“Met With Silence” depicts my experience as a black female artist at the University of Florida. Passionate about the representation of the black experience, I illustrate and discuss vulnerable moments from my life at a Predominantly White Institution. I often find myself in classrooms with peers who do not share the same identity as me, and in turn, I am often met with deafening silence when I present my work. Not only do I see myself in my work, I see the stories of people who look like me within my compositions as well. In this silence, I find myself angry, frustrated, exhausted and lost. This series takes my audience on a journey of generational trauma, resistance, growth, and resolution, as I utilize my linework to showcase the connections between my internalized thoughts and my present self. Additionally, I incorporate vibrant colors and captivating subjects to acknowledge the strength and softness of these experiences. As I carry the weight of being a black woman, it is draining to constantly explain and change myself to prove my worth. My goal is to create art that goes beyond surface-level dialogues and design a safe and non-judgmental environment where my viewers can feel comfortable recognizing our differences and similarities and converse about them. 
Silence cannot be broken until we speak.