It's a great day to protest with a sketch

So get your signs on

April in 2015 would never imagine herself in the middle of a mass rally in downtown Seattle, participating in democratic acts of protest for the United States of America. But here I am today. It’s a great day too, the sun was out, and cherry blossoms continue to bracket the peripherals of the city streets, cheering on the voices of the people.

When I was studying for the civics exam for my Naturalization interview two weeks ago, I was feeling skeptical reading the handbook that touted “We the People” as the foundation of this nation. As I doomscrolled each evening, catching up on the news of the atrocities happening around the country, I felt confused because it seemed like life goes on for everyone else (at least on social media).

From the news, protesters of all kinds are violently reacted to, or unconstitutionally detained, so the act of protest (and the freedom of protest that the civics handbook also proudly touted) felt like a scary thing to do. So I was feeling quite hesitant and nervous about showing up to the Day of Action in Seattle today. I figured I’ll hunker down in the peripheral of the rally, do some sketches of the scene, and be ready to leave the scene if need be.

I mustered courage in the morning with a delicious chocolate croissant with lemon curd. At the bakery, I read a chapter from Edward Lee’s book “Buttermilk Graffiti”, where he talked about a Cambodian chef who laid down roots in the mediocre town of Lowell, Massachusetts. The story of the chef’s memories of genocide persecution and unconventional road to success by recreating the flavor of his youth felt significant and coincidental since I’ve also recently been on an immigration journey.

The political climate and its antagonism to immigrants and the diversity that they bring infuriate me. Honestly, all anyone wants in this life is to enjoy good food and feel comfortable in their own skin, but the audacity for a group of people to intentionally divide and cause mayhem—all in disguise for their greed and impulse to control.

Anyway, that’s why I felt compelled to join the protest today that’s happening around the country. Hands off democracy, healthcare, science, and simple human rights. I’m but a peg in this society, but if I can be another headcount in the grand scheme of resistance, I’d happily do so.

I did enjoy sketching today’s event. After all, urban sketching is not just about painting pretty scenes, but the element of reportage and documenting what’s happening around you is core to its mission.

I felt a stronger degree of unease than usual when I urban sketched. As I sat in the corner of a staircase away from the main foot traffic, I couldn’t help but feel conscious of the hundreds of people who walked passed me. Are they looking over my shoulder and noticing my trembling lines and judging my coloring? Is my act of drawing and painting belittling the energy and purpose behind the rally?

As a result, my first sketch was wobbly and small. My people are indiscernible blobs, and I ended up filling the empty space with some journaling.

I taped a small sign behind my drawing pad the night before, but as I admired all the creative slogans and posters that filled the plaza, I wish I had come up with a cooler saying. Just like a poster I saw today: “Too many shit to fit on this sign.”

I scurried further back to the edge of the crowd for my second painting. I wanted to paint the Space Needle, an iconic symbol for Seattle and one of my favorite sights that drew me to this city back in 2017.

Around me are a few other sign bearers, all sitting quietly but defiantly holding their signs up for the passerby to read. I’d like to think that I’m contributing to the movement by defiantly making art when the greedy ones are thinking about making money. The signs are passing by too fast for me to document in my painting, so I made up some of them, focusing on a few issues that I care about.

Although I only stayed for two hours at the protest, I came away feeling energized and motivated for the future. This mass mobilization is what the country needed. It’s what I needed for my mental health, because I now know that it’s not just me shaking my fist angrily at the screen each day. The feeling of solidarity is so important. Its evident in the diverse group of people that showed up today.

Definitely not the time to stay stationary!

Did you join the Hands Off protest today in your town? I hope it energized you as much as it did me.