We’re really proud to share that we’ve been able to raise 75% of our fundraising goal for this second issue. These funds are used exclusively to pay our artists and writers for their contributions.

A brief synopsis of María Izquierdo, an artist forgotten by Western Art History.

She became the first Mexican woman to have a solo show in the United States at The Art Center in New York.

We’re continuing the conversation about Issue Two with the Protest mag contributors, readers, and community. It’s the start of a series offering details about how things went, how they are going, and our intentions for the Communication Issue.

They spoke about the dialects as if they weren't aspects of our culture we could actively embrace, but something that was quite literally dead. As if too much time had passed and it was too late to rekindle the relationship between our bodies and language.

Dr. Samella Lewis taught us that art is not a luxury; it's in fact, a necessity. She declared that art was a form of documentation that benefitted the lives of present and future generations. Assuming this was one of her core beliefs, it's easy to understand why she dedicated so much of her life to educating others on art and art history. To

Shirley's audacity is equally as infectious and inspiring in 2021 as it was in 1972, and her presence represents qualities I so desperately wish to embody. I'm sure that was Mrs. Chisholm's plan all along. Pull unsuspecting listeners in so that they felt emboldened enough to spread the gospel of social justice and demand that their voices are heard.

Let us fight forever for social justice and equity. Occasional bouts of fatigue and hopelessness should be expected. Still, the silver lining is that there are many ways to uphold the resistance to oppression. Just find your place and a style that works for you. Oh, and educate, don’t ever think of yourself as an expert. You are always in training.

July is Minority Mental Health Month, founded by Mental Health America, a community-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the mental health of Americans. Mental Health America chose identity as the theme of this year-- the focus is on the intersections of our identities and the impact that has on our mental health.

In order to get rid of that lingering doubt tugging at your self-esteem, you’ve got to reprogram your subconscious and conscious mind to think, I can do it, instead of, Can I do it?

One way to undo a lifetime of subconscious doubt is brainwashing yourself for the better

July is Minority Mental Health Month, founded by Mental Health America, a community-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the mental health of Americans. Mental Health America chose identity as the theme of this year-- the focus is on the intersections of our identities and the impact that has on our mental health.

We all love a good podcast. Protest found a few created by women of color that concentrate on mental health and wellness for marginalized people. We’ll share some of our faves throughout the rest of July 2019. Today, we bring you Therapy for Black Girls created by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford.

Protest Mag & friends have started a book club. The first book we’re reading is Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown. The book focuses on radical help of self, society, and the planet. The AK Press says "this book teaches us to map, assess, and learn from the swirling structures around us in order to better understand and influence them as they happen."

July is Minority Mental Health Month, founded by Mental Health America, a community-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the mental health of Americans. Mental Health America chose identity as the theme of this year-- the focus is on the intersections of our identities and the impact that has on our mental health.   

We all love a good podcast. Protest found a few created by women of color that concentrate on mental health and wellness for marginalized people. Today, we bring you Black Therapist Podcast, formerly known as Black In Therapy created by Nikita Banks.

Nikita Banks’ podcast focuses on mental wellness for people of color and approaches mental .health discussions from a culturally relevant perspective.

My goal is to transmute my uneasiness to critical action. If I was put on Earth to spread helpful info on resources in aid for the under served, than I better get to it. Listed below are a few organizations that inspired me to feel strong rather than discomfort.

Some grassroots movements that deserve support-

RAICES is an award-winning nonprofit that provides underserved immigrant children, families, and refugees in Central and South Texas. The organization is a timely resource to support given the concentration camps and horrors at the border. RAICES received three out of four stars from the Charity Navigator and a platinum seal of transparency from the charity watchdog, GuideStar. RAICES is currently staffed with 50ish lawyers who helped issue lawsuits and complains on behalf of detained families. 

Mercy has reached the physical plane! Mercy will be available in print for a short time this summer. You can order your copy now by clicking here.

Also, we’re seeking issues for our communication, click here for details if you’re interested.

We use words to communicate but it's not the only way to convey a message. Everybody talks! Seriously, our bodies tell stories. We speak through appearances, physical movements, and sign languages. Conversations happen within us on a cellular level- an inevitable component of survival. We speak through prayer, music, and art, too. Even animals and beings found in nature "talk" to one another.

Issue #2 is all about communication and education, here we can dissect anything from our personal love languages to the complexity of African American Vernacular, how personal style is translated to the rest of the world or even prayer as a form of conversation

All month long we honor women road openers in the land of music. To talk about women's history is to also talk about music history. It's time to get lost in the deeps cuts of sound magicians, spirited lyricists, and singing pioneers. Let them not be forgotten.

This week, we honor a song MC Lyte wrote when she was twelve, I Cram To Understand U (Sam)

I hear Lyte deliver her first line, I used to be in love. Instantly, I know what to expect. Love and heartbreak are universal experiences above all else. What follows line one is the story of a relationship's demise and, it might be a story I relate to.

-Miss Penny

All month long we honor women road openers in the land of music. To talk about women's history is to also talk about music history. It's time to get lost in the deeps cuts of sound magicians, spirited lyricists, and singing pioneers. Let them not be forgotten.

This week, we honor Odetta.

The history of black people everywhere is rich, our ancestors were innovative people, artists, and experts at survival. As their descendants, we are the lucky ones to inherit their power and talent. I often think about my ancestors and imagine their lives before colonization. I love a good origin story, naturally, I'm most interested in my own. In an effort to become spiritually closer to my foremothers and forefathers, I shipped a tube of my spit to a lab so that an analyst could trace my lineage.

Mercy is here! Digital only for now but we’ll let everyone know when physical copies become available. See below to purchase a copy. A BIG, WARM, LOVING thank you to everyone who helped, supported and wished us well! From strangers to friends and family, anyone who sends uplifting energy- thank you!

Creative Jenny Oh

Our beloved Jenny Oh created the cover and magazine art for the Mercy Issue. Jenny is an artist who centers her work on the health, movement, and beauty of the woman’s body. As someone who lives with endometriosis, Jenny has become an advocate for other people who live with these ailments, too. She’s also used her work support people involved in the justice system, mental health, and other social matters. She’s teamed up with organizations like the Bronx Freedom Fund, Endometriosis Foundation of America, and Monthly Gift.