In Child of Venus, a world in which my character is a direct descendant of Sara Baartman (Hottentot Venus), I create metaphors to embody my experience in Black womanhood. I've constructed a portal to reveal a history of the subjugation of Black women in the name of experimentation and science, and contextualize the realities of my own existence. Child of Venus encapsulates an imagined world — one that is rooted in my love of science fiction — and by using my own body as the subject, I’m reclaiming the gaze upon the Black female vessel and the power of viewership.

Mentor: Legacy Russell, Associate Curator, Exhibitions, The Studio Museum in Harlem

It was a pleasure to work with Legacy. She was incredibly generous with not only her time but with her words as well.