a beautiful, resilient people.
Neon Light, 2020
Thinking a lot about what resilience means. The first time I embraced the term was when I began studying social work in undergrad. Resilience speaks to the strength of Black people—a strength that is like nothing else. A strength I am proud of, thankful for, and I would not be here without. Resilience has been necessary for our survival and expanded our creativity. Resilience can also be an idea that is harmful. An idea that can have people, even ourselves—believe we will, should, and are able to withstand and bounce back from anything, under any conditions, at all times.
This piece was inspired by my experience and what I have witnessed working in grief support in Baltimore City for the past two years with Roberta’s House—so much beauty, intimacy, strength, and discoveries. Reflecting on the importance of support—so Black folks do not have to be resilient alone. Resiliency supported by and rooted in healing, self-expression, resources, rest, truth telling, and community is a beautiful thing. The people I have connected with are beautiful.
“Bailey uses any medium necessary in order to “explore and manifest awareness of self and the world around her.” Her background in graphic informs a great deal of her text-based work and here is evident in the use of multiple fonts within the same piece. The two fonts remind viewers that any group of people is not monolithic but rather diverse and complex, and the intentional use of punctuation at the end of the piece presents the text as a declaration. In a moment when marginalized communities, particularly Black Americans, are too often denigrated for seeking equality, this piece helps promote what the artist describes as “positivity, self-worth, and the overall well-being of individuals and communities.”