A WORD ON AWARENESS

SEPTEMBER 2021

I FELL IN LOVE WITH PHOTOGRAPHY IN HIGH SCHOOL. STUDYING THE WORKS OF ROY DECARAVA AND GORDON PARKS.

Photographers who had Black skin as I do and captured Black folks in a manner that I could feel their beauty and be enraptured by it.

I loved photography so much that I pursued it by working in the magazine publishing industry for ten years. First, I became enthralled in the world of fashion magazines, working at the likes of Instyle, and then in my last role at Men’s Health Magazine.

Working in a corporate media space meant as a visual editor meant that I was usually first in line to see the terrible things that happen to bodies like mine in all its graphic glory. I often had to show restrain-see separate my Blackness from my work self. Because if not, I would get an on slot of “Why aren’t you happy? And  What is your problem?” 

In reality, the “problem” was that; bearing witness to carelessness for me and mines was exhausting.

 I was exhausted

Exhausted from the brutality

Exhausted from the performance

Exhausted from being the happy negro

Exhausted from appeasing whiteness to stay safe 

So often, the retort for sharing violent images of bodies. People reduced to bodies and void of their humanity is that it will bring awareness. Awareness is not action, my guy. The photos that recently came out of Haitian refugees being whipped by white men on horseback bear a startling resemblance of Slaves in cotton fields being hit by white men on horseback. 

It bears the question of how much awareness do we need before we take action. If 100s of years of “awareness” have not delivered actionable results, to IDK end police brutality and the like. I am not sure what the impact of seeing people reduced to their bodies instead of their being will do. 

With Grace, Sinikiwe

Highly Favored

 Resmaa Menakem chats with Robin Diangelo (everyone’s favorite anti-racism educator ☠️☠️☠️). In a beautiful conversation.

The term Girl Boss had a real moment to my chagrin. This article talks about the downfall of Girlboss culture (we love to see it)

Lama Rod Owens shares a beautiful practice for working with self-doubt.

 S - Seeing
 N - Naming
 O - Owning
 E - Experiencing
 L - Letting go
 L - Letting it float