At times it can be difficult to express ones feelings when theres overwhelming instances of injustice. Helplessness can often lead to submission and accepting the circumstances surrounding us. Yet it is through these troubling times that there is a need for an alternative form of expression; one that captures the sentiment and allows an appropriate form of catharsis.

Art often emanates thereafter, and a voice, pencil, camera, paint brush, or digital medium becomes the soothing balm to alleviate the pain. An image, a word, or a sound can help us cope and convey the suffering, traversing language, religion or region.

A recent example of this is the #BlackLivesMatter movement:

And as it [movement] grew, it planted seeds in artists minds. And from these seeds grew images of anger, solace, fear, hope, empowerment. Some artists reap signs of peace and serenity, but many find the need to dig deep. For some, it is a call to harvest images of rage. And some crave the therapeutic reprieve that comes from meditating in the garden of pictures they conjure up in their minds (Fogg, 2016).

Since January 16, 2015, an 83-year-old man has been on a hunger strike to bring awareness to Sikh political prisoners in India. Leaving his home in Lathrop, California, Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa (Bapu Ji) began a hunger strike in Hassanpur, Punjab, seeking the release of political prisoners who have completed their sentences.