This piece highlights an issue that has affected my family personally during Covid. My husband and his family are Chinese, so Covid has unfortunately been quite hard for us, dealing with fear of hostilities and physical violence towards the Asian community. During the past 2 years, with Covid at it's height, I've worried for my husband's safety on his way to and from work each day using public transit. Never knowing if he might be the next target because of his appearance. I've also worried a lot about the well-being of my gentle and caring Mother-in-Law, who could also be a victim if she happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time...Over the past year alone, there have been numerous violent attacks on local Canadian citizens and residents, simply because of their perceived Asian ethnicity, whether or not they are actually Chinese (as some people have chosen to take racist action against anyone of Asian descent, especially Chinese descent, by lashing out at innocent victims to assuage their Covid frustrations). It's a horrible thing to see happening anywhere in the world, let alone in our own "backyard." As a family, we are people who love to travel. Obviously, during Covid, the restrictions and border closures are in place for a reason. Safety and caution come first for everybody's sake. But in spite of the violence and fear that still looms, we don't want fear to stop us from travelling in the future. The world is connected in a way that never would have been possible in the past. We are all human and we all share the same planet, together. This piece highlights the rough and turbulent times we are currently enduring. And it still evokes symbols and images of travel: A hope that sometime, in the not so distant future, we will all be able to travel freely again, without the fear of racist hate crimes and scapegoating. I've used a variety of techniques in this piece, including acrylic paint, texture and crackle mediums, digital images and digital editing/layering to create the final combined effect. The rough implied textures give a sense of unease, but the imagery lends a nod to the future, in which we will all be able to travel again, collecting passport stamps and plane tickets on our journeys. We are all connected, and the best form of justice we can achieve it to realize that fact, act accordingly, with love and respect for others, regardless of their skin colour, place of origin, or personal beliefs. Canada is a cultural mosaic, and we need to continue to be a beacon of hope for the world, as a place that welcomes foreigners to our communities and values them for the skills, insights and knowledge they bring with them. We are better together. This piece is available as a licensed print in a range of sizes upon request. It is shown here as a 42" h x 30" w print, but can be offered in alternate sizes. Please contact Gallea to inquire.