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Youth Voices for Vision Zero SF

By
Christine Osorio
Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Starting in the month of February, Muni buses and transit shelters will feature youth artwork illustrating Vision Zero traffic safety messages. The students are part of Youth Art Exchange (YAX), an arts-education non-profit based whose mission is to support San Francisco’s public high school students in becoming leaders, thinkers, and artists by sharing creative practices with professional artists. As part of Supervisor Norman Yee’s District 7 participatory budget process, YAX students consulted with SFMTA staff to develop traffic safety messages and artwork that reflect their experiences around traffic safety.

Image Title: Traffic Deaths Are Preventable. 41% of pedestrian collisions occur in a crosswalk. Image shows at stop light with two pedestrians in crosswalk. Side message says: Youth Voices for Vision Zero SF. Traffic safety messages designed by Youth Art Exchange students, project funded by Supervisor Norman Yee as part of the 2019 District 7 participatory budget process. Designed by Casey Tang, Abraham Lincoln High School using cyanotype, hand-carved block print, and digital platforms. Vision Zero logo. Youth Art Exchange Logo

Themes highlighted through Youth Voices for Vision Zero SF include general traffic safety such as:

  • Yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk.
  • Slowing down.
  • Understanding that traffic deaths are preventable.
  • Watching for people biking.
  • Not blocking the sidewalk with a scooter.

The student artwork also included Covid-specific safety messaging to wear a mask while riding Muni.

Using street signs as inspiration, the students worked with mediums including hand-carved block prints, cyanotype (a printing process that uses light to create a cyan blue color, while areas that do not receive light remain white), and digital illustrations to create the final compositions.

YAX focuses on serving youth of color and low-income youth, and is rooted in the Excelsior neighborhood, which has a high concentration of high schools and the largest population of teenagers in the city. Because [x]space (Youth Art Exchange’s public arts hub) is within walking distance of high schools, and many of the students walk, bike and take Muni to [x]space to attend after-school programs, the students are uniquely positioned to speak about their experiences and insights regarding walking and biking.

Given the limitations of after-school program closures due to Covid-19, Youth Art Exchange closed its in-person activities and pivoted to digital programming in 2020. Youth artists worked remotely and collaboratively, meeting weekly to develop and design this body of artwork around the theme of traffic safety.

Spot these Youth Voices? Post a photo and tag @youthartx, @VisionZeroSF, #YouthVoicesforVisionZero

Image title: Come to a Complete Stop. Speeding Kills. Slow down. Image shows cart at crosswalk stopped for person in wheelchair. Side message says: Youth Voices for Vision Zero SF. Traffic safety messages designed by Youth Art Exchange students, project funded by Supervisor Norman Yee as part of the 2019 District 7 participatory budget process. Designed by Jodi, Abraham Lincoln High School using printmaking and digital platforms. Vision Zero logo. Youth Art Exchange Logo

 

Image upper left title: Respect Bicycles. Watch for people biking. Image shows bicycle. Image lower left title: Pay Attending to Your Surroundings. Everyone makes mistakes, no one should die from them. Image shows child on skateboard in the air with car at intersections with stop sign. Center Image title: Senior and Children are Present. Pedestrians have right of way. Image shows senior with cane hold child's hand. Upper right image title: Respect bicycles. Just 5 miles over the limit is twice as likely to kill. Image shows 7 images of bicycles interspersed with 7 images of cars. Lower right image title: Safely park your scooter. Don't block sidewalks. Image shows scooters along sidewalk, three pedestrians on crosswalk nearby

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Image Title: Stay Safe. Wear a Mask on Muni. Image shows buses. Side message says: Youth Voices for Vision Zero SF. Traffic safety messages designed by Youth Art Exchange students, project funded by Supervisor Norman Yee as part of the 2019 District 7 participatory budget process. Designed by Hannah MacDonald, Lowell High School using cyanotype, hand-carved block print, and digital platforms. Vision Zero logo. Youth Art Exchange Logo

Image Title: It Stops Here. Pedestrians have right of way. Image shows car and bus at stop sign with pedestrians in crosswalk. Side message says: Youth Voices for Vision Zero SF. Traffic safety messages designed by Youth Art Exchange students, project funded by Supervisor Norman Yee as part of the 2019 District 7 participatory budget process. Designed by Casey Tang, Abraham Lincoln High School using cyanotype, hand-carved block print, and digital platforms. Vision Zero logo. Youth Art Exchange Logo

Artwork by:

Jodi, Abraham Lincoln High School

Hannah MacDonald, Lowell High School

Casey Tang, Abraham Lincoln High School

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