Iranian- American Shirin Barghi, has been using her Twitter stream @shebe86 for?artistic expression. What she has given to the world is a very powerful statement. The project gives voice to victims of police violence. Victims who are shown to us repeatedly as lifeless bodies when not being portrayed continuously as criminals by police and only occasionally?represented through family photos. She revealed this work in August yet it seems all the more timely as Eric Garner’s last words have become an organizing cry. Now let them speak to you through their last words .
"I can't breathe." #michaelbrown #lastwords #ferguson #ericgarner pic.twitter.com/LFHFcDe4VZ
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 21, 2014
"I don't have a gun, stop shooting." #michaelbrown #lastwords #ferguson pic.twitter.com/1lGXromMLa
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 21, 2014
"Mom, I'm going to college." #AmadouDiallo #lastwords #ferguson #michealbrown #policeagression pic.twitter.com/B0WbHO1BCU
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 15, 2014
"it's not real." #johncrawford #lastwords #ferguson #michaelbrown pic.twitter.com/Etnvmaromx
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 21, 2014
"Please don't let me die." #kimanigray #lastwords #policeagression #ferguson #michealbrown pic.twitter.com/9oZNLJHg0n
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 15, 2014
"Officers, why do you have your guns out?" #lastwords #kennethchamberlain #ferguson pic.twitter.com/vDCNnL5SVy
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 17, 2014
"Why did you shoot me?" #LastWords #LavonKing #HandsUpDontShoot #FergusonOctober #Ferguson #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/r6DUuvXfie
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) October 9, 2014
"I love you too!"#seanbell #lastwords #ferguson #michealbrown pic.twitter.com/8nvWYPnoo0
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 14, 2014
When?Ms. Barghi started this project she tweeted why she did so how she as an Iranian American empathized with black pain yet wanted to be sure not to appropriate or profit from the pain of black people. These too are powerful statements.
1) Salam, friends. I created these images to raise awareness about racist police violence in America and as an expression of solidarity.
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 17, 2014
2) I experienced police brutality in my native Iran, and the struggle here to confront that violence resonated with me.
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 17, 2014
3) This was an imperfect work that took on a life of it's own. I believe that black pain must not be appropriated or profited from, period.
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 17, 2014
4) Someone suggested exhibiting these images with proceeds going to families. That's strictly the prerogative of those struggling/affected.
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) August 17, 2014
Ms. Barghi’s work has been used at exhibited at demonstrations and tributes across the nation. She has also created a collection with the last words victims, like Amadou Diallo unarmed black man shot 41 times, heard before they died.
"Gun!" #lastwords heard by Amadou Diallo. #PoliceBrutality #ferguson #stoppoliceviolence #AmadouDiallo pic.twitter.com/WBlAMkWRws
— Shirin Barghi (@shebe86) September 25, 2014
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