To counter racism, race and racial identity must be important in politics and policies. By noticing race we can challenge the state, the institutions of civil society, and ourselves as individuals to combat the legacy of inequality and injustice inherited from the past. By noticing race we can develop the political insight and mobilization necessary to make the U.S. a more racially just and egalitarian society. Americans should embrace and celebrate the racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity that make the United States unique. My proposal for the slave memorial is based off a core idea of a multifaceted symbolism of a tree. • It is literally the center of the fountain which footprint is that of a slave ship. • It is representative of slave owner traders which conducted their business under a shaded tree, specifically Swahili slave traders in Ndola • The unfortunate reminder of lynching/hanging of slaves • Symbolic icon for the “family tree” and/or bloodline of the slaves • The “tree of life” which portrays the idea of progress and accomplishments of those who were slaves The center of the fountain serves as the safe-keeper of the tree. The chosen site is the West Potomac River Park, which is surrounded by cherry blossom trees that provide a soothing environment for the piece. The tree chosen for the center of the memorial is a massive cotton tree that measures an equivalent to a ten story high building, similar to that of the native “Cotton Tree” in Freedomtown, Sierra Leone, tying back to the African roots. The fountain is composed of two pieces. The bottom piece measures 167’x667’, which is roughly 1/3rd size of the reflective pool across the Lincoln Memorial. It serves as the base of the fountain and has inscriptions throughout the entire piece of famous slave and freedom related quotes by powerful iconic figures throughout history. It is 9” in height, forcing the viewer to kneel down in order to read the inscriptions, putting them in the same vulnerable position slaves were when they were forced to kneel down to their owners. The second piece, measure 161’x660’ and is also 9” in height. The top face of the fountain is cloaked in a lightweight material that serves in place of actual water. It is a lakebed of thousands of 10”x10” shimmering metal [aluminum] squares that evoke a dry lake with movement caused by the natural air or generated wind. At night, in-between the two sandwiched pieces, red light is projected around the edge of the fountain articulating its shape and also illuminating the memorial fountain, creating a contrast between the surrounding monuments’ white light that elucidate them.