BOW DOW
It's pride month and rainbow is now infused in my bloodstream
I’m not sure how this happens, but once the clock strikes midnight on June 1st I transcend. My energy is energizing, my skin begins to glow, and my teeth shine so bright you would think I was Chip Skylark…(this is Chip)…
It’s Pride Month a marathon, not a sprint, and filled with back-to-back event coverage that includes death drops, poppers, make-outs, and social activism that shake up corporate performative allyship, and progress our society toward a more inclusive and loving world. You know, some light shit.
I can’t wait to share my coverage from this month, but if you want more immediate coverage of pride subscribe to my Patreon for weekly updates on my jobs, advice on going freelance, and travel prints.
To read last month’s newsletter: check it out here.
What Happened In May?
Period Talk is Back.
For those who’ve known or followed me for some time, in my early 20s I co-founded a nonprofit called Red Dot Campaign for six years, where my team and I collected period products for those in need (shelters, underfunded schools, prison reform spaces), and destigmatize menstruation through storytelling events (art exhibitions, comedy shows, wellness retreats).
Since then my career has pivoted a bit, and we concluded Red Dot Campaign in 2020. I expanded my work to include reproductive health and justice overall, and this past month I had the opportunity to meet my past with my present. On Period, Sis podcast we talked about where my interest in reproductive rights began starting with my desperation to have my period, Red Dot Campaign, up to my work making my documentary In These Hands: A Black Birthworkers Documentary (which, you can donate to here. Click the video to watch the entire interview.
Mother Daughter Trip
My mom recently attended my gallery opening at the Leica Gallery in Boston, MA this past month! This was a special trip for me. I envisioned bringing my parents to award shows one day; like the Oscars, but I realized there are many opportunities to share my success with my parents right now.
It was such a gift to share my group show alongside profound Leica photographers Maggie Steber and Rania Matar, with my mom. I shared a beautiful hotel room at the Park Plaza Hilton, where we giggled while wearing face masks (evidence above), introduced her to my favorite Leica team members, had thought-provoking dinner conversations, and connected with my cousin Veronica and her husband McCoy. It was a family affair that I felt tremendously lucky to share.
The show was a big success, and I shared the teaser of my documentary In These Hands; encouraging donations to complete post-production, and even found a sound editor! Thank you to Jeannie Dale the Leica Boston Gallery curator, for a spectacular show, before she heads off to Paris for her masters. <3.
A little bit of schmoozing…
With Filmmakers Chike, Coodie, Tracey, and Greg at the Ernie Barnes one-night show, and Oscar winner Joseph Patel at the Ice Cold: History of Jewelry in Hip Hop exhibition at the Natural History Museum.
Excerpt from my Patreon: Liv and Fern
“Did I ever tell you that one time I was hired to photograph a portrait of a woman's asshole for her lover? And I happily obliged, because that's what makes photography exciting; witnessing the raw, bizarre, and eccentric human behavior.
Then there is the bonus of moments that are self-transformative. Quiet, vulnerable moments that gift us clarity, self-realization, and the tools to move us forward toward the next mountain to climb. My current mountain for the last 1.5 years has been focused on healing and redefining intimacy, sex, and closeness for myself and others. These are my pillars of vulnerability that I don't outwardly share with the world, but if you look closely you can see it in my photographs; the subject matter I explore mirrors what I am trying to learn about myself.
I want to share with the Scholars tier the importance of creating a safe space for yourself and your subjects that in turn give you access to the inner world and dialogue of our subjects. I am working on a new project and was gifted access to BDSM and Kink community spaces. So how does someone create a safe space for subjects to be completely free, forget that you're there, and be in control of their environment while you still create visually compelling photography?”
Although there is a lot more to say…I am now being told that my post is too long for email, and so I am concluding my newsletter this month. Looking forward to sharing all my goodies from June. Don’t forget #ceasefirenow and donate to pride organizations