Salutations June.
Black babies (children) deserve childhoods. They deserve care-free days and cartoons and pancakes with smiley faces and stickers. They deserve whatever unique needs their hearts desire.
Black parents, and other minority groups, are tasked with having to have tough conversations with their children at early ages. Conversations about the police, prejudice, and potential mistreatment that people may bestow upon them solely because of their skin. Moreover, parents trapped within a system that perpetuates institutionalized racism, communities filled with biased police, and minimal hope for a brighter future. There is a certain level of sustained pain without clear insight on when the remedy will come.
I typically drop my illustrations on the first of every month, like clockwork. Not this month, the mood shifted. Things shifted. After the brutal murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, or the many other victims who died at the hands of police brutality (and racial motivations), it didn’t seem appropriate to post on Instagram like it was “business as usual.”
My Mimi would do my hair before school and send me off with twists and barrettes/bobos. My biggest concern was making sure I returned home with all the bobos that were in my head that morning
Maybe there needs to be a balance between exposing a child to harsh truths and protecting a child’s innocence and imagination. I am in no place to critique another person’s parenting style; I just want to advocate for kids. Once you turn on that adulting switch, you don’t turn it off. Recess and nap times don’t come back. Black kids deserve to revel in their childhood.
Unlike my previous illustrations, this illustration didn’t have a direct inspiration image. I generated the concept all on my own. I wanted to depict a little Black girl protesting and discuss the dichotomy between exposure and adolescence. I also wanted to frame the events through a child’s eyes. Does their young lens add sympathy and context to the potential trauma from exposure to the killing of Black people? I’m not really sure.
The artwork wasn’t too difficult, either. I was able to capture the young girl’s profile, and I kept most items proportional. I forwent specific details, such as nostrils and ears. I think that will be my style. I really hope that the young girl’s hairstyle resonates. My Mimi would do my hair before school and send me off with twists and barrettes/bobos. My biggest concern was making sure I returned home with all the bobos that were in my head that morning. Initially, I had a completely different theme for this month’s illustration. I may save the concept for another month.
I did obtain a little bit of inspiration from watching this video below. I mainly used the video as a reference for little Black girl hairstyles/proportions. While I had the hairstyle as a kid, I wasn’t sure of where the shadows hit for accurate lighting/coloring.
There are many ways to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Please call your local officials, vote, donate to funds, stay informed on the issues, sign petitions, protest, etc. We can all be that change! Below I will link some resources.
Resources
