MORE THAN A
COLOR
thththththt
MORE THAN ONE COLOR 2019 #3
Welcome - this is a portfolio of my series, More Than a Color. This collection of panels aims to host a conversation about skin color by choreographing chance encounters between people and art. The term ‘social justice’ is realized headshots and personal testimonies. A rendered graphic projects the social dynamic of skin color through a sign-like panel, expressing my passion about sharing stories through art.
Original Photography: Desmund Weathers Models: Laken Horton, Tyler Burns, Francisco Cardoza, Bailey Porter, Michael Leverett, Xavier Deguzman, Paloma Roman, Darrell Reese, Tayyeba Muhammad Khan, Tristan Davis, Ayanna Phillips, Mario Garcia, Trihn Tran, Adam Carr, Evelyn Lucio, Grant Thompson, Jordan Kiehl, and Ryan Kelly Creative director & artist: Gabby Coleman
#morethanacolorksu www.gabbykirsten.com
www.gabbykirsten.com
#4
MORE THAN ONE COLOR 2019
THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND ARTIST ON THE SIGNIFIGANCE OF HER PAINTINGS
My art is rooted in an observation that it is difficult to speak about social justice. Social justice is a structure that acknowledges the inequalities present in a community based on perceived & factual identities, advocating for equality where there isn’t any. In spaces where I strived for my story to be heard, I realized that people of color and other minority groups might not feel like there is space for their stories to be told as well. Storytelling can be a powerful way to share information that might disrupt the status quo, and I was eager to find a way to make social justice more approachable and the often disturbing stories of the impact physical appearance has on our daily lives more concrete.
I’ve channeled my art to express myself and what I have to say since I was young, and this project is the greatest example of this. LEFT: DR. ELEMORE PRESENTING ME WITH MY COVER OF THE K-STATER SUMMER 2019 BELOW: MOVE-IN DAY, FRESHMAN YEAR WE’VE COME A LONG WAY, FOLKS!
www.gabbykirsten.com
My platform emerged from a school project focused on thinking of public art as architecture. Through rigorous self-reflection
“More than a color” is a challenge to see past skin color to unveil unifying experiences. Each painting taught me a lesson about the power our environment plays in our social development. I am so grateful for the twenty people who elected to share a piece of their story with me as it helped me to rewrite my own. This came from me not feeling like I had space, but I realized that there’s history and progression from where we started, where we are, what we want to say and what we want to become. #5
As a female person of color in a predominantly white + male field of study, I struggled to feel like my voice carried the same weight as my peers since my first year of architecture school. I was committed to getting involved on campus, developing my own community, and staying afloat during my rigorous and time-intensive semesters, so I made do with feeling out of place and different from my peers. It wasn’t until the end of my third year and the beginning of my fourth year - during a time of racial tension - I noticed that my peers weren’t involved and speaking out the issues that affected me daily. Topics like diversity, inclusion, and identity just weren’t being talked about, and there was little support for these conversation within my college. It was then that I vowed I would use the rest of my time in architecture school to be a voice for my fellow students of color and other marginalized identities with the hope that people would simply pay attention.
and research, I determined I had the means to disclose something about social justice on the K-State campus via the interpretation of physical appearance through telling the stories of my peers. By crafting interviews rooted in discovering what ties together our differences and painting more than life size portraits of a wide range of student leaders, I hoped to make our stories hard to ignore and easy to empathize with. Most of all, I wanted to start a conversation.
