The Austin Neighborhood Renaissance

The Austin Neighborhood Renaissance. . This project symbolizes Austin's commitment to the ideals and meaning of the West African word SANKOFA which means "to go back and get it." The message transmitted by the use of this word is that we need to go back into our history to see a better path for our future. , , The mud cloth motif symbolizes Africa; the chains, the bondage from Africa; the meditating man, urban youth emerging from the earth as self-realized beings. , , The quilt represents the quilting history of African-American women who passed on tradition in secretive design patterns. It also serves to symbolize and pay homage to the AIDS Memorial Quilt, dedicated to those whose lives have been touched by this epidemic. , , The fruit from the vines of the chains symbolize the idea that from a painful past, one can still yield beautiful and useful fruits. The lush colors indicate the vibrancy of life and the will to celebrate the Austin Neighborhood Renaissance. , , The dread-locked woman, in her brightly-colored floral dress, holds and unfolds the history of the mural's message. , , M. Carla Carr , "Austin Is Doing Something (A.I.D.S)" , paint on concrete surface, 15'x 30, 2010 , [email protected]