Artist Statement
I wanted to communicate that being different or not being the “norm” is okay. People of color are constantly shamed for their traditional food, clothing, hair, history, and skin color. It has become so bad that every community favors lighter skin people of color with more “European” features. All around Africa, Asia, and Latin America there are creams and cosmetics to make your skin lighter and not only is it erasing your family bloodline but it also is very harmful. While I was designing my art work I thought it would be a good idea to draw 4 women from different countries that are all of color. I copied the stars for the American flag to get the right shape. I made their hands connected to show that they are all one. I put the women’s country flags behind them to show that you should be confident of your background and not try to change yourself to fit the beauty standard. I made sure to draw the traditional clothing on each of the women to show how beautiful their culture is.