Chinese shadow puppetry from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) inspires the method of storytelling of Phoenix’s redlined communities who have been greatly affected by heat injustice. Their stories of resilience will be represented through silhouetted imagery adorned on two large-scale Chinese Chorizo shaped umbrellas. These umbrellas will be showcased in the spring of 2025 at Eastlake Park, a historic landmark for civil rights and a vital community center for the Black community.  

The sausage shapes of the sculpture take inspiration from a symbol of solidarity, the Chinese Chorizo. Chinese Chorizo is a lost delicacy originating from more than 100 Chinese grocery stores that once existed from the 1880’s to the 1970’s in Tucson and Phoenix. Located in red-lined districts and racist covenants, these grocery stores offered mutual aid in the form of credit to communities of color who resided in these areas. In turn, the Chinese grocers who faced discrimination from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, were able to build viable lives within these neighborhoods. Building strong bonds ensured survival for all, especially during times of hardship. The Chinese Chorizo recipe, developed by Chinese grocers, revived scraps of meat with red wine, Mexican spices and chilies. In this way, the Chinese Chorizo mirrors the immigrant experience: maximizing meager resources into a triumph of perseverance.

8 curated stories from the community surrounding Eastlake Park, and the adjacent redlined district will be the subject matter of the artwork depicted on the final Chinese Chorizo piece. From that selection, 3 oral stories will be recorded from the original storytellers and the audio will be played during the sculpture opening.