Beautiful
Welcome
As we move into a new chapter, we’re reflecting on a season of powerful transitions, meaningful growth, and inspiring change. This moment marks both a celebration of where we’ve been and a bold step into what’s ahead.
Over the past six months, The Beautiful Project has been hard at work creating, evolving, and deepening our commitment to amplifying the voices of Black women and girls through storytelling, art, and community. In this issue, you’ll f ind updates on recent milestones, exciting new developments, and opportunities to stay connected and involved.
We’re so grateful to have you with us on this journey. Together, let’s continue building something Beautiful.
MEET OUR NEW INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ToriFernandezWhitney
“I feel like if God's bestowed on you the talent and the time to be of service, that you should be of service ”
THE WHO
I am an organizational development specialist I ' ve worked with nonprofit organizations probably for the past 20 years in different capacities So , as an administrator of a government agency where I funded nonprofits and then actually supporting nonprofits in various executive management positions
THE WHAT
Sustainability I would really like to position Beautiful in a manner where we are secure in funding sources I think that it ' s really challenging to attract investment in this work So , we have ebbs and flows , and I think in order for the mission to really continue to grow beyond where we are now, we need to have secure funding and stable expectations to support that growth
MTHE WHY
When I got the call for the interview and ultimately was offered the position , I was really excited . Number one , because the mission is so compelling Number two , because I believe that now more than ever, The Beautiful Project is critical to the health and well - being of every person of color, honestly, in this country
T H E H O W
I was attracted to The Beautiful Project because I ' ve been a natural advocate my entire career I ' ve been guided by that desire to help organizations where I can That ' s my spirit I feel like if God ' s bestowed on you the talent and the time to be of service , that you should be of service
Interested in learning more? Click here to read the full article.
JADE PACKER
Is a photographer, curator, and storyteller She founded the Beautiful Project in 2004 . After serving as Executive Director until 2021 , she returns as a member of our board
Is a cultural preservationist , curator and creative place maker dedicated to amplifying the histories and stories of Black folks throughout the American South . She also serves as the Director of Community Initiatives at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. Packer has been a member of our board since 2023
CARMENCITA HOOKS - HILL
Is a mixed - media abstract artist Carmencita ’ s connection with history, heritage , and humanity plays an integral part in how she lives her life and creates her art Hill is the newest addition to our board .
JAMAICA GILMER
D r A r i a n a C o d r, a n a s s i s t a n t p r o f e s s o r i n r e s i d e n c e a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f
C o n n e c t i c u t , t e a c h e s s e v e r a l c o u r s e s o n w o m e n a n d g e n d e r s t u d i e s . T h i s
s e a s o n , s h e s p o k e w i t h o u r D i r e c t o r o f P r o g r a m s & A r t i s t Tr a i n i n g , M a d y l i n
N i xo n - Ta p l e t , t o d i s c u s s h o w s h e a p p l i e s a n a r t i c l e f e a t u r e d i n T h e B e a u t i f u l
P r o j e c t ’ s W i n t e r 2 0 1 8 J o u r n a l t o h e r F e m i n i s m a n d t h e A r t s c o u r s e .
“ I t h i n k b y t h e t i m e s t u d e n t s e n t e r c o l l e g e t h e y a r e r e a l l y s t a r t i n g t o f e e l t h i s
c o n s t a n t p r e s s u r e t o p r o d u c e , s u c c e e d , a n d t o c o m p e t e , ” C o d r s a y s . A h i s t o r y
o f s y s t e m a t i c r a c i s m c o m p l i c a t e s t h a t e v e n f u r t h e r
C o d r ’ s c o u r s e ex p l o r e s s e l f - c a r e , a n d s h e s h a r e d t h a t s h e i n i t i a l l y s t r u g g l e d t o a r t i c u l a t e w h a t s e l f - c a r e m e a n t i n t h e h i s t o r i c a l c o n t ex t o f m a r g i n a l i z e d c o m m u n i t i e s T h e B e a u t i f u l P r o j e c t ’ s a r t i c l e p r o v i d e d a s o l u t i o n “ P a m e l a
T h o m p s o n ' s p i e c e i s s o h e l p f u l i n r e a l l y s h a k i n g u p w h a t w e m e a n b y s e l f - c a r e i n t h i s c o n t ex t I c a n t a l k a b o u t i t a n d t a l k a b o u t i t a n d t a l k a b o u t i t , b u t t h a t p i e c e d o e s i t s o w e l l , ” C o d r s a y s . T h e a r t i c l e f e a t u r e d i n h e r c u r r i c u l u m i s t i t l e d
“ S e l f - C a r e : A c c o r d i n g t o A u d r e L o r d e ” a n d w a s w r i t t e n b y P a m e l a T h o m p s o n .
T h e e s s a y d i s c u s s e s t h e l e s s o n s r e l a t e d t o s e l f - c a r e t h a t w r i t e r A u d r e L o r d e ’ s l i t e r a t u r e ex p l o r e s .
