Heart and Soul Aliah

Many times throughout the pandemic I have been immensely impressed by young adults. Just like us, they are going through some of the toughest experiences in our lifetime. All of the events and milestones that we have celebrated without thought, have been altered or cancelled for them. They miss their friends and freedom. They are inheriting a world that is deeply divided and hurting, yet their optimism is unwavering. Children and young adults are resilient and strong, we all have so much to learn from them.

Aliah is a high school senior this year. At a young age she is already very responsible and creative. She wrote a very potent piece called Racism in Waldorf which digs into Waldorf founder, Rudolph Steiner’s many lectures which contain openly racist ideas, alongside her own experiences with racism at Waldorf schools.

A small snippet from her piece…

“Just as older conditions which have degenerated to the ape species seem grotesque to us today, so do materialistic races remain at the standpoint of evil, and will people the earth as evil races. I​ t will lie entirely with humanity as to whether a soul will remain in the bad race or will ascend by spiritual culture to a good race.
—Rudolph Steiner, ​Theosophy of the Rosicrucian: ​“The Future of Man” (1907)

Steiner believed that white Europeans were the most superior race, but he also argued that people of other races could ascend to be white through reincarnation (another one of his beliefs) and spiritual awakening. Dr. Peter Staudenmaier, a philosopher from Cornell University, argues: “Waldorf advocates and sympathizers may unknowingly help prepare the ideological groundwork for another unforeseen shift in the broader cultural terrain, in which notions of racial and ethnic superiority and inferiority could once again take on a spiritual significance...in a changed social and political context.” Staudenmaier worries that well-meaning Waldorf teachers may be instilling racism in their charges because although Steiner’s lectures and books are not widely read by ​students​ of Waldorf schools, Waldorf ​teachers​ are required to read his works extensively. Exposure to these harmful ideas may have an impact on how Waldorf teachers handle (or don’t handle) racism in their schools.

Modern Waldorf schools have tried ​to purify​ Steiner’s ideas and accept students of all races and religions. In 1999 the General Council of the Anthroposophical Society in America denied all allegations of racism, announcing: “We explicitly reject any racial theory that may be construed to be part of Rudolf Steiner's writings. The Anthroposophical Society in America is an open, public society and it rejects any purported spiritual or scientific theory on the basis of which the alleged superiority of one race is justified at the expense of another race.” “

I hope the entire work is available for everyone to read soon.

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.

Heart and Soul Skye

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.

Heart and Soul Kimberly

When you become a Mother, you become a worrier, it is inevitable. Your heart is walking around outside of you in a big scary world and every terrible scenario of terror has runs through your head at one point or another. You would sacrifice anything for your children and you want to protect them with everything you have. You love so much it hurts.

Now, I want you to imagine what it is truly like being the mother of a Black child. You are shown day after day that all of those worries in your head are not just your own self induced fears, but real life horrors that are broadcasted daily. No matter how much you know your child is good, that their heart is kind, they will still be seen as a threat to some people. Their beautiful, perfect skin that you have looked at and loved since the day they were born will become a barrier in a world that has been programmed to believe that somehow being born Black is wrong. It makes my heart break every time I think about this, it should make your heart break too.

I created this project to elevate the voices of some of the amazing Black Womxn in our community. I want to celebrate Black Joy because I know there is so much of it that gets ignored, I wanted to celebrate Black success, because as a society when only acknowledge it when it benefits us, usually via entertainment or sports. I want to show you Womxn who who have worked their entire lives to elevate voices in their own community not because of accolades, but because of love. These are Womxn who have carried hope in their hearts despite deep generational pain that has been carried on over and over again. They are mothers who matter, with children who matter, and husbands who matter. The Black Lives Matter movement is necessary because for so many years we have ignored the pain of Black people in our country. We did not want to look at ourselves and admit that we were wrong about so many things. We believed this made up narrative that has been fed to us by a system that benefits from the lies it tells. We are all guilty of buying into a way of life that only benefits a select few people while the others have to work twice as hard just to survive. I am so tired of screaming into the abyss but I keep screaming because my tiredness means nothing when I think of the many years my fellow brothers and sisters of color have been screaming and crying and dying in the name of white supremacy.

I have been showing you lots of pretty photos over the past month. I hope in my heart you have been able to see beyond the beautiful photos to the souls of these absolutely amazing Womxn I have photographed.

