Be Bold, Brave and Courageous
I spent yesterday trying to avoid the monumental events happening in Washington, D.C., by walking through museums, taking in the sunshine, and celebrating friendship with like-minded people. Yet, despite my best-laid plans, images and text exchanges with friends equally concerned still seeped through my feed. The shock of the news permeated all media sources, and I found my angst and anxiety increasing as the day wore on.
Elon Musk at the 2025 Inauguration. Photo: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
Today, I am trying to metabolize the extremities of Nazi salutes and a crowd of oligarchs who are certain to continue influencing the man leading our country. I'm trying to reassure my frightened daughter that it will all be okay despite my own uncertainties. I'm attempting to compartmentalize hope, reality, and dread as a way to process what the next four years will look like. A vantage point I have no insight into, yet what I do know is that there is collective energy amongst many who will not idly sit back and just let our world become a hateful version of itself.
The artist V.L. Cox, currently featured on our website, uses her voice and work to shed light on human rights and social justice inequalities. Donna Beisel, featured on our recent podcast and director of the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, Alabama – a place that has seen its share of civil rights tragedies – uses gallery space to create dialogue. Carla Rae Johnson, coming up on our next episode of B+S with Friends, tries to integrate humor into her important work to make it more inviting and palatable. These are a few examples of people using their platform to make a difference.
Furthermore, these incredible artists and leaders give me hope and help reignite the fire in my belly to stick with the mission of Bader+Simon:
to bring recognition to the achievements of underrepresented artists by empowering communities to collaborate around art, education, and social justice issues.
If history has shown us anything, we will get through this. With that, I share some historic protest art from the past to remind us that we will persevere together in community, with a passion for what is right and to protect our fellow men and women. Please don't give up.
“You must be bold, brave, and courageous and find a way… to get in the way.”
Tamara White
Founder