Inspiration:

The inspiration for my piece was my own story. If I don't fight for my justice, then who will? Dr. King fought for justice and freedom even when he was in jail. To be jailed for nothing I think to myself, what did he feel in that moment? Instead of writing on the walls, what he did write behind the bars that couldn't be seen in the light? My piece is a glow in the dark painting, after you put up a light to it, and turn the lights off it glows in the dark.

What role does art play in your life?

The role art plays in my life is that it helps me to be who I am unapologetically. Art inspires me to dream, but dream big, have an imagination. I can create art with no regrets, hurt, faults or shame.

Justice statement:

What justice means to me is standing for what you believe in no matter what. In 1956, Dr. King said, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." At this moment in my life, I'm standing and fighting for justice when it comes to my sentence. How my art reflects a lens of justice in my piece is the woman who's behind bars looking at men and women who stood and still stand for justice and equal rights for all people. Malcom X and Dr. King both sat in jail because they fought for justice. Vice President Kamala Harris fights for justice every day. Selma Burke in 1944 had President Franklin Roosevelt pose for a portrait that is now on a dime that's used daily. Please don't ignore the writing behind the bars you don't see when the lights go out. Continue to stand for justice and what you believe.