"My main goal," Michelle Angela Ortiz says, "is to show the value of what a space like this can reflect. In a hustling market, I want to open up communication to reflect how far we've come and really where we can go."
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“At times, the artworks present positive narratives to combat threats of displacement, gentrification, and erasure. The result is radical: a call to action for people to rethink who the Ninth Street Market belongs to and how public art can better serve underrepresented communities.”
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“The name “Our Market” shows a determination to proclaim that the market, officially known as the 9th Street Italian Market, belongs to everyone, and every one belongs there.”
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“Ortiz’s actions are about making space for everyone who makes the market possible — and the complicated, nuanced realities that exist within the community, especially as it changes.”
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“The works are reminiscent of church stained glass, combining beauty and spirtuality illuminated by light. Images and words are merged to create displays of work, honor, family, and love.”
