“I Love Myself When I Am Laughing And Then Again When I Am Looking Mean & Impressive”
- Zora Neale Hurston -
(photo credit Terry Boddie)
I am a seasoned visual artist who was born in San Francisco, CA and received my MA in Arts Politics from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. When I emerged from the Graduate Program at NYU, I had already established a reputation as a trustworthy spiritual ritual photographer. For many years, I have been compelled to examine memorialization and funerary practices of people of the West African diaspora as an excellent illustration of cultural continuity. I am also dedicated to the creation and promotion of positive and empowering images of People of African descent. I have spent more than a decade photographing funerals, memorials and other celebrations all over the world and have taught photography and visual culture in remote villages and urban centers.
My work has been exhibited at the California African American Museum, The MOAD, SOMArts, The African American Art and Culture Complex, The New Museum and numerous private galleries and public art venues in places like Chicago, Detroit, Brooklyn, and Beijing. Additionally, my work is held in the permanent collections of The City of Oakland and the California African American museum. I will also share that I am super proud of having been a participant in the groundbreaking takeover of the New Museum in New York City with a collective called Black Women Artists for Black Lives Matter.
As a Capacity Building Consultant, I help grassroots organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area to gain the skills they need to bring their Social Justice visions into fruition. I assist with the creation of communications plans, strategic plans, board development, program evaluation, process improvement, volunteer management and much more. My work continues today with creative, administrative and technical support of organizations like The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) and with armaking, art exhibition/experience curation and hosting of community based educational presentations.
Today, I live in Oakland, California with my little fur covered angel Brixton, my collection of vintage photos, my Artivist library, tons of old school comic books, vintage cameras, toys and 1980s cartoon memorabilia. I spend my personal time chillin with my pops, sorting photos in my family’s collection, taking close looks at random things, planning to fold my laundry (it never gets done) and dreaming up new perfect man mashups. (My current favorite is Malcolm Gladwell’s mind, Theaster Gates’ creativity and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s body). I enjoy international travel, awaiting the yearly release of Hot Cross Buns and doing my best to do my best.