOR US -- THAT'’S WHY IT SAYS WE STARTED TEACHING PEACE THROUGH LITERATURE AND SERVICE LEARNING AND DOING CIRCLES WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND HAVING THEM REALLY WRITE ABOUT THEIR CONCEPT, THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND THEIR COMMITMENT AND THEN THEY BECOME PUBLISHED AUTHORS.

FOR US, WE DO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WE DO SOME TRAININGS.

YET IT'’S BOTH HEALING AND TEACHING AND MAKING SURE THAT THIS CONCEPT OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN THE CIRCLES ARE NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT.

THEY NEED TO BE A PART OF OUR STANDARD CURRICULUM.

AND NOT BE IN AFTERSCHOOL SOMETHING, IT SHOULD BE BE INGRAINED IN OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING.

BETHANY: IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS CERTAINLY THE CASE, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BOTH COMING TO JOIN US.

THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, WILL YOU COME BACK AND TALK TO US A MORE?

CLEMENTINA: DEFINITELY.

FOR ME THIS IS GREAT AND FOR SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE ME LEADING AND HAVING A CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVEN SEEING THE VALUE OF THIS TOPIC.

BECAUSE WE ARE DOING THE WORK, WE JUST DON'’T GET THE ATTENTION.

BETHANY: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH FOR COMING.

NEXT UP, STREET ART HAS BEEN AN EXPRESSION OF IDENTITY, COMMUNITY AND THE TIMES.

IN CITIES AROUND THE WORLD.

GREATER BOSTON IS NO EXCEPTION.

BUT, IN RECENT YEARS, INTERESTS IN THE STREET ART SCENE IN BOSTON HAS BEEN GROWING AND THE CITY IS MAKING A BIG INVESTMENT WITH THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT WITH THE GROUPS STREET THEORY TO PAINT DOZENS OF EUROS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

I'’M JOINED NOW BY LOCAL STREET ARTISTS ALREADY MAKING THEIR MARK, CURTIS WILLIAMS, AND RICK SEE, WHOSE WORK CAN BE FOUND IN AUSTIN, CAMBRIDGE, CHELSEA AND MORE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

BETHANY: I'’VE BEEN A FAN OF STREET ART SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL SITTING ON MY GRANDMOTHERS BALCONY WATCHING THE TRAINS GO BY WITH THE BIG BURNERS OF GRAFFITI ARTISTS BACK THEN.

AND KNOW THAT THERE'’S A REALLY VIBRANT STREET ART SCENE HERE BEFORE IT BECAME A VERY POPULAR THING.

DO YOU EACH I POSE THIS QUESTION TO BOTH OF YOU, WHAT ROLE DOES STREET ART PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITIES?

>> FOR SURE.

I FEEL LIKE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES SEEING A BIG WALL MEANS YOU CAN PUT A BIG MESSAGE.

IT'’S SUCH AN ACCESSIBLE WAY TO GIVE ART TO OTHER FOLKS.

IT'’S NOT INSTITUTIONALIZED, THERE'’S NOBODY TELLING YOU WHAT'’S RIGHT OR WRONG, HIGHBROW, LOWBROW, IT'’S FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND IT'’S A GREAT WAY TO BRING US TOGETHER AND SAY THAT'’S OURS.

BETHANY: ITBETHANY: I LOVE THAT.

-- BETHANY: I LOVE THAT.

>> SAME.

TO PIGGYBACK, PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS DRAWN AND PAINTED ON WALLS SINCE CAVEMAN TIME.

SOMETHING ALMOST INTUITIVE FOR PEOPLE TO DO THIS TYPE OF CREATIVITY.

SO, FOR IT TO BE ON THIS SCALE ON THESE LARGE LAWS MAKES A MORE EMPOWERING AND BRING SOMETHING NEW TO THE COMMUNITY.

BETHANY: I SEE IN BOTH OF YOUR WORK, THE GRAFFITI OF MY YOUTH.

IT'’S FUTURISTIC BUT ALSO VERY NATURALISTIC AT THE SAME TIME AND CURTIS, YOU HAVE GIANT DINOSAURS THAT REMIND ME OF THE OLD CREATURE FEATURE MOVIES AND GODZILLA.

WHERE'’D YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION FOR YOUR WORK?

>> I GREW UP IN JAPAN WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, AND THAT INSPIRATION WITH ANIME AND POKÉMON AND MOVIES LIKE GODZILLA AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE JUST LARGER-THAN-LIFE JUST SPARKED SOMETHING IN ME TO USE THAT AS THE REFERENCE POINT TO SHOWCASE THE CREATIVITY, I GUESS.

BETHANY: WHAT ABOUT YOU, WHERE'’D YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION FROM.

>> I GREW UP ON CARTOONS, MEDIA LIKE ANIME.

