Each day, we experience another death, another tragedy, another loss of life to violence, and we have no answers. There are many people–good people–working to help families and the community cope with the hurt and pain that comes with loss, particularly tragic loss.
As we at Scoop try to support our communities, victims and families, we have partnered with Zarinah Lomax and The Apologues to respect those we have lost by sharing portraits and brief introductions into the lives of the families that The Apologues’ has featured.
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Artist: Wendy Wagner, My Ray
(Portrait of co-victim Rashala Hill and Nahray Crisden) Pastel on paper
Victim: Nahray Crisden
Artist Statement: When doing a commission, I always consider its purpose. In this case, the ultimate destination of the drawing is the victim’s mother. She will be the one looking at it, and I wanted her to remember a happy moment as opposed to how he died. I also consider the theme of the show: Co-victims of gun violence.
I want to honor Rashala’s son, Nahray Crisden, while also showing the world what was lost – a young man whose potential will never be realized, but he touched so many in his short time here. I chose blue pastel as a medium because of the psychological properties of the color. I have read that Blue represents qualities, like trust and responsibility. It reduces stress and creates a sense of calmness. Blue is the helper, the rescuer, and the friend in need. It is a giver, not a taker. These qualities were in alignment with what I was told about Nahray.
Nahray Crisden: Nahray Crisden was shot and killed by his best friend Sean on Sept. 13, 2020. Nahray was an only child, and his passing has left her heart shattered into a million pieces. Not just because her son is dead, but because it was by his best friend, who she loved and raised and still thinks of to this day. Nahray leaves behind many who love him, especially his mother Rashala. Rashala is the co-victim reflected in this portrait as an honor of the memory of her son.
Rashala says: Nahray was the most important piece of her life. Although he is gone, she is now a foster mom to two boys she believes were sent to her by Nahray. She took them in as she refuses not to love despite her pain. Sean ruined my life,” she explained, “he’s not about to ruin my soul, too.”
What is The Apologues?
The Apologues (under the fiscal sponsorship of the Federation of Neighborhood Centers) is a fashion and art exhibit that uses the arts to assist individuals in healing, empowering themselves, and advocating against gun violence and trauma that plague urban communities. Through the use of fashion, art, and music, The Apologues honors the emotions of untreated trauma through the realm of storytelling to trigger healing. We do this through the combination of self-portraits of victims and co-victims, wearable art, and musical experiences combined.
For more information and to support this initiative, visit our website, https://www.theapologues.org
