Part of my thesis series for the MFA program at Maine College of Art. When I Drum explores the bodily memory I have as a drummer and the personal and cultural roots that are embedded in that memory.
I make videos to help me understand how the parts of my identity combine to shape who I am and my values. I share these videos to connect with BIPOC women who are trying to answer those same questions about themselves.
Building and maintaining a sense of community is an important part of my artistic practice. I blend what I have learned as an artist and an activist by creating videos that center the perspectives of BIPOC women through the content and formal decisions. The conversations that happen after people see my videos are as important in my artistic practice as the videos themselves. I hear the perspectives of other BIPOC women in those conversations and we collectively have a space to center our point of view.