Activating Sisterhood
Journal
SUMMER 2017
EDITORS: Khayla Deans & Pamela Thompson
IMAGE & TEXT CONTRIBUTORS: Jamaica Gilmer, Meron Habtemariam, Arielle Jean-Pierre, Kaci Kennedy, Alexandria Miller,Madylin NixonTaplet, Cristin Stephens, Erin Stephens
What's Inside
4| letter from the editor
6| a deeper look into the women of the beautiful project
The purpose and motivation behind Beautiful's Core Team
17| in her words
Beautiful reflections by TBP 2017 Interns
25| #dearblackgirl {in action}
A recap of our event centering love letters from Black women around the world
30| kitchen table talks
Creating intentional spaces to gather with Black women and girls
32| activating sisterhood
Resources for practice
from the editor
Sisterhood is the act of Black women engaging one another in an intimate, intentional manner for the wellness and goodness of the other; to take up one’s position as kindred, in all of its intricacies, in order to hold space for, care for, defend, cover, another sister.
The very nature of The Beautiful Project’s (TBP) work is to give voice and power to Black women and girls We create and elevate images and words of empowerment that are for us and by us In January, our team convened for a staff retreat to assess what TBP has accomplished since our inception, and to dream of how TBP will continue to grow as a hope epicenter for Black women and girls
In the midst of fighting and resisting against oppressive systems as Black women, our work will go beyond merely surviving. We are working to create new ways that Black girls and women can know and love themselves. Building a community is what we hope to accomplish with our work in both physical and virtual spaces, including this publication. Twice a year, we’ll give you a deeper look into who we are as an organization, spotlight dope and creative works of art from members of our collective, and share tangible resources and tools for you to use in your own communities.
In this inaugural issue, we will focus on what it means for us to activate a collective of Black women and girls. The collective of sisters that we have built over the course of a decade is critical to The Beautiful Project’s growth and we’re excited to imagine new possibilities of the ways our collective will flourish
Khayla Deans EDITOR
We are teachers, storytellers, curators, and creators. We are collectors of beautiful things, glitter, and music that speak to our souls. For those of you who may not know us personally, we would like to introduce you to the TBP team.
A Deeper Look at the Women of The Beautiful Project
At the heart of The Beautiful Project are four image-activists compelled to work for the liberation and wellness of black girls and women The women were asked to explain what TBP means to them, how they engage in sisterhood as activism and the motivation behind their commitment to this work. Read on to meet the core four of TBP.
Jamaica Gilmer Founder & Co-Director
WHAT DOES THE BEAUTIFUL PROJECT MEAN FOR YOU?
TBP means I have the chance to live life the way I actually want to live it It means that the experience of freedom and accountability work hand in hand. Ambition and Balance are not devoid of each other. TBP means I have a workplace that does not rob me of a chance to be present for my family.
The Beautiful Project at its heart creates and supports space for Black women and girls because the construct of our global society our history and our present largely conceptualizes Black women and girls as a problem worth dissecting and a people worth antagonizing. It would be my life’s honor to discover that a true societal reconstruction has been made and The Beautiful Project no longer needs to exist In the face of the truth that TBP's existence is still integral I am so grateful to be in this space, sojourning and building with the people I work with.
HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY FOSTER SISTERHOOD AND CREATE SPACE FOR BLACK WOMEN & GIRLS TO BE IN COMMUNITY WITH EACH OTHER?
This is an interesting question because the way of TBP is largely personal. Most of the spaces and tools we have created are based on personal experiences of navigating life as a Black girl or woman in our everyday private and public lives. So, whether I am with folks in our collective, folks who don't know me, or folks who know me well, I cultivate sisterhood by bringing honesty and care to my interactions.
WHY DO YOU DO THIS WORK?
I do this work because the two women I care about the most did it for me as a girl and now, as a woman My mother and sister were my first living, breathing sisterhood space. All my life they have created experiences of safety, love, alarm, wonder, hope, disappointment and care The memory of my mother is palpable for my sister and I, long after her passing. My experience of them the inevitable joy, pain and wonder of learning together and being in relationship with one another continues to teach me that there is a particular power born out of Black women and girls really and truly cultivating a Sisterhood of Joy and Keeping. My work is ultimately the experience and revelation of their sisterhood couched as a guide for others to exercise this same power
Pamela Thompson
Co-Director
WHAT DOES THE BEAUTIFUL PROJECT MEAN FOR YOU?