MORE THAN ONE COLOR 2019
BEHIND THE BRUSH: GABBY COLEMAN
MORE THAN ONE COLOR 2019 #6 www.gabbykirsten.com
TESTING A MIX BETWEEN DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION AND PAINTING This project emerged from a studio assignment that challenged us to create a piece of art inherently tied to a site that disclosed something about our environment – with the hope that we, as designers, would become experts on site analysis (a quality often missed by emerging architects). Once I understood the power of public art and my notion to start a conversation about skin color, my first move was to establish a consistent narrative. I decided to let the graphic content of each panel be driven by my interpretation of the stories captured through interviewing current K-State students – which provided a unique opportunity to reflect on social justice through the words of my peers. With the help of a few trusted friends, I crafted a list of student leaders who I felt could help me define social justice as it applies to our unified experiences and asked each person to answer three questions in an informal interview – ranging from oneon-one to a group of three – and get their picture taken. The questions were meant to elicit genuine responses from my peers on what it felt like to wear their physical appearance: What does social justice mean to you? How does your physical appearance impact your K-State story? How are you more than your color? The models were positioned in partial shadow to amplify the contrast of their natural pigment and defining facial features. I am so grateful for this day, the surprising vulnerability of my twenty peers (at this point – FRIENDS), and my creative team: Desmund Weathers and Bailey Nobrega. Facing a steep deadline, I relied on my years on freelance painting and my basic understanding of digital illustration to craft a semi-realistic image of these twenty faces. I was inspired by vibrant digital posters on city streets, pixelated portraits, and large graphic murals. I determined that rendering the original photos would allow me to
project the faces onto its canvas (in this case – 2’x6’ wooden boards) and reduce the color story of these varied skin tones to a consistent palette. Each face was tweaked to benefit the overall composition, each rendering was projected onto the yellow panels and hand painted, and each color was individually mixed for each face, applied from lights to darks. As the brush strokes transformed into partial faces, portions were repainted to achieve more consistent representations. Summaries of each interview were carefully developed, sharing two to three sentences of the models’ story, and each summary was lettered at the face of every face. Each painting took approximately 15 – 20 hours to complete. When displayed outside in their intended site, the panels are hosted by a steel frame. The steel frames have four steel plates that wrap the frame, like fingers holding a protest sign, to hide the bolted connections. Although the series took four times as long as initially anticipated, I am so grateful for the process as I had to truly push myself as an artist.
MORE THAN ONE COLOR 2019 #7 www.gabbykirsten.com
LEFT: INITIAL MOCKUPS INVESTIGATING POTENTIAL FACE GRAPHICS FOR THE PANELS ABOVE: TWO FACES DIGITALLY RENDERED WITH COLOR MODIFCATION
Trinh
the stories #8 www.gabbykirsten.com
Tran
Beautiful, humble, and resilient. Trihn embodies her family values and has her eyes set on making an impact PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: TRIHN TRAN
the stories
#9
www.gabbykirsten.com
Tra
Q: What is social justice?
does tell a story, and I should…having that story, I should use that story to bring awareness to people who share my skin A: “To me, social justice is basically acknowledging the set- color… to understand that your voice will be heard if you allow backs of certain cultures and certain groups and bringing it to be heard.” those to light so that other cultures can know more and learn more about them in order to help them find progressive means to better their group or their situation.” Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story? A: “For me, with being a minority, I guess just understanding
#10
“I realize that my cultural traditions do make me who I am as a person, but it doesn’t fully make up my whole being. My successes are my own stories. My skin color represents a story. I am more than my color because there is a history behind my ancestry and my heritage.” that I shouldn’t compare myself with other groups and understanding that my successes are my own stories and understanding that whatever work I put in are my responsibilities and my outcomes are my responsibilities.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How are you more than a color? A: “I think that I’m more than my color because there’s a story behind my ancestry and my heritage and realizing those traditions do make me who I am as a person but it doesn’t fully make me my whole being, understanding that my skin color
the stories
#11
trihn [november 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Tayyeba
#12 www.gabbykirsten.com
Muhammed Khan
Driven student translates pain into emotional gain. Now she’s sharing her journey with everyone that will listen PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: TAYYEBA MUHAMMAD KHAN
the stories
#13
www.gabbykirsten.com
Khan
Q: What is social justice?
#14
“I am a software engineer. I am from Pakistan. I think when A: “Social justice is more like you have to stand up for human you see people behind what they look [like], you can maybe rights. It’s about being human. It would be a justice if everyone think about their minds. I think where you were brought up and has equal opportunities in this society no matter who they are.” your environment has effects on your personality, but these effects make you who you are, and I think you should cherish Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your those. When you look at people and think they are more than K-State story? their skin color, you can maybe get to know about the culture of the individual, how they live, and why they are the way they A: “I think it has a huge impact on my experience. If I would are. You associate things with skin color, but you never think have been a little more like the people that are here, it would about why you are doing it, so if you get to see people for have made me more normal, but [that’s] not normal for me. who they really are, you will understand why they do certain things, and that they are normal for them.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
“When I was in Pakistan, my physical appearance was normal - the way I look and the way I speak. When I came here, I felt like a single piece. I want people to understnad that I am still a normal person.” People have questions about me, and they want to know more about me, so that makes it different from experience of other people – they are just living their lives normally. When I was in Pakistan, [my physical appearance] was normal there – they way I am looking and the way I speak. When I came here, I felt like a single piece with some of the people. It kind of made me more open to things. I kind of understand now why people have questions about me. I want to clarify things, and I want to make them understand that I am also a normal person.” Q: How are you more than a color?
