“And to make sure people saw the doors, she took them not only to the steps of the state Capitol (twice) but to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Recounting the stories of the people whose acquaintance she made there—notably, the former skinhead with swastikas on his forearms who’d given up a life of hate because he loved his transgender son—she says she’d come to realize the importance of standing up for what’s right, of making a difference and using her work to engender change and remind others they can stand up, too. Because, as she says, it just takes one person to stand. “ “2015 Arkansan of the Year”

— Jordan Hickey, Arkansas Life Magazine, December, 2015

END HATE DOORS

The series was created in response to Arkansas's HB1228 which made it out of committee in March of 2015. This discriminatory bill would have brought back Jim Crow days where hatred and repression were the law of the land. The installation was installed twice on the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol as a First Amendment protest of the reckless and unjust behavior by the 90th General Assembly. Through social media and the Associated Press, the series helped bring world-wide attention to the struggle. With enormous pressure now being forced on government officials, HB1228 was defeated.

With similar bills being considered and passed across the country, the installation was then taken to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.. The power and simplicity of the historic content strongly resonated through the crowd. It brought people that were visiting from all over the world together in conversation in peace and camaraderie. And that is where change begins.

The creation of this series began in 2015 and was completed in 2017 with the final door addition.

Wood, paint and steel.

Arkansas State Capitol., April 18, 2015.