I have been a big fan of Skye’s photography since I first saw it via a friend’s Instagram feed. Their work has so much power and conviction. When I contacted them to be part of the Heart and Soul project I explained I was celebrating some of the amazing Womxn in the city. They told me they loved the idea, but they did not identify as a Womxn, they identify as non-binary. This opened up the project to an even broader level of representation, and helped me understand so much more about my new friend.

I want to share a bit of what Skye wrote to me after I asked them to be part of the project, “I think including Black gender variant femmes/trans folx is really important. We are disproportionately harmed, seconded only by Black women. The erasure of an intrinsic part of my identity is something I face often. As a queer body, people don’t see you and that leaves us vulnerable to harm from all directions, even within our own community".”

I am grateful that Skye took the time to help me understand them. Opening myself up to empathy and understanding is my number one goal as we move through so many cultural and community changes. Respecting pronouns and how people are identified and addressed is very important. It is a way to make sure everyone feels seen. One of my youth artist in this project also identifies as non binary , learning about Skye made them feel represented, they were able to connect with Skye and choose to work on their photos. This made the project become even more meaningful for all of us. Our capacity for learning about one another, growing, and changing is everlasting.

Coming September 2020, ‘Heart and Soul’ is a photo installation project that was created to elevate the voices of some of Cincinnati’s amazing Black Womxn. Commissioned by Artworks and funded by FotoFocus I worked with 8 youth apprentices to make mini murals created with painted photos that will be wheat pasted on Black Owned businesses around Cincinnati.