Black-owned gallery Downtown vandalized on its one month anniversary

Exactly one month ago, Black-owned art gallery BLAQK House Collections opened Downtown on First Avenue. On Monday, they marked their one-month anniversary by sweeping up broken class after vandals shattered the window and door of their building.

Nicky Jo Dawson, co-owner of the gallery along with Cynthia Kenderson, believes the attack was racially motivated, as no art or other goods were stolen from the gallery, and believes the gallery was targeted because it's a Black woman-owned business.

"It was definitely personal," says Dawson, "and I think it had a lot to do with us being [one of] the only Black-owned businesses Downtown, and that we're women and we celebrate diversity throughout the LGBTQIA community."

But Dawson also says she was heartened by the amount of support from other Downtown businesses, and from community members who donated money and helped clean up the glass and debris.

"The community showed out immediately," says Dawson. "[They] have offered their funds, offered their bodies, they were in here cleaning. They were sharing posts, contacting local contractors."

While most of the glass was swept up, and the broken windows are boarded up with wood, Dawson and Kendrickson plan on making the most of the situation, and turning it into new art. Some of the glass was saved to be repurposed into art, and they plan on getting a local artist to paint over the wood covering the windows.

The gallery is temporarily closed as they handle repairs, and Dawson says they will lose a couple weeks of business — the gallery has already hosted weddings, funerals, and parties. Community members who want to support the gallery can donate via Cash App ($blaqkops) or PayPal ([email protected]).

Dawson also suggests visiting the gallery's Facebook page and purchasing a piece from their "captivity corner" collection, which features works from people being held at state prisons in Pennsylvania. While 100% of the proceeds from these sales go to the artists, Dawson says it helps in other ways.

"By helping them, you're helping us," says Dawson. "It provides us comfort, solace, inspiration knowing that at least we're still able to help our brethren and sistren in captivity."