I hope it has changed the way you see your neighbor, your co-worker, your friend, a stranger. These are Womxn just like you, they are mothers, healers, artist, friends and wives. They are patiently waiting for you to see them. Begging you to stand up and use your voice to help them. If you have been touched by this project, I hope you have taken the time to look within to see where you have contributed to the problem of racism in your own life. It is not easy, it is uncomfortable. We can be uncomfortable together. It is ok to admit faults, to grow from mistakes, to unlearn old patterns. You are not alone, this is a revolution of our hearts and how we treat fellow human beings.

I wanted to start this post on Kimberly with this info, because her story touched my heart so deeply when I met her. She fell into some serious depression for a period of time. Her depression was triggered by her fear for her son and her husband. Yes, those terrors I talked about that are so real, they paralyzed her. But, her story doesn’t end there. She decided one day she had to get out of bed, she started doing yoga on a regular basis. It was there, on the mat, that Kimberly started her path to healing. She showed up for herself even when she didn’t want to. She spent months working on herself and finding new ways to fight her depression. I am so proud of Kimberly, her story is so inspiring to me. I read this quote recently about true healers being people who help you find your own path to healing. No one can heal you, but you. Kimberly is a healer, she is now helping others find their way by teaching yoga and listening. After our photo session together, she sat with me as I cried and shared my own journey. She offered wonderful advice. We went from strangers to friends within an hour just because of our stories. It was such a loving experience that I will always be grateful for. Let’s keep these conversations going.

Find Kimberly at Just Be Connected Yoga where she is offering virtual classes.

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.

Heart and Soul BeBe

As we have navigated through the pandemic I think one thing that we can all agree on is that nurses are angels. They are the caretakers of the world. My sister is an ICU nurse and I have always had such admiration for her ability to give and care for others with such an empathetic heart. Their roles goes beyond healthcare, they comfort families and patients during some of the most difficult experiences of their lives. All the while they have their own personal fears, family issues, health problems that you would never know about because when they are working their patients are their priority. I could go on forever about how much I respect nurse, I have had so many very beautiful experiences with nurses. Though I am not happy about the situation we are in, I am glad that more and more people see just how important our health care workers are.

I knew including a nurse in the Heart and Soul project was a must. As I was discussing it with my sister she suggested a friend of hers from work. She raved about how much she loved this woman and how I was going to fall in love with her too. She was so right. When BeBE and I met up we connected immediately. She opened up to me with ease and I was able to capture so much of her essence, which is so warm and confident.

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.

Heart and Soul Honour

I first met Honour at a wedding she was doing the makeup on. I remember her leaving after she was finished and the entire bridal party talked about her for an hour after. They all had crushes on her and were stalking her social media. She has that impact on people. Not only is she beautiful, her heart is so loving and she alludes this magnetic power. I have had my own photo crush on Honour for years. I have dreamed of the day I would get to work with her. Mostly, because I wanted to get to know her more. This day almost didn’t happen, we got rained out once, then once we finally met up, more storms came rolling through. We were both determined to ride it out, we knew magic was going to be made. It was so wonderful hearing about her very full life as an actor, a comedian, and business owner. Her current business BrowOTR, a Microblading studio where we can make up for our 90’s brow mistakes. Beyond that, I have seen how giving she is to her community and loving she is to her friends. Everyone needs an Honour in their life. I am so grateful for this experience and so happy to have her in this project.

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.

Heart and Soul Adalia

A lot of people have asked how I met the Womxn I chose to photograph for this project. Some of the Womxn were introduced to me through other Womxn who particpated and some came from my own circle.

Adalia is my neighbor. We met one day at a neighborhood gathering. I connected with her immediately. She has a very caring personality and the most beautiful smile. I was fortunate to help her with promo photos for her band Knotts a few years ago. The internet helps me feel connected to people even if I don’t see them much so I have been able to watch her music grow.

Adalia was one of the first people who came to mind when I came up with the project. She is an amazing Mother to 2 sweet children, a creative, and a teacher. She balances her many roles while helping to the community grow and she adds love to everything she touches. She most recently took on the role of Project Coordinator with Girls Rock Cinci with a focus on Activism Through Music. Those girls are in for a big treat having Adalia as their leader!

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.

Lula's Dress

As I have been working through the Heart and Soul project there has been a voice that I have not talked about yet. It is a voice that is sometimes hard to hear. It is a voice that for me, is communicated through silence and prayer. The voice of the ancestors, of my great grandmother who has guided me, the grandmothers of the Womxn I photographed who brought their own signs to allow us to feel they were with us. Whether it was a flower that showed up to speak to me or a burning feeling in my blood that I could not shake, our ancestors were speaking through us. They want us to heal. They want us to make things right, to forgive ourselves and to find our way back to love.

