Friday Night Live: Colour ROM Proud
I had the amazing opportunity to be included in Friday Night Live: Colour ROM Proud. I want to thank Bi or Bye for reaching out to me to showcase my photo series ‘Ever Changing, I am Womxn’ with an incredible group of queer artists.
I am so grateful to have showcased work in The Royal Ontario Museum. Getting a chance to take a trip to the museum was always a treat when I was younger, however now that I am older and now that I can reflect on what I have learned, I can honestly say that I wanted and deserved more. There are so many people of colour that want to see versions of themselves presented more accurately in history that relates to us.
With the photo series ‘Ever Changing, I am Womxm’ I wanted to prompt a conversation around why young women of colour feel shame in being prideful of their bodies. As I grow older and learn more about who I am, I feel like my femininity is questioned and seen as less than while being a queer woman of colour. I’ve sometimes felt unworthy of being a strong Black woman, when I’ve had thoughts about masturbation, sexuality and owning who I am through sex. I, like many others, was taught about black history through black and white photography, and biographies tied to a heroic and honorable past. Through this series I wanted to know how I could create and modify what I thought strong to be. Being a strong woman is who I am and who I’ve been encouraged to be, however I haven’t always owned my full potential.
Thank you to The Royal Ontario Museum for allowing my work to be seen.