“ W h a t t h e a r t i c l e d o e s s o w e l l i s t o r e c o g n i z e t h e w a y s i n w h i c h o u r l i v e s a r e
s t r u c t u r e d t o p r e v e n t u s f r o m f i g h t i n g t h o s e o p p r e s s i o n s w h a t e v e r t h e y m i g h t b e f r o m s o m e t i m e s e v e n r e c o g n i z i n g t h e m R e a l i z i n g t h a t t h e r e a r e c e r t a i n i n d i v i d u a l s , c e r t a i n p a r t s o f o u r s e l v e s , t h a t a r e s y s t e m a t i c a l l y b e i n g d e n i e d , b e i n g s u p p r e s s e d C a r i n g f o r t h e s e l f i s a b o u t f i r s t r e c o g n i z i n g t h a t t h a t ' s t h e r e , r i g h t ? ” C o r d r s a y s .
T h o m p s o n ’ s p i e c e i s p a i r e d w i t h r e a d i n g s f r o m L o r d e ’ s T h e C a n c e r J o u r n a l s a n d I n S e a r c h o f O u r M o t h e r s G a r d e n s , a f e w o f B e l l H o o k ’ s w o r k s , m a t e r i a l f r o m t h e B l a c k P a n t h e r P a r t y, t ex t i l e a r t , a n d p o e t r y b y S t a c e y a n n C h i n T h e m e d i a w a s s e l e c t e d s o t h a t s t u d e n t s a r e a b l e t o c o n s i d e r “ a l l t h e d i f f e r e n t w a y s t h a t p e o p l e , e s p e c i a l l y p e o p l e i n m a r g i n a l i z e d a n d o p p r e s s e d g r o u p s , h a v e u s e d a r t i n w a y s t h a t w e m i g h t n o t e v e n r e c o g n i z e a s a r t t o s u s t a i n t h e m s e l v e s a n d s u s t a i n t h e i r c o m m u n i t i e s , ” s a y s C o d r.
I n a d d i t i o n t o b e i n g a g r e a t r e f e r e n c e f o r s t u d e n t s , t h e t ex t a l s o a p p l i e s t o s e v e r a l o f t h e c o u r s e ’ s l e a r n i n g o b j e c t i v e s . T h o s e o b j e c t i v e s i n c l u d e u s i n g L o r d e ’ s w o r k t o h e l p s t u d e n t s i n t e r p r e t a r t , u s i n g a r t t o s e r v e a s a n a v e n u e f o r t h i n k i n g a b o u t a r t i n d i v e r s e c u l t u r a l t r a d i t i o n s , a p a t h w a y f o r t h i n k i n g a b o u t f i g h t i n g s o c i a l i n j u s t i c e , a n d f o r i n t e r l o c k i n g s y s t e m s o f o p p r e s s i o n C o d r s h a r e s t h a t h e r p e r s o n a l g o a l s f o r t h e c l a s s a r e “ t o g e t s t u d e n t s exc i t e d a b o u t f e m i n i s t a c t i v i s m a n d t o t h i n k o f t h e m s e l v e s a s c r e a t i v e p e o p l e w h o a r e c a p a b l e o f m a k i n g t h i n g s t h a t m a k e a d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e w o r l d . ”
ProjectHighlights
NIKKI’S TABLE
F A L L ‘ 2 4 R E C A P
A S E A S O N O F P O E T R Y , P U R P O S E , A N D
T R I B U T E
T h i s p a s t f a l l , T h e B e a u t i f u l P r o j e c t
s t e p p e d f u l l y i n t o p u b l i c a t i o n
m o d e .
I n o u r l a s t n e w s l e t t e r, w e
i n t r o d u c e d N i k k i ’ s Ta b l e , a p o e t r y
p u b l i s h i n g i n i t i a t i v e b o r n f r o m o u r
Pe e r Le a r n i n g C o h o r t . A s t h e y e a r
c a m e t o a c l o s e , o u r c o h o r t o f
p o e t s i n v i t e d t h e c o m m u n i t y t o
g a t h e r f o r a n e v e n i n g o f p o e t r y,
p e r f o r m a n c e , a n d c o n n e c t i o n
d u r i n g o u r c e l e b r a t o r y O p e n M i c
N i g h t .
T h e n i g h t p u l s e d w i t h a u t h e n t i c i t y,
c r e a t i v i t y, a n d t h e d e e p j o y o f
c o m m u n a l s t o r y t e l l i n g . We a l s o
t o o k t i m e t o h o n o r t h e l e g e n d a r y
N i k k i G i o v a n n i w h o s e l i f e a n d
w o r d s c o n t i n u e t o i n s p i r e t h i s
r i s i n g g e n e r a t i o n o f v o i c e s .