For me, TBP means that there is a small force of women in the world who know what Black women and girls face and are committed to creatively and thoughtfully approaching the systems of oppression that perpetuate those disparities There's a battle going on for Black women and girls to be seen and known fully, through our own lens and on our own terms-- irrespective of the gaze and expectations of others-- and this organization is going to help position us to win.
HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY FOSTER SISTERHOOD AND CREATE SPACE FOR BLACK WOMEN & GIRLS TO BE IN COMMUNITY WITH EACH OTHER?
I am the sister of four complex and diverse women. I am the proud mom of four curious and spirited little girls. I walk through the world with a small squad of fierce, loyal women and I work alongside three of the most intelligent, creative and determined female image makers I've ever known. Fostering sisterhood and creating space for Black women and girls to be in community has been an organic part of my world The consistent presence of Black women and girls in my world every minute of each day compels me to remember who we are at our core, remember what we need to thrive and have joy, and make my presence in the world one of grace and strength as a response to this knowing
WHY DO YOU DO THIS WORK?
This work has been a gift to me The world is setup to operate in way that forces Black women and girls to oscillate between breaking down barriers and overcoming hardships while unreasonable expectations and looming invisibility levitate over our heads. Until that changes, there will always be a need for this work I believe that I have a unique set of gifts and voice that broadens the perspective and view of Black women and girls. It's a privilege that I get to add to the chorus that so many are belting out in order for us to hear a Black girl's song sang, so that we can all get free
Erin Stephens Director of Wellness
WHAT DOES THE BEAUTIFUL PROJECT MEAN TO YOU?
TBP means experiencing Black women and girls as beauty personified; facilitating Black women and girls encountering themselves in truth and love; with courage, intention, vulnerability and generosity, collectively positioning ourselves to be well.
HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY FOSTER SISTERHOOD AND CREATE SPACE FOR BLACK WOMEN & GIRLS TO BE IN COMMUNITY WITH EACH OTHER?
Black women have always held me down. In my childhood, Black women in my family and community poured into me and prayed over me In my adulthood, Black women labored beside me, healed me, covered me with grace and rejoiced with me. I live and give in this overflow, hoping that through my teaching, writing, friendship and mothering I pass forward what's been endowed to me to other women and girls
WHY DO YOU DO THIS WORK?
I do this work because it allows me ownership of my energy, creativity and labor. It gives me freedom to exist as my dopest self in my work This work keeps me our mission, our creativity and our love for one another. The image of myself reflected through the eyes of my teammates keeps me. The Sisterhood keeps me. I do this work because I believe it.
Khayla Deans Digital Media Strategist
WHAT DOES THE BEAUTIFUL PROJECT MEAN TO YOU?
The Beautiful Project is a sacred and safe space where I am continuously learning the intricacies of being a Black woman image maker. TBP has taught me how to build community with other Black women with intention
HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY FOSTER SISTERHOOD AND CREATE SPACE FOR BLACK WOMEN & GIRLS TO BE IN COMMUNITY WITH EACH OTHER?
My time with TBP taught me how to create a supportive, loving, and honest space to develop deep relationships with the women and girls in my life. I did not think much about cultivating sisterhood with other women until I entered TBP’s space years ago and was given the Sisterhood Creed. While I may not think about it consciously every day, I strive to carry out the Creed with the sister-friends in my life
WHY DO YOU DO THIS WORK?
I do this work because it is necessary I do this work because it brings me joy and purpose. I do this work because it feels like home.
Cristin Stephens TBP Fellow
This year, we launched The Beautiful Project Fellowship The intention of the fellowship is to work alongside creative, skilled and passionate women who are interested in advancing the wellness of Black women and girls. Through the fellowship, we hope to expand our collective and to train Black women and girls as image-activists that can join us in our pursuit of representational justice.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE SISTERHOOD?
