WalkonWater W O M E N

All women art exhibition by AfriKin Art celebrates Women’s History Month in North Miami

After the resounding success of AfriKin Art: The Gaze Africana that opened MLK weekend through Black History Month, AfriKin Art and the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency are once again collaborating to present their next installation, Women Walk on Water –a contemporary fine art exhibition The project is a call for the end of injustice and violence against women and girls for Women’s History Month, ending on March 31

AfriKin Art: Women Walk on Water is an all women art exhibition celebrating the courage, resilience and strength of women and girls around the world The exhibition showcases the work of women artists from varied backgrounds and disciplines, offering a unique perspective on their trials and triumphs

Five Caribbean Women Cont’d

Ivy Ralph, O.D. | Jamaica (1928 – 2018)

The Ralph name has been quite popular in the last year with daughter Sherly Lee-Ralph being the first Black woman to win an Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in thirty-five years Jamaican fashion designer and Lee-Ralph’s mother, Ivy Ralph, set trends in her own

These works by women were born from stories of personal struggle

From paintings to sculptures, multimedia to woven fibers – each piece of art conveys a powerful message about the experiences of women and girls Each narrative speaks of oppression and violence, as well as courage and strength The pieces are unique reflections of the journey of contending to succeed in overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles

Founder of AfriKin and the event curator Alfonso D’Niscio Brooks said, “This is a celebration of the strength and courage of women and girls who have faced trials and have transcended to become powerful agents of change in the world The exhibition also serves as a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to ensure that all women and girls feel safe to speak creatively and be their authentic selves The artists featured in this exhibition are committed to contributing toward the creation of a world free from violence against women and girls Through their art, they are calling for a world where all women and girls are treated with dignity and respect ”

The exhibition is divided into several sections, each of which focuses on a different aspect on the existence of women and girls

The first section, “The Journey,” highlights the struggles in the global south, including stories of displacement and migration The second section, “The Voice,” focuses on the power of women’s and girls’ voices, with pieces that depict the courage of those who speak out against injustice The third section, “The Strength,” celebrates their resilience and their ability to overcome any obstacle

The AfriKin Art: Women Walk on Water exhibition is located at the Scott Galvin Community Center in North Miami More information can be found online at www afrikin art right and propelled the island’s fashion industry to international acclaim Quoted as saying, “It was an idea I had as a child, a more comfortable style of dress for men I wanted to help them get away from the jacket-and-tie routine to something far more comfortably suited to the island's climate,” Ralph designed the popular kareeba suit which was originally popularized by Prime Minister Michael Manley and the People’s National Party, and also later donned by other political leaders across the Caribbean as well as in Africa

Ralph’s tremendous contribution earned her Jamaica’s Order of Distinction in 1999 for outstanding contribution to the promotion of fashion

Jamaica Kincaid | Antigua and Barbuda

Born Elaine Potter Richardson in St John's, Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica Kincaid is a prolific writer, novelist, and professor Her mother sent her to New York City to work as an au pair as a teen, of which she eventually resigned to attend college Kincaid later dropped out of college, but continued to pursue a career in writing She changed her name to Jamaica Kincaid as a self-actualized form of liberation and began publishing articles and stories in magazines and journals like Ms Magazine, The Paris Review, and The New Yorker

Kincaid published several non-fiction pieces and novels throughout the 1990s, oftentimes focusing on themes of gender, power, colonialism, and power One of her most widely read works is A Small Place, a book-length essay first published in 1998 that is equal parts historical and autobiographical as it explores Kincaid’s upbringing in Antigua and critiques British imperialism and neocolonialism for espousing legacies of racism, classism, and corruption on the island and the Caribbean as a whole She is currently a Professor of African and African American Studies in Residence at Harvard University

Alexandria Miller is a Caribbean historian, writer, and Ph D candidate who is passionate about capturing Black women ’ s stories. In 2021, she launched Strictly Facts: A Guide to Caribbean History and Culture, a podcast and digital platform that aims to educate and celebrate Caribbean history by connecting history, politics, and activism to our rich, contemporary music and popular culture