Artist Statement

My identity was once unclear to me as a person. However, as I grew older, I gained a sense of who I am and the ways in which I would elevate myself in the future. My self-portrait discusses this in the form of a poem, where I am able to express myself in a way that I haven’t done before. Since I am a journalist, I feel this way is the most appropriate way for me to express my thoughts. It causes me to think differently and deeply about what I’ve gone through as a child and the man I have grown into since then. This piece of work is totally different from any of my articles written for journalism purposes. Usually, those papers include analysis, facts, and reasoning. However, this poem requires nothing but my own thoughts and how I feel. 

The main issues of my identity are addressed early on in the poem. In the beginning stages of the piece, I focus on my life as a young boy and make references to Ta-Nehisi Coates’ book “Between the World and Me.” Coates and I share similar backgrounds and struggle with our living conditions and the hardships of being Black. My experience of growing up in East Orange is nothing compared to Coates, based on what I read in his book. On the other hand, living in my area can be a testing environment, where students are taught to work hard and grind because of the lack of opportunities that we have access to. I also describe the confusion I face while choosing between embracing my African or African American side more. However, as I grow, I soon realize that both have my dark skin tone in common, thus making it difficult to neglect one more than the other. 

In the middle stages of my poem, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is referenced heavily. I draw some concepts from her letter “Dear Ijeawele, Or, A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions.” Here, I mainly focus on the ideas of “likeability” and building relationships with other people. Interactionism describes my identity the most because I use socialization as a means of building meaningful relationships and making me who I am. A common point in Adichie’s letter is finding a balance. It’s fine to not worry as much when a person doesn’t rate you, but it also isn’t an issue for you to still display a good character. While reading her letter, I recognized that having a great supporting crew will aid me in achieving success in the future. This is why family and friends are so important to my character and it’s what forms my identity as a person. 

As the poem comes to an end, I try to describe the character that I have formed into. The ideas of family, friends, and hard work make up my entire person. I also introduce my faith in God and how important that is for me, explaining that He keeps me going every day. It’s what I’ve seen first hand from the likes of my own family members and what I intend to keep upholding for the rest of my life. I make it known in the last parts of the poem that a journey alone is never an easy one. However, my walk in faith suggests that I’ll never be alone and my efforts in socializing with people confirm that thought. Although I will be a different person in the years to come, the values and traits that I have will never change.