In Loving Memory | Demontris Toliver
Demontris Toliver did what any other 25 year old from New Orleans does on Thanksgiving, or their birthday- or on Mardi Gras or Jazzfest or for a family event- he came home. It was during this most banal and simple of acts that Demontris was shot and killed on Bourbon Street early Sunday morning, guilty of nothing besides wanting to come home to celebrate.
Demontris called himself an artist and exhibited this fact through his chosen professions and life. He worked hard to bring positive voice to his chosen skills through tattoo and other forms of expression of self and voice to others.
A graduate of O. Perry Walker who excelled in gifted arts, his work was shown in multiple shows during his time in High School. Demontris’ family stated that he also attended NOCCA. Though he did not graduate from NOCCA, it is irrelevant whether this young artist spent a day or a High School career with us. He was a young artist. As Dr. King continues to remind us, we are our brother’s keepers because we are our brother’s brother. Demontris was our young artist because he was a young artist from Louisiana.
It is impossible to come to a place where this makes sense. I, like so many of you, have chosen to raise my child in this community and this state. I am around 600+ of the most extraordinary young people everyday who will change this world, if given the chance to grow old enough to do so. It is a narrative that I lose sleep over every night, that idea of not safe enough in our own city and our own state.
We have a place so rich and wonderful that every 25 year old wants to come home to New Orleans, wants to come home to Louisiana. I want my son, every son and daughter of NOCCA, and this son that I got to know for far too short of a time to come home and make this place better with their voice, their love, their life, and their art. But they have to be safe to do it. They have be able to pursue their life here and not live under the fear of losing it.
Far too often we come together to keen at the loss of those younger and more full of possibility than ourselves. This will be one of those times. May our future have us coming together for weddings, for birth announcements, for opening nights, for gallery premiers, and feature holiday cards with children and parents growing older.
My thoughts and prayers, and those of the NOCCA Community, go out to the family of Demontris Toliver. Those thoughts and prayers are also for all of us in this community as there is one less artistic voice, one less difference maker in our midst.
Kyle Wedberg, President | CEO NOCCA