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Kicking Off Pride with Solange Aguilar’s Moving Tribute to Nex Benedict

A photo of Nex Benedict wearing a White Button up shirt with a Black Vest with their hands in the pockets of their black pants against a starry sky, Nex Benedict is standing in front of a halo-like circle and is surrounded by flowers.

About the Artwork

It’s Pride Month!

Here at Crushing Colonialism, we are ushering in Pride by highlighting a beautiful and moving tribute to Nex Benedict by Solange Aguilar, a Mescalero Apache, Yo’eme, & Filipinx artist. 

“Nex Benedict was a 16 year old non-binary Chahta student who was beaten to death at their high school in February 2024. Their death is a tragedy and a sobering reminder of what it’s like to be queer in a country that doesn’t honor our traditional ways of queerness. Any time I make a piece to honor someone – both living or dead – I take a lot of care and time making each piece…All of the flowers that surround Nex are native to Chahta Territory. The stars are from the so-called “Oklahoma” skyline. The overall color palette reflects the non-binary flag colors of black, white, purple, and yellow. The cedar around their shoulders is there to send them off in a good way and to put down prayers to all the other queer youth who need it, to the queer youth who deserve to grow up and become elders and have full, happy lives as their authentic selves. Protect Native kids. Protect queer Native kids. Protect trans kids.” -Solange Aguilar (Mescalero Apache, Yo’eme, & Filipinx (Kalinga & Kapampangan)

 
You’ll only find this design for sale In our shop.
A man wearing the Rest in Sacredness Tee in Navy Blue that features a photo of a a starry sky, Nex Benedict is standing in front of a halo-like circle and is surrounded by flowers against a white.
A White Baseball tee is pictured with the Rest in Sacredness design that features a photo of a a starry sky, Nex Benedict is standing in front of a halo-like circle and is surrounded by flowers against a white background.
A woman is wearing the Rest in Sacredness Tank in Black that features a photo of a a starry sky, Nex Benedict is standing in front of a halo-like circle and is surrounded by flowers against a white background.
A Round Button is pictured with the Rest in Sacredness design that features a photo of a a starry sky, Nex Benedict is standing in front of a halo-like circle and is surrounded by flowers against a white background.
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About the Artist

Photo of Solange Aguilar. Solange is standing at a three-quarter angle and is tucking their hair back behind their ear with their left hand. They have two braids with small white flowers in them and they're wearing a red maxi floral print spaghetti strap dress with gold bangles. They are looking into the camera with their head lifted slightly and are standing in front of an out-of-focus natural background. It is golden hour and the lighting is a light orange color with their face illuminated.

Solange Aguilar (They/Ze) is a Mescalero Apache, Yo’eme, & Filipinx (Kalinga & Kapampangan) artist, poet, and zinemaker currently living in Qenepstin, Chumash Territory (Santa Barbara, CA). They are a first place winner in the Santa Barbara Poetry Slam, a recipient of The Pachamama Skillshare and Women’s Creative Collective for Change artist scholarship, and a 2021 fellow from the Artist2Artist program by the Art Matters Foundation.