I am #representationmatters ally by helping amplifying melanated voices through my photography work. Documenting of African people and culture is what I do on a daily. Working with PICHA has given me the opportunity of shooting African stock images. Through PICHA African photographers are presented with the opportunity to contribute to the library. By showcasing work that represents us. Images that push boundaries and misconceptions about Africa.
The movement is important to me because I am a black African woman that would like to see fellow black women living their best lives and achieving their highest goals. I want black women to be inspired the way I've been inspired by women in my family to be confident, strong willed and ready to put in the work to achieve their wildest dreams. I am part of this Visual Activist Campaign with hopes of adding value and making a change while we amplify melanated voices by sharing their stories.
It speaks volume for all african communities to engage change in all aspects of life.
I am always happy to see Africans learn languages from other countries in Africa, better yet when it is a foreigner taking the time to learn and speak the local language.
With the internet, the globe has been so interconnected that it is possible for local talent to be exposed on an international level.
The fact that it has created alot of opportunities.
Children learn by picking up what is presented to them by society. The influence on our society in certain aspects by Westernization has in turn polluted our children. We forget what matters, we have forgotten the true meaning of education, skillset, beauty, and we are losing our touch with nature and our traditions. We are living by other people's philosophies. Living in Turkey I see how mixed emotions and curious the locals are towards our kind. If we want our children and their children to be conscious then Representation matters. Represent who you truly are and use diversity to do that.
I lived in South Korea up until last year and I always felt like I had something to prove as a black person. like, because of all the stereotypes and misunderstanding or lack of it. I was always try to prove that ...something like, black people are smart too, they are not naive or dumb. and they are people just like you. we love, we feel and cry and laugh just just you if not more.
I am from Kenya and i have to witness discrimination on a different level. with us it's different; it involves power amongst masses on the basis of ethnicity and identity. it is unfair because, at some point, the hope of becoming someone amongst the growing dynasties dims out. truth is, it is not about black or white. it is bigger. it is about power. we need to decide who is worthy of wielding it.
Since my childhood times as I grew many are the times I was put to silent whenever I heard something important to add in a conversation that really mattered, because I didn't have a stable family and nothing really made sense in my life at that time, until one time I met one person who believed in me, gave to me a listening ear and change how I used to think everyone See's me.
There are many examples but the one that stands out is my 5 year sojourn in India and how it affirmed the fact that I was a special being. 🥰🥰
Collaborating with melanated people by producing bodies of work which are photographic. Visual activism is vital because as a photographer I have a responsibility to tell the truth.
one of the best experiences that moved me as an afro-descendant is the power to access and acquire knowledge and experience of my Origin and understand my culture better to a level that I can stand up as an African and define my self.
The black man who saved a baby from a storey building and was later awarded French citizenship. It takes an exceptional deed for people to recognize a black person and inadvertently the rest of the world accepts that we are exceptional. It is up to us to prove it.
I really get upset every time I am asked the question; are these truly made in Kenya or did you just download this on the Internet.
Guys could rubbish my opinions but I thank God for bringing someone who could take my suggestions seriously and he made me feel wanted .
Funny thing the recent #VogueChallenge that was rather very controversial moved me because I got to see so much talent from the continent. It really amazed me to see all the work that mainstream magazines are missing out on because of their narrow perspective of talent on the continent
We are beautiful,well developed, not at the level of other countries but we have so much more to behold and visual representation should show the whole world how rich we are in culture and resources.
The colonization of Africa by the Europeans polluted the African heritage. The African history has been through the eyes of the Europeans making Africans lose their cultural roots. We have been programmed into blindly adopting a religion, a political system paradigm that we cease to grow.
Over the years we've had African stories being told by people for whom it is not a reality. We've seen over glorification and in some instances under reporting of the said stories. This has pushed me towards championing for the stories to be told as is, by someone living in the eye of the storm and not from the sidelines looking in
Africa is beautiful full of beautiful people and i saw it once i start capturing photography of people ..its a different experience.
It will definitely have to be the movie, Black Panther. Nothing can beat the beautiful description of Africa through Wakanda. Though it may not be real, I believe it strived to put Africa on the map and change the overall outlook of our wonderful continent from the mode of dressing, to the language, culture, and our way of life. It gave the afro-descendants a sense of identity and pride that is un-matched and made Africans feel they are stronger than they think they are.
a friend of mine once told me she rarely felt beautiful growing up because of her skin color. She was dark skinned and unfortunately in this imperfect world there exists something called colorism among black people where lighter complexion is considered more beautiful than dark skinned people and that really can destroy someones self esteem especially that of young women and girls so i decided to change that narrative and show people that everyone is beautiful and that diversity is what adds to the beauty.
The American incident whereby a police officer shot a black American in his car and infront of his friends and relatives when he had not resisted arrest.
How the society is promoting sexualism... Moved me to become an activist. Society encourages the female folks to embrace certain body looks and look down upon other body types. Our society applauds conformity rather than individuality
I am someone who has spent a vast amount of time in countries where being a minority race is faced with negativity and racism, I have also spent a vast amount of time in countries where you are faced with Xenophobia. Having experienced both, I spent a lot of time trying to prove that i am not those stereotypes or misconceptions. As much as its a tedious and sometimes futile task to do, It important for me to show that there is more to my race than stereotypes or there is more to my country than its negative representation.
Sharing picture showingbthe stories of the untold stories deep in maasai land
All Black Lives matter movement
An experience that has really been proving to me that the narrative is changing is the tourism culture in Kenya. Travel and tourism for the longest time was associated with people coming in from other countries coming to enjoy the beautiful weather that is in the country otherwise known as summer bunnies. That however has changed as more Kenyans are now embracing the beauty of the land and that really raised the revenue collected from domestic tourism during the Covid-19 period. Part of my photography skill was nurtured in these trips because every destination ha its own unique experience and I get to tell of the beauty of diversity in our country.
Shooting and editing to my satisfaction
I was once denied freedom of speaking my mother tongue in my country because someone else from a Western country felt uncomfortable with me speaking yet they spoke in a different language that I too could not understand
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