Soul Box Project exhibit at Antioch Library in January
Nationwide, community art project, to raise awareness of gunfire, remember victims
Public invited to participate Jan. 14
By Lisa Dell’Anno
The Contra Costa Library system is showcasing the Soul Box Project, a nationwide, community art project, to raise awareness about the scale of gunfire in the U.S. The project displays thousands of Soul Boxes in public spaces to illustrate the number of victims of gun violence, defense, accidents and suicides.
Every day, Americans must confront the impact of gun violence in their communities. The statistics are mind-numbing: gunfire in 2022 alone killed over 44,000 people in the U.S. In an average year, 3,253 people die and 7,293 are wounded by guns in California. (state’s statistics: EveryStat.org)
Soul Boxes can bring solace to individuals and encourage sharing and healing within our community. A box-making gathering is scheduled to honor Martin Luther King, and to make boxes to honor lives lost to gunfire in Antioch and elsewhere. Anybody can make a Soul Box and have it included in the display.
The Antioch Library showcase installation will include over 1,000 origami Soul Boxes, hand-folded and personalized. Each 3-inch-by-3-inch Soul Box holds space for a gunfire victim with a name, an image or a message of protest or hope. Admission is free and open to the public.
WHEN: Showcase exhibit can be seen during Library open hours during the month of January.
MLK box-making gathering will be Sunday, January 14, 2:00 – 4:00 in the Library Community Room.
Visitors can fold a Soul Box and add it to the exhibit.
To make a Soul Box: download folding instructions and watch an instructional video.
WHERE: Antioch Library, 501 W. 18th Street, Antioch
Artist Leslie Lee, from Portland, Oregon, created the Soul Box Project after the mass shooting in Las Vegas in October 2017. It became a nationwide community art project designed to reveal the growing number of gunfire victims. The Project displays thousands of Soul Boxes in public spaces, illustrating the staggering number of victims of gunfire violence, defense, accidents and suicides. By raising awareness of the number of victims, the Project aims to empower people to choose actions regarding responsible gun use that reflect their values, priorities and beliefs. These actions may span a wide range – gun safety, education, legislation, mental health. Together those actions will help cause a shift in our nation’s culture.
The Project displayed 200,000 Soul Boxes on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in 2021. The exhibit, titled This Loss We Carry, vividly illustrated the staggering number of U.S. victims of gunfire violence, defense, accidents, and suicides in less than 3 years.
Portions of the D.C. exhibit are now being distributed – by request and free of charge – to any individual, group or organization who can use this dramatic visual to bolster their work to end gun violence. View a video clip about the Soul Box Project.
For more information visit SoulBoxProject.org.
Dell’Anno is a former leader in the Diablo Valley chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and now volunteers with The Soul Box Project.
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