Becoming Oneself: My Journey
Becoming Oneself
When I was born, immediately, I became who my family believed I should be. A source of shame, a secret revealed, different. But as a child, I became curious, questioning, studious, observant. Yet still, the initial identity thrust upon me remained. As I entered my womanhood, I discovered who I could be separate from the familial lens. I began to use my voice, once silent; its power, initially something that frightened me, became my greatest strength.
I learned to consistently be present within my community. I settled into an understanding that just as my Blackness is part of who I am, so is having Albinism. I became someone who loved herself, against the very conditioning I have worked all of my life to overcome.
Throughout my adulthood, I have embodied many identities: some I’d held from the beginning, others newfound. Lover, partner, mother, dutiful daughter, leader, sister, friend. Creative being, breaker of silence, wielder of truth, advocate, protector.
I now possess a deeper understanding that all these identities, these qualities are an integral part of my personal journey of becoming the woman I am today. Consequently, when the theme was announced for International Albinism Awareness Day “Proudly in my Skin: Celebrating All Skin Tones,” I knew deep within my heart I would write about my experience.
As I settle into my seventh decade, I am clear about who I have been, who I am and most importantly, who I am becoming.
Owning a piece of art which depicts the subject in multiple identities is especially powerful for me as a Black person with albinism. I straddle two extremes of being overlooked by western society, but in that space, I am proud of the woman I have become. I embrace both extremes today without losing myself to the narrow definition of each identity, instead choosing to celebrate the uniqueness I have been chosen to embody in this lifetime.
In this concluding part of my series with Tess, the artist and painter who I worked with that resulted in this stunning painting on representing albinism in art, I realize that my journey to my becoming is something that now holds pride of place, both in my home, as visualized by a sister and comrade, and in my heart, as a testament to my lived experience.
Becoming Oneself is that painting. I am in awe of the power of creativity that is on display in this. Tess, whom I met through her sister Wandia, captured the nuances of how we evolve and continue to do so, most eloquently. I am honored to unveil that today here on my website. The timing is particularly poignant, coinciding with the International Day of Observance of Albinism, June 13th.
To learn more about albinism, visit www.albinism.org
If you would like to commission your own artwork from Tess, do visit her studio on Instagram.
Part 1 in this series: Feminine Artistic Collaboration
Part 2 in this series: Proudly in My Skin
