From the artist: "Dr. Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Buddhist-Christian activist and pastoral counselor, asked a poignant question at a student gathering at United Seminary a week after George Floyd was murdered. In the 9-minute video, Floyd said over and over again that he couldn't breathe. Yet, the cops chose not to believe him. Dr. Ayo asked United students, "How can we believe what YOU say is true?" She argues that for too long, our nation has dismissed the black voice into a narrative that no longer regards it as credible. We need to retrain ourselves, dismantle the systematic racism, and recognize what we see and hear as truth." Also from the artist: "As I was painting, a number of people asked me, "Why a lion? Why these words on his cheeks?" At a student gathering at United Theological Seminary last week, Dr. Ayo Yetunde asked a poignant question, "How can we believe that whatever you say is true?" She contends that the black narrative in our country has long been deemed incredible and unbelievable. Throughout my teaching career, I've seen my own students raise their voices, declaring their innocence, only to get in even more trouble for being disruptive. By age 11 and 12, many students are used to not being believed. My hope is that the lion, a long standing symbol of power and strength in my own artwork, bring societal credibility to the black voice so that when a man says he can't breathe, he is believed."

See also #1089

As of July 30, 2024, this panel is still preserved on the side of the building.

Please see this StoryMap for more information about the panel.]]>
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