As a writer, artist, and descendant of the African Diaspora, my garment reveals multiple aspects of my West African and Louisiana origins.

The bold, ethnic patterns of the flowing cotton and polyester panels symbolize the large, imposing sails of ships that navigated the Atlantic Ocean for over three centuries, appearing serene and harmless from the outside, as they hid their immoral transport of human tragedy for trade within the hulls of these vessels. The frayed pieces at the end of my skirt symbolize the extreme agony of the fractured, disrupted families and individual lives of enslaved people whose identities were erased and their futures held captive as they were taken to unknown destinations where their destinies were shaped by the life-altering intersections of enslavement, colonization, and forced migration. I used cowrie shells, brass, and beads as accessories to signify personal possessions—pieces of my ancestors’ former existence that they clung to during their perilous, harrowing journeys.

This garment embodies my ancestors’ infinite gifts to me—their survival, their relentless quest for an undeniable commitment to their freedom, dignity, and humanity...gifts that empowered me by fueling my resistance, igniting my resilience, and enlightening my lived experiences.