Community, Sisterhood, and Creating Space – Lessons from Episode 10

Learning how to occupy your space and demand the respect and visibility you deserve is scary. Not just as a human being but as a woman and especially a woman of color our very bodies are politicized long before we have a voice to articulate our wants and needs. There are centuries-old guard rails in place that prod us, non-to-gently into conforming to a form of Blackness that will not disrupt the status quo. These definitions were not created with our opinions in mind nor with our permission. Yet everything about the world around us tells us how much space we're allowed to take up. As long as we perform and act in the approved ways, we are permitted to occupy that tiny space without retribution.

Often times, I have looked at other women, especially women in high positions in absolute amazement of their fearlessness. In my mind, there must be something that differentiated them for me. There must be a boldness and a lack of fear that I was somehow missing. Because every space that I have occupied, and I have conquered spaces and places that many would envy, I have done so with my heart hammering, willfully holding back my fear of being told that I didn’t belong. And yet, more and more with every conversation I have, I have realized that the feelings of fear, intimidation and quite frankly imposter syndrome are quite normal. Part of the conversation that I had recently with Mariama Jalloh spoke so beautifully to what it feels like to both try to find and make space for yourself as an artist of color.

I can identify with Mariama's recounting of her initial years navigating the NYC creative community. Building networks and communities can be complicated when confronted with systems and institutions built off of elitist barriers.  Having access to the resources necessary to have longevity within the creative community is absolutely vital. It is a bit of an oxymoron, the idea that a community filled with empaths and heart-leading artists can be so exclusive, divisive, and closed off.  Finding spaces for growth and connection can be more complicated than you'd imagine, especially as a creative of color. 

I have found it to be a regular experience to be the only person of color in a space. To be honest, that is not a singular experience.  Many artists of color have to be intentional to seek out and cultivate community with other artists of color.  Often, the highly promoted and advertised training entities, creative communities, and spaces are predominantly white.  Therefore, while we may be permitted to share space, we are often at the disadvantage of not feeling the freedom to fully be our authentically Black and Brown selves. I share Mariama's sentiment that access is the key to creating spaces that are safe enough that Black women creatives can experience unburdened artistic growth.

As is the way with every revolutionary moment in history, when not given the space to be free, the oppressed demand and make space.  This is the unintended silver lining of this moment we stand in.  As our industries are metaphorically burned to ash, there is a new rise in consciousness emboldening Black creatives' voices. Conversations that once stayed relegated to Black Twitter and secret Slack channels have now stripped themselves bare in the public discourse, and I am here for it!  There is such power in releasing the fear of retribution and retaliation, just enough to speak the truth with boldness. There is so much power in that. Black artists and creatives are going out of their way to create and hold space for each other to come together to not only talk but to create. The community is growing in numbers and power. The stories and narratives coming from this time are a healing part of the history of Black sisterhood and survival.  As Mariama reminded me in this episode, art heals.

Mariama Jalloh, Founder of Jalloh Studio

Black artists and other artists of color play a very important role when it comes to documenting what is happening historically, when it comes to transforming people's lives, being able to inspire other people, being able to heal. Black art in particular is so special because most of the time it talks to our experiences, real life shit we are going through.

So, as we think about what role we will have in the historical narrative playing out on our social media streams, Mariama is clear about how her work with Jalloh Studios will support this current movement.

For me right now, my role is to create space for community, for Black women creators to come to have a central home that they can come to, to find resources, to foster sisterhood, find support, find collaborators, find what they need to be that successful Black woman creative. For us, as Black women creatives and artists, in particular, we have been doing this work every day for a lot of us. Just by showing up to our jobs, creating consistently, creating authentically and with intention, creating stories that speak to our experiences as Black women. Right now especially we need to have the communal perspective, thinking about ways that you can use your platform and a space that you have to amplify the voices of other Black women creatives, people of color who are also doing the work and have thoughts and ideas that they want to share.

This episode is a clarion call for more of us to not only facilitate sisterhood but to prioritize it.

Instagram: @jallohstudios // @seeking_sabr

Website: jallohstudios.com