All Mixed Up: Being Neither, Being Both
Artist Statement
Do I embrace my differences or try to hide them? As a mixed-race person I have asked myself this question through the enduring struggles of self-identity, lack of self-confidence, and desire to fit in while being labeled as ‘other.’ Growing up, I believed that ‘other’ was equivalent to ‘not beautiful.’ Encounters I’ve had with strangers blatantly asking, “what are you?” and laughing in disbelief as I search for an answer, have left me feeling ashamed, insecure, and disempowered. I never realized how alone I felt until hearing another mixed-race woman share her story in a Humans of New York social media post; an immediate connection and awakening that led me to this series.
Her story gave a voice to the mixed-race experience, which inspired me to seek out mixed-race people around Milledgeville and Atlanta to meet with and photograph. Many are not familiar with the complexities of this topic, which is an issue I explore. The goal of my artwork is to validate, empower, and share mixed-race experiences and stories and raise awareness of them. By using a bright and vibrant color palette, I aim to evoke uplifting feelings of positivity and hope. I have found that I am not alone in my experiences and there are several more voices to be heard, stories to be told, and connections to be made.
Along with photographing each person, I asked about their personal struggles with mixed-race identities, and if they have grown to overcome them. These conversations helped me learn more about myself while making connections I did not know could exist. Everyone’s story is unique, illuminates a little about why they are the way they are, and beautifully represents a different stage of the mixed experience. In today’s society we are still learning how to respectfully speak about identities that fall outside of our traditional understandings of race, and I want to bring attention to this. I hope my series will encourage the viewer to look at diversity with more of an open mind and learn to embrace their own differences.
