Street Activist LEBA to Release 1,700 Balloons from DTLA Rooftops in Honor of Fallen Afghanistan Soldiers

Street work by LEBA.

L.A. street activist LEBA will take his current social awareness mission to the sky on Thursday, October 13, at 7pm. Armed with 1,700 balloons, LEBA and five volunteer groups will release the balloons from the rooftops of five of Gallery Row's tallest buildings in downtown L.A. As the main component of Project: Remember, LEBA's public art project that provides the fallen soldiers of Afghanistan with a voice, each balloon will be lit and tagged with the name of a late soldier.

The display's intentions are admirable; its scope impressive. As one of L.A.'s most politically mindful and responsible artists, LEBA voices his concerns and motivations to create Project: Remember. "It has taken 10 years, 1600 United States military dead, and over 1 million civilians killed, to kill one man, Osama Bin Laden. Now that we've got him, it's time to heal our country. Let's support our troops by bringing them home, to their families and lives, before we add one more balloon to the sky."

Coinciding with the Downtown L.A. Art Walk, Project: Remember also includes a fundraising art show at The Loft Salon. Deemed ground zero for the evening, the show begins at 8pm, wraps at 11pm and features prominent as well as up-and-coming L.A. street artists. The show is free, and art proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.

Additionally, Brave New Foundation championed a fundraising project to spread the word about Project: Remember and to bring our troops home. It reached (and surpassed) its $300 Kickstarter goal on September 25. Interested supporters can still donate to the cause via the foundation's Rethink Afghanistan and sign a petition urging Congress to return troops home safely.

On a special green note, Project: Remember is designed as an eco-friendly project. Each balloon is biodegradable, made with natural and recycled materials when possible and will be filled with only enough helium to reach a height just above the buildings from which they are released. They will drop in populated areas, and organizers hope they will drop onto Art Walk grounds, as 6,000 people are expected to attend. Balloons are all works of art, complete with project information, and organizers feel people will be encouraged to retrieve the balloons and, in turn, participate in the campaign.