Using Art For Healing And Change: Entering My Artivism Era
Been reflecting a lot about how to use art for healing and change lately because to be quite honest – I am tired. I have organized for years. Created spaces for other and myself for years. Protested. Petitioned. Planned events. As I approach 27, I’ve realized that this grind is not sustainable for me and my body.
So it’s got me thinking a lot about how I can move forward. How do I figure out what my role is? How do I tap into that to still do the work. And I’ve concluded its through entering my artivism era
How Did This Era Begin?
It started years ago. Looking back I feel like I always had the artivism spirit. When I was in high school I wanted to make a film about Black students’ experience in that school because I knew it was unique and wanted to broadcast it. I share this to show how the seeds were there.
As I shared in my about page, in college I neglected a lot of my artistic desires. Then in senior year I picked up on at least writing again. Since then, I organized a fellowship that focused on art and health justice, made my first award winning film, “We Belong” and am working on another creative project.
And now we are here. Confused. But figuring out next steps
Harlem Fashion Week: Resistance In The Arts
But then I constantly found myself in places while in NYC that sparked this idea of artivism. I know you are probably rolling your eyes. Like girlllll really, you are talking about NYC again like you did here? Marry the place already. Here me out though.
When I attended Harlem Fashion Week: Resistance in the Arts, my interest in using art for healing and change was re-sparked. Some quotes that inspired me:
- Creativity is an inspiration for consciousness
- The strongest political work you can do is in the arts
- Put your fingerprints on everything so people know you were there
- If you gonna divest, where do you invest. Boycott & Build
They talked about the Black Arts Movement and Ebony Fashion magazine. The role that fashion was used to induce change. Like how the Black Panther Party wore all Black to declare a statement. They talked about the importance of just being, choosing authenticity and valuing community and education in this work. I was inspired to say the very least but it was just another seed planted.
Candace Hoyes
Then when I attended the Black History Month Schomburg Center For Research in Black Culture in Harlem, one of the performers there had the most impressive vocal capability. She was a soprano but her tone was phenomenal.
I don’t know why but I was drawn to her. Maybe because she was a soprano? Regardless, I stalked her some more. And realized that she was a lawyer turned artivist. To say I was impressed and inspired is an understatement. She made me realize that it’s possible to pivot one’s career and do this work for real. It sparked ideas in me and got me thinking.
P.S Continue to follower her work on instagram here. You will be impressed.
Where Am I Now?
I am interested in pursuing artivism more seriously. According to chat gpt – i know that sounds unserious but I am being for real – artivism is: “A blend of “art” and “activism,” artivism uses creative practices—like visual art, music, film, dance, poetry, and performance—as tools to raise awareness, protest injustice, and imagine liberated futures.”
I feel like I already have been doing this work more subtly. But for me, it’s finding creative ways to post not the typical content you see online. But the one that provokes thoughts and emotions. I don’t want my content to be all that. But I do want it to be apart of it like the one I posted here.
I am working on my second film that really ties this all together. Working on improving my voice. Still practicing piano. Still figuring it out but excited to take you along this journey of using art for healing and change by entering my artivism era
Now, how will you integrate artivism in your life?
