Protect What You Love

Artist Statement

“The mandalas in Protect What You Love signify the circle of life and the need for balance. The mural is a call to action to think about the three realms of environmentalism, social justice and activism balanced in one picture about saving the planet. We cannot think about protecting our planet without protecting and elevating the voices of its most vulnerable people.

It’s important to know that the communities that are most affected by the effects of climate change are low income communities of color. In East Boston, new apartments are built at an elevation to withstand extreme coastal flooding caused by sea level rise due to global warming. But low income families continue to live in older housing that have no such protections. These communities do not have the economic means to protect themselves or evacuate from the inevitable devastation caused by coastal flooding. So how might we raise awareness about rising sea levels and the people getting most affected by it at the same time?

My art is deeply rooted in the traditions and aesthetics of my Nepali culture. So by putting something up that has the cultural aesthetics that you might not see everyday, I want to encourage people to think about communities of people of color. The message is to protect what we love and to protect the planet, which includes protecting its people.

I also hope my work helps to transform the Boston Harbor Marina by building on cultural competence and making it a space that might feel more welcome to families of color.”
- Imagine

Focus

Humanity’s responsibility to protect our planet