Originally from northeast Los Angeles, Originol moved to the Bay Area in 2009 after Oscar Grant was shot and killed by police officer Johannes Mehserle at the BART station in Fruitvale. Originol recalled the contrast between the social and political fabric of the Bay Area and Los Angeles and was not prepared to organize and coordinate protests after Grant’s death.
“I remember that one thing that really impressed me when I moved here was the activism that challenged police brutality – or in this case, a police murder,” Originol said. “It was the first video that went viral when someone was killed by the police, and that really impressed me. Seeing all the protests motivated me to do the kind of work I’ve been doing since then. “
Originol started working on what would become later JFOL in January 2014 after the fifth anniversary of Grant’s death. Inspired by the simplicity of street artist Shepard Fairey’s Obey logo and a black and white portrait of Kendrick Lamar that he once saw in a magazine, Originol crafted the color palette and design that he would ultimately go on with JFOL.
“Every year I go to the vigil at Fruitvale BART and that day I came home and decided to take a portrait of him and publish it there,” said Originol.
Originol published Grant’s portrait online with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. He started drawing more portraits reminiscent of victims of police violence and sharing his portraits on social media. His artwork received considerable attention after the deaths of Eric Garner in New York City and Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. In recent years, Originol’s portraits have become a staple in protests against police brutality across the country. He has made 100 portraits in honor of victims of police violence such as Philando Castile, Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, George Floyd and others.
JFOL also reminds of other victims of state-sanctioned violence. The series includes portraits of people like Anastacio Hernandez-Rojas, Valeria Munique Tachiquin-Alvarado and Claudia Patricia Gomez-Gonzalez – all victims of violence by US border guards and customs agents.
“Although I chose to only tell the stories of people killed by law enforcement, it wasn’t necessarily people killed by police,” Originol said. “[I] Likewise [tell the stories of people killed by] Border Patrol and ICE, to say that this is a broader issue of state sponsored violence that affects different communities and spans both agencies. “
Most recently, Originol’s work was featured prominently as a wall installation in a new exhibition at the Smithsonian Art Museum in Washington, DC ¡Revolution printing! The rise and impact of Chicano Graphics, 1965 to date shows the work of Chicano artists who have used graphics to fight social injustice over the past 50 years. Originol prides itself on what its art series says about law enforcement violence and who pays the costs.
“It is a fulfillment to know that I have produced something that has been a tool for the people on the move to share these stories with people from all over the world and gain further visibility for the cause,” he said. “It made me realize the importance of bringing the community together to solve these problems.”
Seven years after it started JFOL, activism related to police brutality and state violence has peaked. In 2021, policing racism, the militarization of law enforcement, and police violence remain at the fore of the national psyche, and black and brown lives still pay the cost. The conviction of Derek Chauvin, the policeman who kneeled on George Floyd and killed him, is based on the shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, 13-year-old Adam Toledo and 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant. and too many others to count. Now that Originol has completed 100 portraits, he plans to summarize his work in a book that will include photos of protests, as well as testimonials from organizers and family members providing the backstory of the victims and the incidents.
In the nation’s struggle for a violent police culture that disproportionately targets black and other color communities, many obstacles remain responsible for its actions. However, Originol remains optimistic that people can bring about change and move to a system that is less lethal, more equitable, and focused on delivering what communities really need.
“We can hope, but it’s not just hope that gets us where we need to be,” he said. “We have to keep working with each other. Only when the fellowship comes together can we create justice, and there is no real justice if the fellowship does not come together. “
Roberto Camacho is a Chicano freelance multimedia journalist based in San Diego, California. His coverage typically focuses on criminal justice reform, immigration, Chicano / Latino issues, hip-hop culture and its interfaces with social justice.
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