2026

12 x 16in

Paper collage mounted on watercolor paper

This piece is a prayer for softness in a world that continually demands strength from Black women. Black women are among the most educated and qualified demographics in America, yet they are often asked to carry burdens far beyond their job titles, family roles, or social responsibilities. In many communities, Black women are celebrated for their resilience, determination, and ability to endure. While these qualities are often praised, the expectation of constant strength can become its own form of weight.

The figures throughout this piece represent the many versions of Black womanhood that exist across generations. Some appear watchful, some contemplative, and others seem burdened by realities beyond their years. At the center stands a stone figure, a monument to endurance and survival. Beneath it, a young woman smiles, but her eyes are obscured, suggesting the ways in which Black women are often seen for what they provide while their inner lives, struggles, and vulnerabilities remain unseen.

References to Black political and social history are woven throughout the composition, acknowledging the long tradition of Black women carrying communities, movements, and families forward despite systemic obstacles. Yet this work is not a celebration of suffering. It is a prayer against it.

STONEFACE asks what happens when a woman is expected to be unbreakable for too long. It is a prayer for protection, rest, and tenderness. A prayer that Black women may feel held instead of burdened, supported instead of relied upon, and understood beyond the strength they are so often required to perform. Above all, it is a reminder that being strong should never come at the expense of being cared for.