A former 5Pointz graffiti artist from Long Island City has become an unlikely hero in fighting the recent surge of antisemitism in New York City and around the world.
Fernando ”SKI” Romero, a Dominican-American artist born and raised in Astoria recently unveiled his latest mural on the outer wall of SoHo hotspot Vig Bar on Spring and Elizabeth streets featuring a towering portrait of Tibor Baranski, a Hungarian-American who rescued more than 3,000 Jews during the Holocaust.
“I’m not Jewish, but I’ve painted in Israel and am blown away by the Jewish experience,” Romero said. “We all have the ability to fight for peace. I look forward to continuing to spread love, and positivity in areas where people need it most.”
In recent months, the Queens Jewish community has been alarmed by antisemitic incidents such as the spray-painted swastikas discovered in Forest Park and the NYPD removing a man shouting anti-Jewish slurs at Queens College. On Feb. 13, the American Jewish Committee released its latest “State of Antisemitism in America” report that revealed that 46% of Jews feel less secure about their status in the U.S. than they did a year ago, and 9 out of 10 Jews believe antisemitism is a serious problem in the U.S.
“Jews should not be afraid to be Jewish in America. The fact that more people are hiding their Judaism by changing their behavior is more evidence that hate is rising,” AJC New York Director Josh Kramer said. “Jews like every other group should be able to walk New York City streets openly and proudly without fear. Our city is made up of thousands of beautifully diverse communities and it is incumbent upon us all to stand together against rising hate in all its forms.
Fernando did just that 13 years ago when he joined forces with other top urban artists from around the world to participate in the “Righteous Among the Nations Global Mural Project,” an initiative of the nonprofit, Artists 4 Israel. The goal is to empower the…
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