[In celebration of 20 years of service we are collecting 20 stories of people and events that helped to shape REMERGE. #20for20. This story was contributed by our ColorATL director and Community Museum curator, William Massey. We invite you to contribute a gift in celebration to honor this milestone.]

I remember the look on Tony’s face when he saw his face, sculpted, towering 22ft high. He looked like a toddler in front of a mountain of stuffed animals. Pure awe, emotion and surprise. He wept. He had started the process of building the artwork with us a few months before, but he wasn’t around for the completion. The sculpture was meant to not just be a portrait of Tony, but all of us – each of us at some point experiencing feeling fragmented, broken, lost and coming apart. I got to see Tony see himself in a new way. Built up with the hands of hundreds of his friends, community members, and supporters. And I haven’t seen many reactions in my life that compare to watching Tony be overwhelmed with how loved he is.

Give your comments