The Dear Black Girl Project is an exhibition and community conversation affirming the experiences of brown and black women. It is an alluring visual collaboration of embroidered quotes, shared narratives, images, African textiles & found objects curated in a space designed to facilitate healthy conversations around being a black woman in the world. It affords viewers with diverse opportunities to witness the journey. This exhibition is intended to share wisdom, serve as a space of healing, and most importantly honor black women and their processes. My artistic processes vary and are determined by my instinctual responses to what matters to me in every season. "Stay tuned for the gem at the end of the video!"

Views of a Curated Space - Dear Black Girl

Installation Day - Dear Black Girl - The installation took a week to install before the reception day.

Wall details - Each embroidered quote took about 2-5 hours or more depending on the length of the quote. The frames, objects and many of the fabric are recycled and have been donated to the project by many of the women along with the narratives that have been collected by each black women. Red, Green, Blue Peacock Pattern framed in vintage frame. far right. Narrative by Mrs. Shirley Elder Parker. In honor of my mother.

The women were asked to wear African Fabrics on the day of the reception as a way to become a part of the installation. I often refer to the women as "My Tribe" to create unity with the women that have participated and all that are witnessing. My intension is for the black women to become a part of the work when they enter. The African fabric and quotes serve as an abstract portrait and or representation of a body of black women. The intension is for the women to feel bold, beautiful and know that they are meant to stand out in this world.

Embroidery Detail - Each narrative was from a black women. The narratives were initially received from women that I knew but as I spoke about the projects significance many other black women were initiating their participation. It became very evident to me that the women had plenty to share.

Although there were others at the reception during the opening day it was important to document all of the black women that had shown up in a beautiful way. Here are just some of the women and girls that were captured on that day.

Before the Dear Black Girl project was installed in the final form in the fall of 2022 a sample installation in the summer of 2022 had to be installed in my studio. It became a way for me to problem solve and process how the pieces would come together. The intension for Dear Black Girl is to continue curating spaces. Each space will be curated differently each time while growing the narratives as I continue the embroidery. There will be other ways that I include narratives as the space grows. This is a work in progress.

Embroidered Quote on Recycled Frame with African Textiles 39x24 Narrative by Mrs. Tonette Harris. Baltimore native.