Spotlight
a monthly feature highlighting women of color from across the globe who are positively impacting their communities.
Adobuere Ebiama is a force to be reckoned with. As she navigates between mediums with an ease only she has mastered, she leaves behind vignettes of stories that feel both distinct and familiar. In How Far?, her first published book, she invites readers into an intimate journey (and processing) of her trip to her father’s home country Nigeria. How Far? is an honest examination of what home, sexuality, family, and identity mean in an ever-shifting world.
Corinne Spencer is a deeply talented artist and director, focusing on the black feminine body, reality, violence, and desire. She creates worlds that thrive on tensions between the physical and the fantasy and the conscious and the subconscious. Even after her videos and performance pieces end, the emotions one feels linger.
Beginning as an idea scribbled onto a notepad, Kemi Omisore created Afrobeat Fit, a movement that is dismantling harmful social narratives, creating accessible spaces, and embracing the multitude and richness of West African dance. Through fitness and dance sessions, Afrobeat Fit provides an open space for health, music, and learning. Kemi's passion for dance and her culture have undoubtedly propelled the movement further. Even with her accomplishments, she has remained humble, deeply reflective, and thoughtful.
Andrea Gonzalez Ramirez describes her introduction into journalism as accidental. Upon reading one of her many articles, most notably at Refinery29, however, you'll find her voice purposeful, disseminating global and political news. Ramirez's passion for writing and journalism is a result of her commitment to people.
Although Tiffany B Chanel only started painting a couple of years ago, a move that seems happenstance for someone who spent most of her life as an athlete and dancer, her art is anything but a passing hobby. Most widely known for her pop art-style portraits, Tiffany B is on a mission to empower the everyday woman through the vibrant colors that she sees in them.
Mia Mingus is motivated by change. While her work extends across different areas, her passion and dedication are unwavering. Through transformative justice, Mia fights for disability justice and fights child sexual abuse, positively impacting and creating spaces for communities, such as through the Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective. Her work may be difficult at times, but she holds an optimism that undoubtedly inspires those she is helping as well as those looking to join her.
No matter if you’re a longtime subscriber, looking for natural hair tips, or just seeking your daily dose of inspiration, Whitney White’s charisma will undoubtedly stick with you. Creator of the YouTube channel Naptural85, White has created a strong community by documenting her personal hair care journey.
Crystal Zaragoza is an advocate of health justice at Trans Queer Pueblo. Working to provide resources and access to health care for community members, Zaragoza emphasizes the importance of combining traditional and cultural healing with standard health care, so that people can heal physically and emotionally, in an inclusive way. It's this merging that makes her insightful of the future of health care for LGBTQ+ and migrant communities of color.
Cheyenne Wyzzard-Jones and Florcy Romero founded Women of Color in Solidarity to create a network of women of color working to help, protect, and liberate black and brown lives, not just within the United States, but globally.
Obehi Janice’s work speaks to her ethos: a combination of painful (and joyous) honesty and comedic relief. A proud Lowell, Massachusetts native, born to Nigerian immigrant parents, Obehi grew up “hyper[-]aware of being a Nigerian girl.” She has since learned to trust her inner power and her faith in guiding her work. While Obehi is intentional in her politicization of the personal and fiercely embracing of her Blackness, her work’s focus is on creating meaningful representations that are honest to herself as an individual, and on “simply thriving” as an artist.
Moana’s indigenous roots is the foundation of her work as a community muralist. She tells us that she is “just the conduit of [a] mural” that a community commissions. As someone who understands what it’s like to have people take from her, Moana’s work is thoughtfully created with community members and it is emblematic of their resistance, pride, and ownership. This Spotlight beams, not only with Moana’s passion, but also with the vigor of the people she’s come to know.
Liz Fong-Jones has been a trailblazer in the tech industry, advocating for worker rights and inclusion. She stood up to Google, making an impact on the corporations of Silicon Valley as a whole, and continues to work towards ethical tech and safe workplaces. Her impact, however, is not exclusive to tech. As a queer trans woman of color, she knows that everyone has their own unique story and path to take. From her experience and success in a competitive and exclusive industry to her perseverance in the face of injustice and inequality, she's an inspiration to many.