About

UNARMED is an ongoing art project in memoriam of black victims of police violence.

Our mission is to honor the fallen, work to change a system that should protect us, and hold those that harm us accountable.

Founder Raafi Rivero created the first Unarmed jersey in 2013, not long after the acquittal of Trayvon Martin's murderer.

Each jersey is designed in the colors of a victim's local sports team. The jersey number is the person's age. Stars, if present, represent how many times the person was shot.

 

The iconic image of Martin, smiling in his red Hollister t-shirt, reminded me of an image from my own kitchen as a teen – next to a different set of wires, and wearing a hoodie with a fly Cross Colours zip-up. 

It was around that time in life when the outside world started treating me differently. Like a threat. A trend that continues unabated decades later.

People die because of racism. And at the hands of the police, black people die in higher numbers than anyone else.

Unarmed salutes #BlackLivesMatter, Colin Kaepernick, and all soldiers in the struggle for racial justice and an even playing field.

Raafi Rivero
Brooklyn, NY
June, 2020

 

 

THE FALLEN
Each jersey features the name of a victim of police violence and is in the colors of a local sports team.

THE HALL OF FAME
Each jersey features the name of a hero who fought and bled for civil rights.

 

Ethics

Unarmed is committed to social justice and charitable efforts.

100% of net proceeds from the Fallen series will be donated to a variety of charitable organizations:

–  1/3 Victim family fund

–  1/3 Local social justice organization in victim's community

–  1/3 National social justice organization