S i p p i n g o n s e a s o n a l m o c k t a i l s
c r a f t e d b y D u r h a m ’ s o w n M o n i c a ’ s
M i xo l o g y, a t t e n d e e s g a t h e r e d w i t h
f u l l h e a r t s t o ex p e r i e n c e t h e
s t i r r i n g v o i c e s o f o u r p o e t s a n d t h e
r e f l e c t i o n s s h a r e d b y o u r c o l l e c t i v e
o f c o m m u n i t y w r i t e r s .
Top: Book written by Nicki Giovanni, the inspiration behind the event Middle: Cohort member Lani Rouse sharing words on the mic Bottom: Mocktails served by Monica’s Mixology
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
K E N N E D I C A R T E R ’ S R E T U R N
Click to learn more about Kennedi Carter + TBP ’ s Artist in Residence Program
The Beautiful Project ’s Artist in Residence Program welcomed acclaimed photographer Kennedi Carter back with the debut of her solo exhibition titled FOREMOTHERS . Kennedi began her journey with TBP in 2018 as a coach for the Black Girl Image Making Workshop . Since then , she has become the youngest Black woman to photograph a cover for British Vogue and has captured icons like Beyonc é , Ravyn Lenae , & Quinta Brunson . Kennedi ’s return to TBP speaks to the lasting connection between her artistry and the mission of inspiring young Black girls through visual storytelling .
Kennedi as a TBP coach Black Girl Image Making
FOREMOTHERS
ation of the ways motherhood is shaped by community and familial lore . Utilizing found and personal photographs , Carter aims to engage Black life in dialogue with ancestral memory, capturing capricious life experiences that transcend time The tender moments shared between grandfathers and grandmothers , the birth story of an aunt , the removal of a caul ; memory serves as a conduit Foremothers is a meditation on past , present , and fictive communal experiences between loved ones , it bears witness to the traditions that exist between past relatives and the realities of mothering .
The FOREMOTHERS exhibition engaged Black life in dialogue with ancestral memory, capturing emotional and timeless experiences Alongside the show, TBP hosted a range of programs , including an artist talk and a private tour with Black Girls in Art Spaces . Kennedi led portfolio - building workshops , while Artspace Artist in Residence Marion Tisdale offered drawing sessions . A celebratory Raleigh First Friday event further honored her return . TBP is proud to welcome Kennedi back for the 2025 –2026 year as a reminder of the importance of giving back , growing , and inspiring future generations
A full description of her exhibition , photos from the events , and more can be found on our website .
Where we once MET A PORTRAIT OF RETURN
THE BEAUTIFUL PROJECT REVISITS THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
The Beautiful Project had the exciting opportunity to return to NYC to celebrate the sunset of the Collaborative for Creative Practice and Social Justice at the Metropolitan Museum of Art . This event gave us the chance to reconnect with our collaborators from our 2020 P e n , L e n s & S o u l exhibition & to learn from “ dynamic nonprofit arts and culture leaders who shared insights and challenges on navigating the arts and culture field amidst change and uncertainty within our sector ”
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CULTIVATING MORE BEAUTIFUL CONNECTIONS WITH OUR PARTNERS & FRIENDS IN NYC!
CommunitySpotlight
Jamaica Gilmer
Latest Exhibition & Residency
TBP is thrilled to share that founder and board member, Jamaica Gilmer, is opening her exhibition “ Potluck ’s & Portraits” in August 2025 According to Jamaica , “ childhood memories of my family sharing food echo like a parade of ease and anticipation in my mind Inspired by my community 's ability to create relief through invitation , recognition , and a plate – I created Potluck & Portraits . This photographic series is an evocation , where people bring food or mementos to share , sit in front of my camera , and reflect on ideas of dreaming , rest , and healing . It builds upon the joy of community building through photography. ”
In addition , we want to congratulate Jamaica for her artist in residency at ThirdSpace Action Lab Jamaica will be responsible for creating a photo series named “ We Are the Sun ” that “ honors Black storytelling , history, and joy ” www . jamaicagilmer. com
Gallery Hours
Location
August 15th , 2025 - September 30th , 2025
Friday ’ s 10 : 00 am - 3 : 00 pm by Appointment
Kara Simpson Expands Her Reach Worldwide
TBP friend , Kara Simpson , is a Certified Nurse Midwife . Kara has been granted the exciting opportunity of participating in her first international midwife mission trip in Kenya and Tanzania In collaboration with Southern Birth Justice Network , she will be working with a group of Black midwives to learn more about cultural birthing practices and to provide her midwife services to the Kenyan and Tanzanian community.
Kara is also a writer who has been involved with the Beautiful community in a myriad of ways , including having her written pieces displayed in our Pe n , Le n s & S o u l exhibition . We are forever proud of Kara ’s work , and we can ’ t wait to see the impact she has abroad .
Visit Kara ’ s instagram page @melanted.muse to learn more about her involvement in the program & how you can support