Indigenous Artists Sell Work to Benefit Emergency Assistance Efforts in Gaza

Printmakers, protest photographers and jewelry makers will sell work this Sunday at an art show with proceeds going to the Middle East Children’s Alliance.

Oakland photographer Ashley Salaz and artist Nicole Gervacio say that the show, Artists Rising: Oakland to Palestine, is grounded in Indigenous artistry and solidarity with Palestine. Salaz, who is of the Coharie Tribe in North Carolina and works for local Indigenous-led organization Sogorea Te’, says there are overwhelming commonalities in the experiences of Native folks and the Palestinian people.

“Palestinians have been in solidarity with us — the Native people of Turtle Island — for a very long time,” she said. “Israel cutting off food sources and cutting down the olive trees — the same was done to our ancestors here, with the mass slaughtering of buffalo and other resources that our people needed to survive.”

In the past few months, Salaz has photographed local demonstrations and sold her own beadwork to raise awareness and money for pro-Palestinian organizations.

“I do think that artists are the driving force sometimes behind getting people involved and getting people to care, especially nowadays with social media,” Salaz said. “I think art is revolutionary.”

Among those selling their work on Sunday is Saman Qadir, an East Bay photojournalist who has photographed an estimated 35 protests, from the Bay Area to Washington D.C. and Texas.

“Since October 7, I’ve been going to every single action in the Bay Area to document the movement,” Qadir said. “It’s the first time in my life that I’ve seen this many people from all different backgrounds together.”

One four of the photos Qadir is selling on Sunday is an image of women — Palestinian and Ohlone — embracing at a demonstration at an Ohlone shellmound in January.

“It was incredibly heartening and so potent,” she said.

‘Artists Rising: Oakland to Palestine’ takes place on Sunday, April 7, at 510 Firehouse (815 Alice St., Oakland). Details here.