Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Mar 14, 2026

Jen Reid: mural of Black Lives Matter Bristol protester

Jen Reid: mural of Black Lives Matter Bristol protester

A mural of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) activist Jen Reid has been created to promote anti-racism.

Street artist Mr Cenz painted the boldly coloured portrait, United Souls United Goals, to help "build bridges" between different cultural communities.

Ms Reid was photographed standing on the empty plinth after the Edward Colston statue was toppled during the Bristol march last summer.

She said the mural's message is one of "positivity and unity".

The work was commissioned by a group called The Bristol Eighteen and is located in Stokes Croft, Bristol, directly opposite Banksy's famous Mild Mild West mural.

Jen Reid's husband Alasdair Doggart founded The Bristol Eighteen after the Colston statue was pulled down

The artwork will be completed on 2 April and will use the hashtag #UNITEDSOULSUNITEDGOALS to direct people towards free educational resources on black history.

Ms Reid added: "We (black communities) don't have the support of the government and apparently there is no racism, so we as individuals have to continue the conversation ourselves.

"For us, we wanted to see how could we use this powerful and iconic image for that cause, so we came up with the concept of a mural and it looks absolutely amazing."

The phrase 'Rise up Bristol, stand tall…Bristol's a city for all', written by Bristol poet Lawrence Hoo, is also due to be added to the piece.

Mr Cenz said his mural is a message of "unity"

London artist Mr Cenz said the image is "symbolic" of the Colston statue being pulled down at the Black Lives Matter protest last year.

He said: "Unity is something that I feel quite passionate about coming from London, a very multicultural society just like Bristol, and my kids are mixed race and I mainly paint images of strong black women, so this project fitted perfectly.

"Bristol is a street art Mecca and for me to have a big mural here is great."

Jen Reid posed with her statue, which appeared on the empty plinth where the Colston statue stood before it was pulled down

Ms Reid's husband Alasdair Doggart founded The Bristol Eighteen after the Edward Colston statue was pulled down and was behind the original image of her standing on the plinth.

He said: "I wanted to replicate that image to further the meaning behind it and keep the conversation on anti-racism going.

"It's painting a positive picture to bridge gaps in knowledge and education that will bring people together."

In July last year artist Marc Quinn also paid tribute with his black resin statue, called A Surge of Power, which was meant to be a temporary installation to continue the conversation about racism.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Weak Growth Signals UK Economy Was Faltering Even Before Middle East Energy Shock
Marks & Spencer Tops UK Fashion Retail Rankings as Most Considered Brand
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Royal Navy to Acquire Twenty Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Autonomous Warfare Testing
Russia Summons British and French Envoys After Ukrainian Storm Shadow Strike on Strategic Facility
Starmer Confirms Britain Will Maintain Sanctions on Russia Despite U.S. Policy Shift
UK Moves to Refine AI Definition in Investment Security Reform
UK Economy Stalls in January as Growth Unexpectedly Falls to Zero
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Tesla Secures Approval to Supply Electricity Directly to Homes Across Britain
Prince William Delivers Tribute to Australia’s Naval Alliance Amid Renewed Royal Spotlight on the Country
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ May Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With Trump, UK Defence Secretary Warns
UK Sets April Deadline for Tech Platforms to Strengthen Online Protections for Children
Elon Musk Moves Into Britain’s Energy Market as Tesla Wins Licence to Supply Power
UK Watchdog Warns Fuel Retailers Against Profiteering Amid Iran War Price Surge
Report Claims Iran Used UK Charity Network to Expand Influence
United States and United Kingdom Establish Joint Standards for Counter-Drone Technology
Iran May Be Laying Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz, UK Warns Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
British Troops in Iraq Intercept Iranian Drones Targeting Coalition Base
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
British Airways Suspends UK Repatriation Flights as Middle East Travel Disruption Deepens
US Forces Prepare Ordnance at RAF Fairford as Strategic Bombers Deploy for Middle East Operations
Nigel Farage Faces Criticism After Saying Britain Should Stay Out of Iran War
Landmark UK Trial Begins Over Sony’s PlayStation Store Pricing
UK High Court Rejects Bid to Challenge Britain’s Chagos Islands Agreement With Mauritius
Finnish Duo Triumphs in England’s Annual Wife-Carrying Race, Winning a Barrel of Ale
How U.S. and UK National Security Strategies Are Reshaping the Global Business Landscape
Green Party Gains Momentum as Labour Shifts Toward the Political Centre
Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon Sets Sail for Eastern Mediterranean as Regional Tensions Rise
UK Homebuilder Persimmon Warns Iran Conflict Could Dent Property Buyer Confidence
Roman Abramovich Signals Legal Fight if UK Seeks to Seize Chelsea Sale Funds
UK Ready to Back Emergency Oil Reserve Release as Middle East Conflict Pushes Prices Higher
Study of 40,000 Articles Sparks Debate Over Alleged Anti-Muslim Bias in UK Media
×