Hwayong Shin



    Black Lives Matter Support Group in Seoul
    2020, Seoul, South Korea.

    The Black Lives Matter Support Group in Seoul was formed in 2020 to convey the message of the Black Lives Matter movement to Koreans and foster solidarity through shared understanding. The group organized memorial events to honor Black individuals who fell victim to racially motivated police violence in the United States and raised funds to support related organizations. Additionally, the group translated and shared information about Black oppression and history on social media, bridging cultural and linguistic gaps to promote awareness and empathy. I contributed to the project as part of a team of translators and designers, assisting with research, translation, and making visual materials. 

    Project Context and Details
    The BLM Support Group in Seoul emerged during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, sparked by the death of George Floyd. This collective was formed to address the challenge many Koreans face in understanding the context of Black oppression due to a lack of accessible resources in Korea and limited experience with multi-ethnic societies.
    The group comprised translators, activists, and artists who shared a commitment to raising awareness. As a collective, we translated news and educational materials into Korean, shared them on social media, and organized memorials and fundraisers to honor victims of police brutality. 
    One of their key initiatives was #SayTheirNames, a three-day event combining a vigil, anti-Blackness discussions in Korean society, and a fundraiser supporting mourning families and detained protesters in the United States. The booklet “Self-Taught” is made to support the event. 

    Link
    Visla MagazineInstagram @FriendsfromKorea    Self-Taught (PDF)Notes from #SayTheirNames Vigil

    Pages from the booklet “Self-Taught”
    A memorial altar at the #SayTheirNames vigil
    ©HwayongShinSelected Works2024