AHHHHH!!!!!! Don't mind me. That sound you generated in your head was just my collective #blackboyjoy escaping my body when I met THE Dr. Debroah Willis during the Songs of My People: 25 Years Later panel and opening reception at Geroge Washington University last Friday. What an awesome, aweome conversatio about culture, photography, self care and the future of imagetry. I had a wonderful opportunity to meet many fantastic artist and individuals who have been selected to be apart of the 25th anniversary of the "Songs of My People" photo book, which took a look at contemporary Black life in the early 90s. Needless today, today's photographers captured a reality that was similar, yet profoundly different. I'm excited to connect with many of these talented individuals and look forward to seeing the exhibition. If you're in the Disctrict, you should too: https://art.columbian.gwu.edu/songs-my-people-25-years-later

Dr. Willis was the bomb! So sweet and charasmatic. I had the opportunity to tell her about cold-contacting her when I was a graduate student at the University of Missouri. After the program, I shared my story of how I emailed and recieved a response from her, which completely made my semester. That year, I was feeling down about my time at Mizzou. There were no faculty of color in the visual journalism department, and the culture of diversity was often preached but rarely seen at the annex. So, in an attempt to get encouragement, I contacted two people; Dr. Willis, whose books I've collected since my father gifted me my first, and photographer extrodinare Eli Reed. Years later, Dr. Willis signed my copy of Black: A Celebration of Culture and left me with a hug and some enouraging words. I'm so thankful for the photo lords purposely placing me here. Lol.