Partner Spotlight

Meet Shaylen “The Artist” Nelson

The up-and-coming Los Angeles artist will conduct a live painting of George Floyd on Charlotta Bass Day, and then gift it to Floyd’s younger brother, Philonise.

Born in South Los Angeles, Shaylen Nelson has been making art since his youth. In fact, Nelson credits his artistry and career origins to his 5-year-old self, although he never really considered pursuing it as a career until graduating high school. His inspirations and inclinations are pulled from his everyday life, heavily immersed in Afro culture. 

“I love depicting Afro culture whenever I can, from our hairstyles to our sense of identity, music, fashion, and on. It’s something that I think has such a deep history with unique characteristics that are ever-evolving to this day,” explains a passionate Nelson. Many of his artistic creations focus around themes of afrocentrism, and he builds worlds out of his own experiences.

Recently, Nelson unveiled his first ever solo art exhibition: “Roots and Crowns.” This show ran from November 22nd to December 6th, at the Artsy Kidss Facility in LA’s West Adams District, marking a major accomplishment in the career of this dedicated artist. No stranger to cultivating creative, unique ways to show off his talent, Nelson has participated in events like Taste of Soul and Jazz Reggae Fest, and Black Market Flea as a live performance artist.

“I feel we often overlook so many contradicting or questioning moments within our society and my motivation is to shed light on those very overlooked ideas. I think in doing that, it also allows us to self-reflect on ourselves, and find new qualities or thoughts that we never knew we had .” 

On February 11th, Nelson will conduct a live painting of George Floyd, tracking his progress in the hours leading up to our Charlotta Bass Day Celebration. This portrait will be gifted to Philonise and Keeta Floyd, who will be in attendance for the unveiling of our Second Draft Project’s Interactive interviews. Nelson holds a B.A. in Visual Arts (Studio) from UC San Diego, that he obtained in 2021, with Cum Laude honors. He continues to create art all around Los Angeles, with a distinct passion for speaking on the nuances of race and identity.

To see Shaylen in action, make sure to RSVP for our Charlotta Bass Day Celebration: https://annenberg.usc.edu/events/charlotta-bass-day-2025 

About the Author

Unsung Black Press

The Charlotta Bass Journalism & Justice Lab at USC Annenberg is a pioneering research and teaching initiative that is dedicated to preserving the rich legacy of Black media makers. Our series, Unsung Black Press, focuses on little known West Coast Black journalism pioneers who have shaped the field, from the time of abolition to today.

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