In the spring, we excitedly welcomed Cristin Stephens as our first TBP fellow. Cristin is an artist, photographer, world traveler who is passionate about telling powerful stories through documentary film She is currently editing a feature-length documentary that explores the experiences of Black gay men in the south of the United States. Cristin also consults on projects related to international education She has an M S Ed in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Sisterhood is the ability for women to see their souls reflected in the souls of other women, and to be keepers of each other.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU TO BE A PART OF THE BEAUTIFUL PROJECT COLLECTIVE?
To be a part of the Beautiful Project Collective is to pursue the charge of seeing and loving Black women as the diverse, complex and beautiful women that they are
WHAT IS THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND WHY DO YOU DO IT?
I'm interested in amplifying the voices of marginalized communities as a Black woman with a commitment to uplift otherwise underrepresented people like myself.
In Her Words: Beautiful Reflections by TBP 2017 Interns
The Beautiful Project internship program affirms our belief that sisterhood and visual narratives can be activist tools to enable and advance the wellness of Black women and girls. We created the internship program to train Black undergraduate women in the skills and strategies needed to create spaces and images that affirm the humanity and nuance of Black women and girls. In fall 2016, the fourth class of TBP interns joined us in the work to create and capture powerful stories and images. When their internship year came to an end, Alex, Kaci, Madylin, and Meron, took a moment to reflect on their time spent at TBP.
Alexandria Miller
My internship with the The Beautiful Project has been one of the most rewarding experiences of all during my college years Never before have I had the opportunity to meet and dissect Black womanhood and its multiplicities with such a diverse group of accomplished, courageous Black women. We have formed everlasting friendships and sisterhood, danced in kitchens to Beyonce while kneading pizza dough, and we’ve laughed and supported each other through a particularly difficult year My favorite part of this year has been developing my voice through writing and using my passion for words to make unapologetic statements about my identities I will carry this year with me forever and I am thankful TBP welcomed me into such a Beautiful family.
Kaci Kennedy
I did not know exactly what to expect when I started this internship with The Beautiful Project All I knew was I just wanted to be a part of The Beautiful Project collective. I want to be the voice to other Black women and girls that I needed growing up and that I still need today The day of the retreat I knew that I was where I should be. What I did not realize was how much The Beautiful Project would help and influence me Some of the most valuable lessons I learned is to not just to accept yourself but to love and embrace the woman you are and the importance of self-care. I am very grateful I had the opportunity to meet and work with such amazing, talented, and inspirational women
Madylin Nixon-Taplet
When I first interviewed for The Beautiful Project – hands sweaty, face flushed and full of makeup I didn’t think I needed, but put on anyway out of sheer nervousness and overcompensation – I didn’t exactly have any particular motive in mind except: How can I help little Black girls? How can I be as amazing as the women who I faced in this moment? And how in the world could I do it all through my mediocre art?
A few nights before I’d had the pleasure of attending the debut of Beautiful’s Self Care Exhibit, and had been almost immediately struck with a kind of inspiration I hadn’t felt since I’d first applied to my undergraduate program many, many years before. This most likely was the result of 1. Being in such a powerful space and 2. Meeting some of the most astonishing women I’d come to know in one glorifying night. Amongst these women, of course, were two I was interviewing with for The Beautiful Project So in that moment – palms sweaty and face flushed – I spoke my truth I praised the work I wanted to, myself, become committed to. I questioned the ways in which I could get involved with the project. And a few days later, I joined a team of phenomenal young women that would be my Beautiful Cohort for the next lifetime
Prior to my connection with Beautiful, I had only dreamt of making a difference in any one life, especially when it came to Black community involvement. I wanted to help. I wanted to be the change, but I had no idea how to start. I did not feel my voice was powerful enough to protest in earnest; my temperament too closely drawn to tendencies of acquiescence.
image by Kaci Kennedy
Madylin Nixon-Taplet
I wanted to be of aid in a way that would elicit the vitality of my Blackness, but endear my nurturing soul The Beautiful Project not only gave me that opportunity, but also cultivated a way for me to progress my own contributions to the Black femme power movement for years to come Most importantly, it gave me the courage to do all these through a pastime that I’ve adored since my childhood: writing and photography. There’s a kind of blessing in being able to use one’s passionate interests in this way
When I photograph Black women, especially in these communal spaces, I feel as if I have transcended the lines between the imagination of sovereignty and the reality of life. Through my depictions of Black womanhood, I can show the world two sides of the same story: the authenticity of Black femme autonomy and how hard we work to get there.
