34. Protector Monuments: Reclaim The Pedestal
In New York City this October, the organization I Am Your Protector will present Protector Monuments: Reclaim The Pedestal — a series of five sculptures depicting everyday individuals who have stood up for those around them. Created by artist Joe Reginella and sculptor Alvin Petit, these monuments are intended to help reclaim public spaces for people of color, minorities, refugees, immigrants, and women. Protector Monuments: Reclaim The Pedestal, hopes to inspire other people to go out and become protectors within their own communities. To do so, the sculptures have been placed on three-foot-high pedestals to celebrate the individuals and ensure they are looked up to by society.
The five individuals memorialized in the sculptures are Wesley Autrey, Isra Daraiseh, Chaim Hochhouser, Mohsen Alwais, and Antonio Diaz Chacon, whose heroic actions saved lives. A sixth pedestal will also be placed but left empty, so visitors can share their unique stories and those of individuals who have helped or protected others. Intended to be mobile, the sculptures will be moved to various currently undisclosed locations throughout the city over the next few weeks. Afterward, they will travel across the United States, heading to cities like Nashville, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.