August 27, 2023

Mayor Tim Sandoval,

Gente Organizada, a community-based organization led by Pomonan mothers and youth, has demonstrated its commitment to protesting and ending police violence since the unjust killing of George Floyd and the subsequent rise of the BLM movement. Artivism, or the use of art to empower historically marginalized communities, is a key tenet of Gente and underpins much of their work. 

The Gente Youth Center, on the corner of Holt and White, is evidence of this; displayed on its walls are several art installations made collaboratively by Pomonan artists and organizers, all of whom are Black, Indigenous, or Latinx.  

We, the creatives, craftspeople, artists, and galleries of Pomona, unreservedly acknowledge and support Gente Organizada’s right to display public-facing artwork. We, the undersigned, stand in solidarity with Gente Organizada and call on the City of Pomona to immediately rescind the erroneous citations and fines made against Gente. 

These targeted actions by the City are not only a threat to artistic expression, but an outright violation of free speech and a form of censorship. We air our concern not only for our neighbors at Gente Organizada, but for all citizens of Pomona who seek to insight systemic change through artistic expression. 

Art cannot exist without freedom of speech.