Artist: Chrissy Liu

Materials: sterling silver, fine silver, 24K gold foil

Dimensions: 2" x 2", 18" multi strand sterling neck wire

Beneficiary: Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, one of the country's leading civil rights organizations today.  This nonprofit, nonpartisan organization was formed at the request of President Kennedy in 1963 and today they work inside and outside of the courtroom for a just America, fighting voter suppression, ensuring equal access to the ballot box, combating racial disparities in the criminal justice system, to name a few of their responsibilities.  

I chose this organization because in 2003 I graduated from law school and practiced for a short time in the Washington, DC area.  While I am no longer a practicing attorney, I took an oath that I am very proud of and I stand with those organizations whose mission is justice and equality for all.  

Artist Statement: I created this piece to represent the highs and lows of these unprecedented times.  The abstract circle is textured and has dimension through shaping of the metal.  This is a reminder that nothing is perfect.  The oxidized silver represents this dark period in our history - racial and social injustices; a socially and politically polarized nation; the overwhelming magnitude of a global pandemic.  The gold portion of the pendant signifies hope, goodness and light.  Despite all of the negativity, death, and division, there have been so many positive aspects of this year - the unwavering commitment of our frontline workers; firefighters taking on massive devastation and destruction; neighbors helping neighbors; and the ability for people to come together and exercise their right to protest racial injustices.  The holes represent individual events of 2020 - hurricanes, fires, the virus, economic devastation, months of quarantine, and the loss of over 200,000 American lives to Covid-19.