As I sat down to write this I lit a candle for my Grandmother Mabel who has always been someone I could feel deeply when I needed her. I put on her animal print coat that usually just sits in my closet, and I asked her to give me strength. My heart has been so heavy as I have a tendency to carry the weight of the world. Boundaries are difficult for me, I have so much work to do, still. The one thing I can’t stop myself from doing is feeling other people’s pain and joy, sorrow and hope. My sister tells me the world is going to swallow me whole, sometimes I believe her. A dear friend reminded me yesterday, when you need help, ask for help. Our ancestors are there for us, they are waiting to be acknowledged.

When I described what to wear to our shoot to Crystal I simply said wear what makes you feel powerful. Crystal instinctively brought her Grandmother Lula’s dress to our shoot. She told me how she thinks about how beautiful she was wearing that dress at holiday gatherings. When she put it on, her own beauty blew me away. I could feel Lula’s power with us. Yesterday, Crystal sent me a photo of Lula in the dress. I opened it up today and lit a candle next to Grandma Mabel for for Lula. I closed my eyes and sent them so much gratitude for their guidance and love.

Here is a photo of Lula and some film photos of Crystal in Lula’s dress.

Heart and Soul Mothers and Daughters

Crystal and Taren opened Cream and Sugar Coffee Shop close to where I live right around the same time I started this project. I as so thrilled to support a locally owned spot. When I went in for my first cup of coffee there I met Crystal and I fell in love with her kindness and openness to share with me. She also owns a spa called Grace and Grit. She was one of the first people I asked to feature in Heart and Soul project. She became the link that connected me to half of the Womxn I photographed. I am so grateful for Crystal.

Her daughter Bailey who has a jewelry business called Area 50Seven was at the shop when I met Crystal. I asked her to also be part of the project. I loved the idea of having a mother/daughter entrepreneur duo. Crystal’s business partner Taren, who also owns Sweet Petit Deserts also agreed to be part the project so I decided we could make their shoot a fun Mother/Daughter day so I invited Taren to bring her daughter Brooke to join us.

The four Woman were so fun to photograph. Here are a few of my favorites from the day. I cant wait to share the final painted pieces very soon.

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.

Heart and Soul Annie Ruth

Today is an extra special day to celebrate this absolutely amazing Woman, it is her birthday! One of the first things I learned about Annie Ruth before I met her was about her beautiful smile! I was greeted with that smile as soon as we connected at Washing Park for her photo session. She is a true Renaissance Woman, her journey with art began at three years old, since then she has done tremendous work using art and expression to help the community grow in a positive direction. I feel very fortunate to have her included in the Heart and Soul project and to have spent time getting to know her.

From Annie Ruth’s website

“Annie Ruth is an award-winning visual artist/poet who creates work that celebrates the human spirit. She studied graphic design at the University of Cincinnati, College of Design Architecture and Art and served eight years in the United States Air Force Reserve, working and training as a graphic technician. She is a trailblazer who has received critical acclaim for her work in the community. She fuses her artistic talents with arts education and collaborates with major cultural institutions and museums to bring art directly to communities throughout the United States and abroad. Annie Ruth has exhibited in major national and international museums, institutions and venues including the National Afro American Museum & Cultural Center, Cincinnati Museum Center and National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Her commissioned works are in the collections of Fifth Third Bank, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Children’s for Children/Procter & Gamble the Presbyterian Foundation, and numerous other corporate and private collectors.

​Combining acrylic, mixed media and collage, she often fuses several styles of art such as surrealism and expressionism. She describes this style as "spiritual portraits"-- capturing the essence of what she creates. The compositions utilize symbolism, vibrant color, accompanied by poetic verse. Annie Ruth has also gained acclaim for the artwork she has created for numerous children's picture books, which she wrote and illustrated.”

Annie Ruth has a number of exciting things coming up, head over to her Facebook page today to bid on lamps created by her Mother. She is raising funds to get her Mother more crafting supplies. She is also hosting an inspirational virtual tribute honoring women and sisterhood., Dada Rafiki: Conversations Oct. 30, 2020. Her Facebook page has become one of my favorite to follow as she does a lot of live cooking, gardening, and sharing. I have been learning a lot from her.

Thank you for sharing your love with the world, Annie Ruth! I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

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.