“Shades of Black”

“The colored one” is a phrase that I will never discard from my memory. It was an expression used to describe me by a woman as she pointed directly at me. I was 12 years old and oblivious to the plight of African Americans in this country. It was at this moment where I first experienced the feeling of being an outcast because of the color of my skin. From “Colored” to “Negro” to “African American”. Oh how I am tired of the racial labels. Oh how I am tired of systemic racism and police brutality. Oh how I roll my eyes and shake my head as another person asks “can I touch your hair?” I am peeved and offended by society’s Eurocentric standards of “beauty”.

Growing up seeing nothing but Eurocentric representation in models, Barbie dolls, magazines, TV shows, cartoons, movies etc. while seeing mainly negative images of people who look like me can be damaging to ones self esteem and confidence. This is why I made the decision to photograph and display the beauty of African Americans. My goal is to showcase our natural features, different skin complexions, hair textures, and physical characteristics. The objective is to demonstrate to young African Americans and the rest of the world that beauty comes in all colors, shapes and sizes. Oh how I am proud to exhibit the beauty and strength of my people