Chalktivism
One of the advantages of chalk activism is that it is relatively low-cost and easy to do. All you need is a piece of chalk and a surface to write on. This makes it an ideal form of activism for people who want to make a difference but may not have the time or resources for more traditional forms of activism, such as canvassing or leafleting.
Time: Variable
Skill: No technical skills required.
Ages: All ages
Background
Chalk activism refers to the use of chalk to write slogans or draw pictures on sidewalks or other public surfaces as a form of political protest. The practice has a long history, dating back to the early 20th century when Italian immigrants in the United States used chalk to write messages supporting striking workers. In more recent years, chalk activism has been used to raise awareness about a wide range of issues, from police brutality to climate change. The appeal of chalk is that it is relatively easy to obtain and remove, making it an ideal tool for those who want to make a statement without causing permanent damage. However, some cities have enacted laws banning the use of chalk on public property, arguing that it constitutes vandalism. Whether or not chalk activism is legal, it remains an effective way for people to voice their concerns and demand change.
Contemporary chalk activism became popular amongst the vegan community, where the animal rights movement dubbed the activity “chalktivism”. This form of activism involves using chalk to write slogans and messages related to animal rights on sidewalks and other public surfaces. The goal of this type of activism is to raise awareness about animal rights issues and to encourage people to make more compassionate choices in their everyday lives.
Plagued by the question of what more he could be doing to help animals in his everyday life, animal rights activist James DeAlto started laying down some peaceful vegan messages on the footpaths while walking his dogs. To his surprise, he got a great response from non-vegan neighbours as well as the chalk drawing photos he posted on social media. It wasn’t long before his friends caught the chalk bug and started chalking together. James then developed the idea of the Vegan Chalk Challenge (VCC) to encourage other vegans to spread the word in an intriguing way to help make the ‘V’ word a household name. The first international chalking event of September 2015 amassed more than 1,000 vegan rebels, the next event took place in January 2016 attracting 1,600 people.
“For a long time, I had mostly been a student of the vegan/animal rights movement. I spent most of my time reading books, scouring websites, desperately trying to convince friends and family to go vegan, having fruitless debates online, and not actually doing much real-world activism. I felt guilty for not doing more, so I started to think about ways that I could incorporate simple, effective activism into my everyday life.
I walk my dogs every day on a paved greenway where there’s quite a few walkers, runners and bikers. I figured it would be simple enough to write a vegan message on the pavement. So, I bought a box of chalk and did just that. I began posting pictures on Facebook and the response I got was amazing. People absolutely loved what I was doing.
I was motivated to keep going with my “chalktivism” largely because my messages seem to offer a sense of validation in a world where the word “vegan” often carries a stigma. Putting my chalk messages out there gives me a sense of empowerment. It allows me to stand up for animals in a way that minimizes the emotional risk, while still giving me the satisfaction of knowing that what I’m doing is effective.”
Chalk art has long been a tableau for social activism, a form of instant commentary that takes political expression quite literally onto the streets. Cities have at times targeted it, such as in San Diego, where a man was charged with 13 counts of vandalism in 2013 for writing anti-bank messages on a public sidewalk. A jury acquitted him.
In early June of 2020, he began drawing the words “Black Lives Matter” on the street outside of his home, which is on a dead end. He included references to Black people whose deaths in recent years around the country have incited protests over racial injustice.
By the end of the week, a city crew came by with a street sweeper. Some friends came by to draw more, and a cleaning crew again washed them off. They did it again. Then again. At one point, a letter from Police Chief Richard Hayes arrived addressed to Mr. Fabian’s older brother. It said the chalk drawing was, “by definition, graffiti,” and could result in a citation.