Black in Black and White ©: An Audio-Visual Poetry Series (In the Making)

Hi, peeps! I am thrilled to announce that I am in the process of producing my first-ever independent visual & immersive arts project

I've been developing this body of work over the last three years (and counting). As a writer and visual artist, I've been committed to taking the time to strategize and intentionally identify ways to garner the support and resources needed in order to share Black in Black & White © with the world.

THE CONCEPT:

It can be tough to find love, hope, and a sense of community in the world we live in today. There’s no singular way to view the Black experience. Realistically speaking, our ideas of freedom don’t always coincide. There are systems at play that continue to knock us ten steps back, and we cannot seem to empathetically agree on the path forward and tactile means of support.

So the question becomes: What does progress look like in a world where love, hope, and communal care seem almost out of reach?

I want to introduce you to my baby, Black in Black & White ©. It is an audio-visual poetry series that will take viewers through the constant internal and external battles to redefine what liberation looks and feels like in the Black community.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL:

The hope is to bring this vision to life through a digital, multi-sensory experience; with the first wave being a virtual poetry book and mini-content series. After that, the goal is to turn it into a multi-city pop-up gallery presentation for the world to experience in real time.

WAYS TO SUPPORT:

Taking into consideration those who are deeply affected by the current economic landscape in America I have provided a list of options for you to support me in raising funds and awareness for the project:

1. Donate to GoFundMe
2. Buy BIB&W© Merch
3. Amplify On Social Media

No matter what you choose to do, your support means everything to me. As hard as it has been for me to make it to this point, it is amazing to finally bring this vision to life. I hope to continue to make art in service of the community that matters the most to me, for as long as I am still walking on this earth.

ABOUT THE CREATOR:

I am EP, a Washington, D.C. native currently based in Chicago, Illinois.

I am a creative multi-hyphenate who works to inspire others, incite change, and promote artistic values. Through my professional pursuits in the media and marketing industries, I’ve always adopted an inclusive and intersectional approach to everything that I do.

With an extensive and diverse background in digital strategy, design, multicultural marketing, and project management (+ more) I’ve led and supported brands and organizations such as UNCF, DIAGEO, CÎROC, and the NBA to produce high-quality campaigns and content across a variety of markets both domestically and abroad.

The concept of Black in Black & White © came to me as I refined some of the poems I wrote during the 2020 pandemic, most of which were inspired by the social upheaval at the time and times before as well as by intimate talks with my friends and peers. The series explores the themes of community, self-actualization, freedom, and love.

My ultimate goal is to reach a national and international audience through multimedia storytelling and poetry, leveraging the visual arts.