the stories
#15
tayyeba [november 2018]
www.gabbykirsten.com
Tristan
the stories #16 www.gabbykirsten.com
Davis
Determined to defy sterotypes, Tristan navigates the pitfalls of perception PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: TRISTAN DAVIS
the stories
#17
www.gabbykirsten.com
Davis
Q: What is social justice? “I think [social justice] is seeing people as a person before you see them as a color - respecting them as a person before you see them as something else. It’s about treating people as they would want to be treated.”
“I’m different than my skin color is portrayed or seen on tv – as in that reckless, dark, loud guy that’s supposed to be funny and has those cliché sayings – I’m pretty laidback, and I don’t force myself to be funny. We’re always seen as this unintelligent breed of people, and I’m here at K-State proving I’m not, so I’m different then what they say I am.”
Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story?
#18
“I represent the misconstrued image of a black man – the dreadhead– [a] threat. I feel like I have that surface level
www.gabbykirsten.com
“I represent the misconstrued image of a black man, and I’m often perceived as a threat. That’s just surface level - you must get to know me to understand who I am.” [perception]… when people see me, they are like ‘hmmmm, okay, I’m not gonna leave anything around him.’ You have to get to know me to understand who I am because I understand who I am. At first, I get a lot of weird looks, [but] then you hear me talk or do a presentation, and you are like ‘oh – this man’s actually involved in school and he’s connected to the university, and he’s not [a] thug.’ You have to get to know me to know that I more than what your eyes see.” Q: How are you more than a color?
the stories
#19
tristan [november 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Mario
#20 www.gabbykirsten.com
Garcia Holding several positions of influence, Mario uses his platform to be a voice for his peers PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: MARIO GARCIA
the stories
#21
www.gabbykirsten.com
Garcia
Q: What is social justice? A: “I think it means equality but also like equity, too. I feel like nobody is on the same level, but everybody has to be on the same level. Social justice, in my community where I’m originally from, looks different from social justice here because they’re just two different demographics. Just [on a]very basic [level] – on a college campus, it’s the representation of students. In general – regardless of their background, of their race, ethnicity – [the] things that might be defining.”
times that I had some older gentlemen come up to me at certain events in small towns to say ‘you speak really well’ and I would always say thank you because it was nice but there was a certain aspect of unsaid, not racism but maybe a lack of knowledge about who I am and stuff like that…because I would always respond in my head like ‘speak well for what? A Hispanic? …what do you mean?’ or ‘do you just tell other college students this?’. A lot of them were thoroughly surprised with how well I spoke publicly which is one thing I’ll carry with me for a while but nonetheless – great leadership opportunities have come my way, and I’m glad to fulfil those roles, but being a student of a multicultural background, again, I felt an obligation to be, if anything, a good role model for the future generations of multicultural students who come here and want to pursue leadership positions on campus.” Q: How are you more than a color?
#22
A: “I think in terms of the five years I spent here, I’m more than my skin color...I don’t think – I mean hopefully not...if people were to remember something I did here or if I had an effect on them, one of the things they would not say would be my race – maybe you here it in my name just because my name is oriented towards a cultural context. I would hope that what we do as multicultural students here on campus whether that is through leadership positions or just on a regular basis that people would remember us by those interactions and not necessarily by what community we were a part of, and if we had a lot of input in those communities – great, but as in general as a university/college campus I think it would be awesome be remembered as a student leader rather than a Hispanic student leader.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story? A: “I think for me, the leadership opportunities that I’ve had here – it’s been interesting being a person of color - having a certain, maybe, unset obligation is kinds the mindset that I’ve had of representing a community that’s normally underrepresented on a predominantly white institution’s campus. With that being said – a few interactions that I’ve had during my time as the ambassador are definitely some that I’ll carry forever, some good and some that were also interesting. I recall a couple
“Great leadership opportunities have come my way during my five years at K-State, but being a person of a multicultual background, I felt an obligation to be, if anything, a good role model for future students.”
