@dear_Ivanka

This Friday January 20th is Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration; a president that has not been elected by the majority of the voters and which campaign was built around populist, demagogical, racist, homophobic and misogynist slogans. This extreme populist right on the raise globally (like in Britain with Brexit, or Le Pen in France) is just masking a more bitter truth, a profound economical inequality that is spreading everywhere. The cause? As author Jane Meyer shows in her book “Dark money” (Doubleday, 2016) - one of New York Times books of the year - a network of some of the richest people on the planet whose core beliefs (that taxes are a form of tyranny; that government oversight of business is an assault on freedom) are just a way to advance their personal and corporate interests, disregarding pollution, workers safety, securities and tax laws. In this light, Trump is their ideal candidate, who is going to serve them best. Trump is just the tip of the iceberg of a global system that is threatening our hard won democracies. And their way to win is through this populist and demagogical agenda that taps into people’s fears and dissatisfaction to further their business and economical plans. Sadly the people who voted for him are the ones who are going to keep on loosing the most.

But on the bright side, civil disobedience, protests and resistance are again on the raise. We are all forced to become activists, and generate awareness and try to preserve our rights and freedoms. This Saturday 21st, a day after the inauguration there will be a March in Washington and in every other city of the US. This historic and peaceful events are a global call to march in support of equality and promote civil rights. And human rights festival, screenings and talks are disseminating everywhere.

And example of this is the collective of NY artists called “HALT Action Group” (HAG) who through their Instagram account @dear_Ivanka (please follow) are posting glamour shots of the future First Daughter captioned with messages that express anxiety over the hate crimes that will likely happen during Trump's presidency. They did a first peaceful protest in a very serious and somber mood, with electric candles and signs, in front of the Puck Building - which is located on Houston and Lafayette Streets and is owned by her husband Jared Kushner's family, and where they reportedly own a penthouse apartment – before marching to the Trump SoHo hotel. The intent of the protest was to ask Ivanka to denounce her father's actions and implore him to put a stop to the rampant racism, anti-Semitism, misogyny and homophobia since his election.

Again this past Monday 16th (4 days before inauguration) around 200 artists, curators, writers, and art workers gathered this time in front the Plaza Hotel (owned by Trump) to walk to Invanka’s residence in 5th avenue and 59th street to help her move to Washington. This time the event with more humor invited every participant to create a box – for the moving – with things they should not forget in their new home in Washington. Among those: climate change awareness, affordable healthcare, women’s rights, LGBT rights, immigrants rights, tax regulations, emotional intelligence, compassion, etc. The list is long…