At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, People For the American Way’s Artists For Democracy program unveiled a stunning piece of artwork by incredible artist Victoria Cassinova. The piece, titled Kamala Harris: Freedom, showcases Vice President Kamala Harris in an inspiring and captivating manner, sending the clear message that freedom itself is on the line in this election.
However, that message didn’t seem to resonate with everyone. On the third night of the convention, the posters were vandalized by people who called themselves RFK Jr. and/or Trump supporters. They took spray paint to the posters and tore bits of the wheatpasted artwork off the wall.
The act of vandalizing political art is hardly new, but we can’t ignore what’s different this time
People For President Svante Myrick summed up the events saying, “When I saw that it was just these angry-looking white guys wearing RFK hats, defacing not just a Black woman, but a black woman‘s art, it was disheartening, disappointing, troubling.” But he also said that he and Victoria Cassinova have similar feelings regarding the incident. “I think she’s feeling the same as me,” he said. “Based on her tone, disappointed that this happened but undeterred.”
Undeterred is a great way to put it. We at People For the American Way, and all our Artists For Democracy, are undeterred in our commitment to oppose Donald Trump and all he stands for, and we’re undeterred in our efforts to help ensure Kamala Harris becomes the first woman President of the United States.