I am able to tell the world that Black women are strong and weak, powerful and submissive, free and bound. We experience love, loss, success, downfall We are intelligent, willful, unapologetic, undefeated and worth it! We are no one thing or the other. We are who we are in any given moment, we live in that truth on any given day We are one of the Creator’s most beautiful creations and we should celebrate it without consequence.
The Beautiful Project has not only brought me closer to this understanding, but has cultured a spirit of positive depiction for my future endeavors I see the work that is being done I relish in my ability to be involved with such a formidable group of women. I am excited to see where Beautiful goes and how I can stand to be part of that growth. I am overwhelmed with love and appreciation for the relationships fostered through this program. And I cannot wait to continue this work, as hard as it may be, because in the end I want to know that the universal portrayal of my Black daughters, sisters, nieces, cousins, friends and self is nothing but something BEAUTIFUL
Meron Habtemariam
I had the honor of being a member of the TBP Cohort during the 2016-2017 school year. It was an experience I will never forget I was constantly challenged to be the best I could be as well as being challenged to help Black girls and women through different, creative outlets. My favorite moments involved any time the cohort physically met up to do things. Some examples include Black August in the Park, Kitchen Table Talks, or the orientation at Pam’s house.
At Black August in the Park, the Durham community got together to enjoy delicious foods, music, and learn about different organizations working to fight the good fight. As a cohort we had the opportunity to take pictures of Black women and girls in this space. It was a space of joy and love We captured that We were able to take pictures of Black joy. It was amazing.
Kitchen Table Talks is exactly what it sounds like (not necessarily in a kitchen but there is food!). We gathered together to reflect, heal, and discuss.
My favorite Kitchen Table Talk was when we watched the short film THE DOOR - Miu Miu Women's Tales #5. As a Black girl with depression I was able to really relate to the film with my own perspective For me, it was a moment where I could relate to a character that looked like me.
Orientation at Pam’s house was the beginning of my journey for inner peace. My resolution for 2017 is health and that is due to Pam and Jamaica’s guidance that I’m taking active steps to take care of myself. I’m still not great at it but I still try my best! Orientation also taught me how to facilitate safe spaces for Black women and girls As a cohort we discussed how Black women view themselves and where that comes from. We laughed and cried over our different yet similar experiences It was a life changing experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything
From my time at The Beautiful Project I learned that there are different ways to be involved in the fight for social justice and the fight for Black women and girls. As a creative I always wondered how I could contribute and The Beautiful Project gave me that outlet. I learned the power of images and how they shape how we think as a society Images are powerful and I have the power to be the one to help shape how people view Black women and girls.
We called... a multitude answered
In 2015, The Beautiful Project launched a virtual campaign called #dearblackgirl (DBG) that invited Black women to write letters to Black girls The hundreds of letters we received were full of hope, wisdom, cheers, affirmation and celebration of the beauty and worth of Black girls. Over the years, we’ve used samples of the DBG letters to conduct workshops with young Black girls and women
This past April, we decided to launch a #dearblackgirl {in action} event to bring the DBG experience to life Our goal for the event was to guide Black girls and women in a powerful encounter with letters from the DBG campaign. We invited daughters and mothers, sister-friends, DBG authors and TBP collective members to join us for a lovely evening of affirmation, empowerment and sisterhood
Great conversations could be heard around the room as authors of some of the letters interacted and spoke directly with girls who had read letters. The room was divided into different stations of engagement which included a space for Black girls to send letters from the campaign to girls in their life or write a letter of their own to send. It was quite encouraging and powerful to see girls spread across the floor, writing and decorating their letters with total abandon and deep focus Situated close by was another opportunity for girls to write on a wall, declarations and affirmations for and about themselves in support of their strength, courage, capabilities, power and beauty
TBP was honored to have a past TBP program participant, Nandi, on board to help us facilitate the event. Nandi and a host of her dope friends spread out throughout the room to provide guidance and assistance to the night’s goals however and wherever they could. Big hugs and thanks to Nandi, her parents Cimmaron and Dosali, and friends Veronika, Chaun, and Assata. We are so grateful for everyone who supported and created with us!
