Sugarcane Magazine

The very first series of carousels that I did for Sugarcane were the White Shoe series by . It was my very first viral post and the first post that was taken down in the middle of the night because somebody reported the images. Nona is one of my favorite artists. I typically don’t tell people who I like for numerous reasons, but I will say this here. I loved Nona’s photography and the bravery that she expressed with her camera. I love what she expressed as a woman, as a Black woman, and as a woman whose body looks so much like mine and other women that I grew up with. I loved how she told the truth, and I loved the beauty in that truth. I was so excited to purchase her monograph some years ago. I would typically keep it out for people to look at, but it was too precious for me to risk anybody sitting a glass on or possibly engaging in conversation about their discomfort with the images so I kept her on my bookshelf for safe keeping. It was also incredible watching Nona from a distance because she is not only my age, but she is a mother. It was great watching her navigate the art world as a parent and a parent that had the resources to open up the world to her daughter. To say that I am not misty about her passing would be a lie. I have two of my own and I am also a motherless daughter. So thinking about her daughter and what she may be feeling is heartbreaking. Today I will spend time keeping Nona and her daughter in my prayers. Praying that her soul goes to the East and that her daughter can sit in the energy of the love that her mother gave her. -Melissa

Crowns by Regina Taylor Crowns directed by Carey Hart, this musical is both moving and celebratory. It uses hats as a creative lens to delve into black history.

THE QUEEN HERSELF MS. MAHALIA JACKSON

In to see at Gallery 193.