“Black Lives Matter” is the message painted on a big rock in San Francisco’s Bernal Hill. It’s one of many Bay Area neighborhoods that features some sort of public space where widespread sentiment is displayed.
But the rock is at the center of a neighborhood controversy.
“It was pretty dark out,” he said. “She came up very nonchalant, just spray painted the whole thing.”
Rocky said he tried to be respectful and ask the resident questions, like why she was painting over the rock.
“Her words are that she didn’t want anything political,” he said.
Makarova said she actually thanks the person who keeps painting it over.
“We do have to say, her painting the rock is just amplifying our message,” she said. “We have neighbors who are donating to local organizations, like City of Dreams, every single time that this happens.”
The rock, however, is a longtime platform for political expression.
“Yea, absolutely we paint different things on it,” Makarova said. “Sometimes it just captures the season or a holiday, but very often it’s Pride, it’s ‘resist’, it’s the elections, it’s whatever happening that’s important.”
When asked about capturing the moment with “Black Lives Matter,” she added that it was important to portray a message that is prominently represented in their community.