I WANTED TO SEE CARTOON GIRLS THAT LOOK LIKE ME OR LOOK LIKE MY FAMILY AND THAT WAS THE BIGGEST STRUGGLE.

SO WHERE I'’M AT NOW IS CREATING WORLDS AND BUILDING FEMININE POWER MOVEMENTS OIC SOMETHING THAT REPRESENTS ME A LOT MORE AND REPRESENTS MY FAMILY IN A WAY THAT'’S LIKE, WE ARE ALSO THAT BIG AND BOLD SUPERHERO WE DIDN'’T GET TO SEE GROWING UP, AND YOU GET TO SEE IT RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOW.

HAVING WORLDS THAT MAKE US FEEL MORE INCLUSIVE AND SAFE, AND USING OUR IMAGINATION FOR THAT IS THE BEST FEELING.

BETHANY: THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.

YOU WERE GOING TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT?

>> NO, THAT'’S PERFECT.

>> I THINK WE BOTH DO WORLD BUILDING BECAUSE WE SEE ALL THAT JOY AND FUN IS REALLY WHAT WE NEED IN THE WORLD.

WE NEED TO SEE THESE DINOSAURS AND CHARACTERS HAVING THEIR OWN EXPLORATION, SO THAT WAY WE FEEL INSPIRED TO DO IT.

BETHANY: THERE HAS BEEN THIS REALLY BIG SHIFT SINCE THE DAYS THAT GRAFFITI WAS SEEN AS VANDALISM.

WHAT DO YOU THINK -- WHERE DO YOU THINK THAT SHIFT BEGAN IN WHAT DO YOU THINK TRIGGERED IT?

>> THAT'’S A GOOD QUESTION, I'’M NOT SURE.

I'’M NOT SURE OF ESSENTIALLY THAT'’S WHAT GRAFFITI WAS ABOUT.

IT WAS A COUNTERCULTURE WHEN IT BEGAN IN OVER THE YEARS IT BECAME SOMETHING THAT'’S MORE ACCEPTABLE.

PEOPLE LOVE THE AESTHETIC, AND NOW YOU SEE IT EVERYWHERE, BUT I THINK IT BECAME A THING MORE SO AROUND THE STREET ART ERA AND CHANGING FROM GRAFFITI TO STREET ART AND SOMETHING THAT COULD BE PUT INTO MUSEUMS AND THE GREATER SOCIETY HAS GROWN TO ACCEPT THAT HAS JUST EVOLVED FROM THERE OVER THE PAST COUPLE DECADES.

BETHANY: TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STREET ART ERA.

>> THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF OAK BAY IN I DON'’T EVEN KNOW.

EARLY 2000'’S.

>> WHEN YOU ARE SAYING CAVE DRAWINGS ALL THE WAY UP TO MURALS AND THEN GRAFFITI AND STREET ART.

IT'’S AN EVOLVING WAY TO USE ART FOR MESSAGES AND COMMUNICATION.

STREET ART FEELS LIKE THE SAFEWAY FOR GRAFFITI TO BE ACCEPTED OR THIS WAY THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE IT A LOT MORE AND I THINK IN THE MOVEMENTS OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY CARE, WE ARE A LITTLE LESS OF THE REBELLIOUS, AGGRESSIVE NATURE.

GRAFFITI IS BEAUTIFUL, BOLD, IT'’S LOUD.

BUT NOW WE SEE THE WAYS WE CAN DO THAT BUT ALSO HAVING THAT OTHER INTENTION AND SENSE OF THE OTHER FOLKS AROUND US.

THERE'’LL PROBABLY BE MORE CHAPTERS AFTER THIS AND WHEN WE SEE PUBLIC ART AND WHAT STREET ART CAN BE.

FOR SURE.

BETHANY: WHEN YOU ARE CREATING YOUR WORKS TO HAVE A WISH FOR THE WAY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE OR ART?

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IT TO HELP THEM IN SOME WAY OR TO CHANGE THEIR DAY OR CHANGE THEIR LIFE WHEN YOU ARE CREATING THIS WORK ON WALLS?

>> AT LEAST CHANGE THEIR DAY OR MAYBE THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES.

GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO POST ON INSTAGRAM.

I THINK IT MAKES YOU JOVIAL SEEING SOMETHING NEW AND VIBRANT AND LARGER-THAN-LIFE.

IT GIVES PEOPLE SOMETHING COOL TO DO AND EXPERIENCE IN LIFE OTHER THAN JUST BLANK, BRICK WALLS EVERYWHERE.

>> THAT IS SO TRUE -- BETHANY: THAT IS SO TRUE.

THAT IS THE THING I REMEMBER OVER THE FOOD, OVER THE TRAFFIC OR ANYTHING IS THE STREET ART.

>> ARCHITECTURE.

