Black America Is...

Reclaiming our narratives from monolithic stereotypes, Black America Is... defies the idea that there is a singular experience of being Black in America. Instead, highlighting diverse Black stories, we explore the richness and complexity of our culture to create a more authentic portrait of Black identity. Weaving together storytelling and social context, Black America Is... documents joyful, nuanced, and self-defined stories of Black identity.

The project is a multi-screen video installation that highlights the complexity of the Black experience, allowing audiences to engage with the uniqueness that comes with our shared, yet individual experience. Black identity has no limitations. There is power in the freedom of knowing that anything we do or experience as Black people is Black.

At a time when we have very divergent and often polarizing images of the African-American community, we need an opportunity to redefine ourselves according to our real-life experiences. As a race of people, not only do we come from various places and professions, but we also carry various viewpoints that reflect our upbringing and experiences with a racist society. What does freedom look like for a 98-year old descendant of Thomas Jefferson’s slave and how does that differ from an acupuncturist who was inspired by the work of  the Black Panther party’s community acupuncture centers or a Black cop rallying around community reform?

This is a moment in time when the Black community must tell our stories. Stories that go beyond trauma and criminality, which is usually the media’s go-to when talking about the Black experience. In this particular era of racial unrest, we need to educate and highlight our triumphs as a people and not just our pain.

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