images by Kaci Kennedy & Jamaica Gilmer
Kitchen Table Talks
Words by PAMELA THOMPSON
Photos by JAMAICA
GILMER
Hearty vegetable soup served hot with soft, buttered cornbread on the side. Fresh melon in the summertime. Macaroni & cheese and collard greens on an easy Sunday afternoon or even a mid Monday afternoon snack as simple as a sweet and salty mix of nuts, dried fruits and popcorn; all food is comfort food. Something magical happens when people gather over good food Tensions begin to ease, we find the freedom to allow our thoughts to wander to good, pleasant places, body postures relax and slow, unforced smiles spread wide across full, satisfied lips Back in the early days of planning and preparing for what we hoped TBP would one day become, Jamaica and I would set out in search of bookstores and good restaurants where we could fill our minds and bellies We could perch at a restaurant over the same meal for hours, talking, laughing, planning and strategizing.
It was as if the food was somehow a hostess for us, inviting us to sit and share the experience of our company for however long we wanted The food provided comfort and familiarity, making even a space full of strangers feel like home. And, naturally, that’s what began to happen; we found ourselves in each other’s kitchens and living rooms, extending ourselves in ways that we could only feign in restaurants. And, the food was even better. We have always reveled in the wonder of the effects of a prepared table and so we created a space to offer to our sister-interns, what we had enjoyed for ourselves; thinking, reflecting, conversing and dreaming with the aroma and repose of a thoughtfully prepared selection of foods in front of us
"Something magical happens when people gather over food."
This experience has been known to our collective as the Kitchen Table Talks (KTT) Inspired by the thought provoking Kitchen Table Series where the incomparable Carrie Mae Weems stories scenes from relationships with herself and (others who could be interpreted as) her lover, her friends and her child around the table, experiencing different moments of a life. We are awe inspired by Carrie Mae Weems and continue to gaze upon the perspectives reflected in her photography We could see ourselves at that table in different phases of our lives and wanted to invite other women to sit, sup and do life with us. Throughout the life of The Beautiful Project, we have seen different forms of this simple idea carried out. From staff tables to intern and staff tables and even women of note in our community hosting staff and interns at their tables, we’ve stretched out in spaces all over Durham, NC
When you spread out the table and invite women to pull up a chair, sisterhood practices begin to happen.
Our hope is that as you read about our experiences with this idea, that you’ll host such experiences for the women in your orbit It’s simple The most recent encounter we had with a KTT was super informal and a great surprise. During an explorative and informative planning trip to New York, Jamaica and I had the great privilege of meeting Gabrielle Eitienne She is a fashion designer, culturist, journalist, chef and altogether an amazing, generous and gifted woman. We had no idea when we met her that she had roots in North Carolina but once we discovered that she did and had planned to be there soon, she invited us over to her family homestead to shadow and document the experience of her spending time as an apprentice to her grandfather (affectionately known as “Pops”) and uncle (equally as affectionately known as Uncle Andrew). Pops and Uncle Andrew are fascinating, talented men claiming between them the titles of inventor, mechanic, welder, and farmer amongst so many other things.
