It occurred to me the other day that I might lowkey be a hairstylist. Not in real life, but in my work as a picture book illustrator — particularly when it comes to depicting black hair.
It’s important for me to create images of people, especially Black people, in ways that empower and instill a sense of pride in who we are. Historically, black people, indigenous people, people of color in this country were not given the chance to tell our own stories, nor did they have a say in how we were depicted in media.
“What we don’t see, we assume can’t be. What a destructive assumption.” - Octavia Butler
I think about my family, in particular my mother, who struggles with addiction and mental health. She wasn’t often present in my childhood, as she was in and out of prison. I recognize today that a lot of what motivates me is connected to a thought experiment. What might have happened if my mother had access to stories and pictures that made her feel understood, seen, and valued? How might her story have turned out differently?
This work is healing work for me. I feel a significant amount of privilege to tell these stories. Loving ourselves opens up a portal, and it’s my intention to create work that invites us to walk through it. Happy Black History Month, y’all.
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