Vashon Remembrance Project: More Than Names and Statistics

Vashon Heritage Museum History Talks

The intent of the Vashon Remembrance Project is twofold - to combat the forgetting or whitewashing of significant historical and recent atrocities, and to honor the victims of those atrocities by humanizing their lives beyond statistics and names. This is done by researching the individuals displayed in the portraits seen around Vashon Island, and connecting their faces with relatable - and very human - facts about their lives, to inspire reflection. In this presentation, artist West McLean will discuss the project, its inspiration, the necessity of sonder, and the insidious idea of otherism.

PRESENTER BIO: West McLean is an island artist, designer, and educator. He is the founder of the Vashon Remembrance Project, which created portraits of persons of color killed by law enforcement, and coordinated the display of these portraits at island businesses.