Gabrielle is presently on a quest to preserve and honor her family land and legacy and spending time there has been an easy facilitator for gathering the information and skills needed to begin to carry on the traditions of her ancestors. Unfortunately, weather and plans made it difficult for us to spend time with all of them the way we planned, but we arrived to find Gabrielle in her element. She had laid out a table in the middle of the yard, situated just next to the garden. On the table were wild flowers from the yard, beautifully aligned down the center of the table to create a runner made from nature. Serving a simple two course lunch Gabrielle opened her heart and her table to us, spontaneously creating an environment perfect for a kitchen table talk The afternoon was made all the more lovely and lively by the presence of my little girls who were watching their mud pie and rock soup dreams come true right before their eyes. This was more than just a picnic. This was a real meal, prepared with love, deliciously served at a table made just for us by our friend. The fact that the meal was made from fresh produce from the garden was such a point of interest for the girls and they jumped right into the conversation about how when they are outside playing with nature and making their own cuisine of brown dirt and sand, they wish they could make a table like this with real food and serve it to their friends. Even the littlest girl was jolly and happy to be part of the conversation And so we sat there, in and out of conversation and laughs, chatting between bites, talking about life and watching the girls play.
All of us feeling welcomed. All of us in bliss.
Kitchen Table Talks are a really easy and organic way to cultivate and nourish sisterhood All you need is an open table, food that your folks will enjoy, a willing heart and listening ears. The magic that will happen in front of your eyes will encourage your spirit for moments beyond what happens at the table
Activating Sisterhood
Resources for Practice
Here are some activities and tools that we use to foster sisterhood in our community.
Write a Letter
Above is an example of a letter written from the heart of one Black girl to another Girls, you have the power to speak hope, joy, courage and love to girls all around you Take up your pen and write a letter to share with a girl in your life. You never know how much hearing from you, in this way, could mean to her!
Practical Steps to Cultivate Sisterhood
We believe that sisterhood IS activism so we have worked to exemplify how to use sisterhood AS activism. Please consider the chart below as a facilitator for exercising more intentionality as a sister standing up and holding space for another sister.
There is no rule book on how Black women are to relate to, care for, or love one another.
Throughout history we have often responded to societal norms and pressures born out of systemic oppression and a capitalistic construct. In efforts to survive and be well, particularly mentally and emotionally, some of us have felt the pressure to adopt an “I’ve got me, and all I need is me” attitude in what feels like a “You against Me” world. And this is within the community of Black women, a biome set inside a larger ecosystem of uneven gendered and racialized experiences faced by Black women each day. If Black women can’t trust and rely on one another, the sister across the way from us whose reflection is in some form or another a resemblance of our own, how then do we position ourselves to be well and whole in a world that often feels so hostile to who we are and aspire to become?
Through the years of doing the work of The Beautiful Project, interacting with Black women and girls from all walks of life, we’ve discovered that we are more kindred than alien. We want the same things and we want to be able to feel safe with one another. The Sisterhood Creed was created to be our attempt at making a statement about how we want to engage Black women and girls in our organization and the world It is the governing document that informs how we handle one another when we’ve known each other for years, when we’ve only just met, when we are so pleased to be in each other’s company and when we feel offended and hurt by each other. We’ve tried out different lines from the creed in various situations and found a way to make them work for us, strengthening our relationships with each other.
Here, we offer the creed to you. Be in conversation with it, interrogate it, engage its principles with the Black women in your community It is our hope that some part of it will resonate with you and that it will encourage more grace and deeper interactions in your pursuit of enjoying authentic sisterhood relationships with the Black women you do life with right now
The Sisterhood Creed
When I look at you, I choose to see a reflection of myself I know that I can be many things to many people
On any given day and today, You look like the me I am at some point in my journey Seeing myself in your eyes, compels me to give you grace, To choose to love you when you are not so easy to love…
To challenge you to higher and deeper things Because I know what you are made of And I know that you can do better. I’m compelled to compete for you, not against you. I am determined to abandon jealousy When it comes to you because you are me
And when you receive, so do I.
I recognize that my smile holds you up. My kind, sincere words encourage you to jump Believing that the net will appear. My loyalty to your greater purpose Helps you fulfill that purpose. I see me in you
So I accept you as you are right now, today. Cause girl I know you’re working on it. And we’ll get there.
United, we can bring more sister hearts together in love -when we walk into a room, uniquely the same, giving everyone else around us the freedom to love thy neighbor as herself.
Because the beauty I see reflected in your eyes gives me permission to accept the beauty already in mine. You are a sweet reminder of the possibilities available When we make acceptance our choice. Just as you are, I choose you. And I’ll keep making that choice every time I see you.
