And no, this is not a parody.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell unveiled the 24-foot-tall steel statue of a hair pick, by artist Hank Willis Thomas.
“The enormous sculpture recalls the Black power movement of the 1960s, when the silhouettes of hair pick combs and raised fists were symbols of racial identity and political activism. On Saturday afternoon, passersby paused to take photographs of the prominent new cultural symbol across St. Charles Street from Gallier Hall, the former City Hall.”
Mayor Cantrell says the city is spending $7.2 million to recognize "local black and brown artists," and their artwork would be displayed around public buildings in New Orleans for Juneteenth.
As Jason Whitlock wrote “Imagine being mayor of a major city, spending money on a monument that depicts the accomplishments of black people, and deciding on a hair pick. They would recall a white mayor for demeaning us. Instead, we'll shout "Yaass Queen" and pretend nothing is wrong.”