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Black Austin Matters is painted across Congress Avenue.
Spanning across three blocks on Congress Avenue, "Black Austin Matters" is now painted on the street in downtown Austin. Austin follows other big cities—Washington D.C., Sacramento, Oakland and Raleigh among them—which have completed similar projects amid protests against police brutality.
(Austonia)
Congress Avenue is a canvas of our city. From marathons to marches, stories are made here. Some don’t have the chan… https://t.co/IRzjdJFdnb— ATX Transportation (@ATX Transportation) 1592311192.0
At 1:21 p.m., Austin Justice Coalition's executive director and cofounder Chas Moore took to Twitter to clarify that the city helped with stenciling and the logistics of the project—and that all the black artists were getting paid.
Moore tweeted the mural was to make a statement about how racist Austin is. He also tweeted why they went with "Black Austin Matters," instead of "Black Lives Matter."
"How can 'Black Lives Matter' to Austin and the majority of people that live in Austin, if they don't even care about the Black people in the City? So until Black Austin Matters... the City, and the people in the city can't graduate to Black Lives Matter."
Danny Russo, 52, was on a morning run when he came across a blocked-off Congress Avenue at Sixth Street. He snapped a photo that he posted to Instagram. At the time, only the outline was completed.
"It shows the solidarity of the city with the Black Lives Matter movement," Russo said. "I've seen it in other cities, and I think it's amazing they are putting it in Austin."
Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, Calif. are two other cities with Black Lives Matter painted on the street in the wake of a call for racial equality with protests for the end of police brutality.
Black Lives Matter on the street in Washington, D.C. - https://t.co/YecoR3PAjI https://t.co/vr5TM6hidn— THE INSPIRATION (@THE INSPIRATION) 1591503953.0
“Black Lives Matter” painted on the street leading to California’s State Capital Building! ✊🏽 || 🎥 Instagram/Bamr_t… https://t.co/EqeiPV0P3G— BET (@BET) 1591565248.0
Another mural is set to go up on the East Side of Austin on Thursday.
This story has been updated with additional comments from Chas Moore.
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Popular
Austin FC kept rival FC Dallas to a draw Saturday night as it pulled off a 2-2 comeback. (Austin FC/Twitter)
After three FC Dallas losses last season, the Dallas derby draw marks the first time Austin FC has tied against its Copa Texas rival. Austin continues to edge over FC Dallas as it sits at 3rd in the MLS West.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the match:
A somber start
¡Ya Basta! Enough! End Gun Violence. #uvaldestrong
— Los Verdes (@LosVerdesATX) June 26, 2022
📷 @arubiophotospic.twitter.com/3PiVdTPtik
Decked out in colorful hues for LBGTQ+ Pride, Verde fans started the match on a somber note as they held up banners to take a stand against gun violence before the match.
As the national anthem began, fans held up banners with the names of each child that was killed in the Uvalde school shooting and a plea to "end gun violence."
The supporters' section was also dotted with Pride flags and a "Bans off Our Bodies" banner in protest of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
(Claire Partain/Austonia)
(Claire Partain/Austonia)
FC Dallas earns a 2-0 lead
Paul Arriola is there to put it away and put @FCDallas ahead! pic.twitter.com/Z4AMmM6lp3
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
That sober tone continued onto the pitch. With midfielder Daniel Pereira's absence due to a red card, the Verde and Black lost two goals to FC Dallas by the 70th minute of play.
FC Dallas played it sneaky for the first half of the match, giving Austin FC plenty of room to hold possession as it waited to strike on a Verde error. That mentality proved dangerous for Austin as Dallas' Paul Arriola took advantage of Brad Stuver's deflection to score the first goal of the night in the 57th minute of play.
Dallas struck once more as Brandon Servant pushed past the Verde line to score the second goal of the match.
#DTID double their lead!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
The substitute Brandon Servania with a fine finish within five minutes of coming on. 💥 pic.twitter.com/IZm0YsPxG5
Austin FC strikes back
Sebastián Driussi pulls one back!#AustinFC are still in this one. 👀 pic.twitter.com/Yoi0x768jb
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
But energy quickly returned to Austin's favor thanks to Designated Player Sebastian Driussi, who scooted past several FC Dallas defenders alongside Moussa Djitte to snag an unlikely first goal for Austin.
A full Verde comeback
Late drama in this Texas Derby!@AustinFC ties it up, Danny Hoesen with the diving header. 😱 pic.twitter.com/Jk2f4fIEXG
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
Austin's subs proved deadly as momentum returned to the home team toward the end of the match. A well-placed cross from Nick Lima—and a diving header from a fresh-legged Danny Hoesen—helped the team secure the draw with a second Verde goal in the 84th minute of play.
Hoesen, who was Austin's first starting striker last season, has now scored two goals with the team after a yearlong injury stuck him on the bench.
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(Bob Daemmrich)
The rally, organized by the group Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights Texas, started at the federal courthouse on Republic Square on Friday at 5 p.m. before the crowd marched to the Texas Capitol. More protests are expected to ensue over the weekend.
People showed up with all types of signs like Mindy Moffa holding up, "Keep your filthy laws off my silky drawers."
Austin joined cities across the country that saw protests for a women's right to an abortion after the ruling.
According to a recent UT poll, 78% of Texas voters support abortion access in most cases.
Sabrina Talghade and Sofia Pellegrini held up signs directed at Texas laws. A Texas trigger law will ban all abortions from the moment of fertilization, starting 30 days after the ruling. When state legislators passed the trigger law last summer, it also passed laws for more protection of firearms, including the right to open carry without a permit.
Lili Enthal of Austin yells as around 1,000 Texans marched to the Texas Capitol.
From the Texas Capitol, Zoe Webb lets her voice be heard against the Supreme Court ruling.
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