>> IT'’S YOUR DAY-TO-DAY STUFF, IT COULD BE RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR BUS STOP AND YOU WILL REMEMBER IT'’S THERE AND IT GIVES THAT PERSON IMPACT, INSPIRATION OR CONVERSATION.

ARCHITECTURE FEEL SO GRAY AND BRICK AND READ, SO HAVING THAT VIBRANCY IS LIKE, LET'’S HELP THAT PERSON FEEL AND HAVE A BETTER DAY, FOR SURE.

BETHANY: I FEEL LIKE IT GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO MEDITATE ON.

THIS BEAUTIFUL PIECE THAT JUST KIND OF APPEARED NOT TO FAR FROM WHERE I LIVE.

IT'’S A WOMEN -- A WOMAN OF COLOR IN TREE PROTEST TREE POSE.

IT'’S MASSIVE ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

EVERY TIME I SEE IT IT INVOKES SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT FOR THE DAY.

MAYBE I'’M HAVING A TERRIBLE DAY, BUT IT MAKES ME PAUSE AND REALLY REFLECT ON THINGS.

THE CITY COMMISSIONED YOU TO DO A MURAL, WHAT WAS THAT PROCESS LIKE?

WHAT WAS THE PROCESS OF THE CITY REACHING OUT TO YOU?

>> THAT WAS AWESOME.

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL -- WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SHIFTING IN CHAPTERS.

THERE'’S ONE WAY YOU ARE DOING GRAPH AND STREET ARE ON YOUR OWN OR ASKING YOUR LOCAL NEIGHBOR FOR A WALL, BUT WHEN THE CITY IS RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT OF MURALS AND WHAT THAT MESSAGE CAN DO, LIKE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND RESPONDING TO FOLKS, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND ALIGNED WITH THE WORK I WAS DOING WITH FEMININE EMPOWERING.

SO WITH THE CITY PROJECT IT WAS TO HONOR RITA ESTHER, A BLACK TRANSGENDER WOMAN WHO WAS MURDERED IN AUSTIN IN THE 1980'’S OR 1990'’S.

AND FOR THAT, I WAS LIKE, WE NEED TO TAKE UP THIS WALL, WE NEED TO PUT HER LARGE, BIG, PROUD IN A SPACE SO PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO BREATHE THAT LIVE IN THAT LEGACY.

IT WAS A LOVELY CONVERSATION BUT THE COMMUNITY IS SO SMALL THAT IT DIDN'’T FEEL LIKE THAT WE ARE PROFESSIONAL TENSION.

IT WAS LIKE, DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS.

THERE WERE THE LOGISTICAL THINGS BUT IT WAS LIKE, OF COURSE, LET'’S DO IT.

IT WAS VERY LIGHT, WHEN YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO IT, YOU ARE LIKE, YEAH, LET'’S DO IT, WE GOT THAT.

AND YOU WANT TO DO IT, IT'’S VERY MUCH AN HONOR TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

BETHANY: AND YOU HAD A LOT OF IN FALL MEANT WITH THE COMMUNITY AROUND RITA, WITH HER FAMILY.

>> THAT'’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

IF I'’M GOING TO LEAVE A PIECE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'’S ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.

IT'’S NOT FOR ME, NECESSARILY, AND I DON'’T WANT TO PLAY THAT SELFISH GAME WHERE IT'’S LIKE, THAT'’S OUTSIDE YOUR WALL, Y'’ALL HAVE TO BE HERE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.

I'’M JUST A MESSENGER ALMOST.

BEING ABLE TO PAINT THAT LARGER CONVERSATION.

SO THEY NEEDED TO BE INVOLVED AND THEY DEFINITELY WANTED TO.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATION AND TO SEE THE FAMILY MADE ME -- IT WAS SO CUTE.

IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL.

BETHANY: THAT SOUNDS SO BEAUTIFUL.

IN A TWEET FORM, ONE HUNDRED 40 CHARACTERS OR LESS, DO YOU HAVE ADVICE FOR YOUNG ARTISTS OUT HERE TRYING TO GET THERE WORK UP, IN TWITTER FORUM -- FORM.

>> JUST KEEP CREATING.

DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO LEARN, STAY A STUDENT.

LOOK UP YOUTUBE CHANNELS THAT YOU CAN FIND, YOUTUBE VIDEOS, SEEK MENTORS SHIP, TALK TO PEOPLE AND TRY TO BE ACTIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND KEEP CREATING.

DRAW.

BETHANY: GREAT ADVICE.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING ME TODAY, THIS IS BEEN A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, THIS WAS SO FUN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

BETHANY: FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE ARTISTS AND WHERE YOU CAN FIND STREET ART IN BOSTON, GO TO BOSTON.GOV/DEPARTMENT/ARTS AND CULTURE.

THAT'’S IT FOR TONIGHT, WE WILL BE BACK TOMORROW.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

♪