the stories
#23
mario [november 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
Jordan
the stories #24 www.gabbykirsten.com
Kiehl
One half of the dynamic presidential duo, this leader is using her access to school administrators to make a change PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: JORDAN KIEHL
the stories
#25
www.gabbykirsten.com
Kiehl
Q: What is social justice? A: “For me, I think, I mean obviously there’s a lot of privilege that I have in the world, and so social justice is about using that privilege for the greater advantage of others and not necessarily staying within myself. I think for many years, I was able to ignore a lot of things going on in the world, and social justice is not just about fighting for the things that you need to be equitable but for everyone. I think it’s not just about one identity or one person but for all to feel like they have a place in this world – and a place that’s equal to the person sitting next to them and not something that they have to fight for – it’s
how big of a problem it is for women of color in engineering and that’s something I never recognized as being kind of a larger impact on them then it was on me. I have a couple of classmates that they’re the ‘only ones’ in our class, and I never really recognized that until probably this past year of really knowing like – wow, they might not feel like they have a place here since I don’t feel like I have a place here – but at least I have kind of the comradery and the other women around me potentially don’t have the same. And that’s something that I think I’ve tried to take a little bit more initiate in having those conversations with the individuals around me and being able to stand up to the guys in our classes that don’t want to give the same respect. And just knowing that’s happening to other females in the college mostly likely and that there’s an even greater chance for women of color not having that respect in the room I think has really shaped my professional field and K-State in general.” Q: How are you more than a color?
#26
A: “I think one of the things about the idea of being ‘more than your color’… it’s really easy when you’re talking about social justice or issues of inequality, it’s easy to put people in a box, and it’s easy to define, and as an engineer, I really like clean lines, definitive answers and that’s something I think we want as humans, and when you talk about skin color or race or anything in regards to someone’s identity, it can’t be put in a box, and it can’t be defined as something as simple as their color because everyone has a story. That’s something I’ve really come to realize in the last year – even just knowing who someone is or what there major is, that’s not enough to really understand kind of where they come from and how that’s changed or affected their life and how that affects their life at K-State because every little thing adds on to each other which is why it’s such a difficult conversation to have – to really find out how to makes things more equitable across the institution.
something that is just a given. We’re not at that place in our world yet, and so until we are, that’s where social justice kinda takes its job from.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story? A: “The biggest way that my physical appearance has affected my K-State story has been in my gender – being in the College of Engineering. And that’s something that I don’t think that I put a lot of weight on coming into college, and now as I’ve had more conversations around social justice and around the barriers that other individuals think, I’ve realized
“I have a lot of priveledge in this world. For me, social justice is about using my priveledge to advocate for others. It is not enough to just talk about skin color, race or ethnicity. There is so much more to understand about where someone comes from and how that shapes their experience at K-State.”
the stories
#27
jordan [november 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
Ryan
the stories #28 www.gabbykirsten.com
Kelly
Bridging the gap between student goverment and BSU, Ryan strives to uphold his values as ďŹ ghts for solidarity PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: RYAN KELLY
the stories
#29
www.gabbykirsten.com
Kelly
Q: What is social justice? A: “To me, social justice is all about fighting for a more equitable society that doesn’t have a systemic barrier for certain demographics. I think that certain identities have an easier time being taken seriously by those in charge and the powers at be, and I think that social justice is all about flipping that narrative so that anybody, anywhere, anytime can be taken just as seriously as anybody else.” Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story?
in a position where I needed to choose one identity over the other or I felt that way at least. I had a tuition fees meeting on a Tuesday night at 7pm and I had a Black Student Union meeting on a Tuesday night at 7pm. I served on the exec board at Black Student Union as a parliamentarian so I kinds oversaw the meeting but then also I was the College of Engineering’s representative on this tuition and fees committee, so having to make that decision in essence, for me, was choosing my whiteness over my blackness and I feel like this paradigm, I feel it in almost everything I do, you know ‘am I too far this way or too far this way?’ and I have to ride that line quite a bit.” Q: How are you more than a color?
www.gabbykirsten.com
#30
A: “I don’t know – I struggle with this question a lot because I think that the color of one person’s skin [is tied to] their ability to succeed at K-State. I feel like skin color is a factor…you’re more likely to do well. I think that this university has seen the institutional and systemic marginalization of certain groups of color. And when someone like Mario, a Hispanic student at K-State, who is belongs a community of individuals who haven’t had opportunities like he’s had it means so much to the communities his a apart of when he gets to be in those roles…when they see him as a student ambassador. On that same token speaking to my experience as a biracial student leader, what I find is that people assign labels to me that suite their perspective – whatever they’re trying to convey – that’s what they choose in me. If I’m not fighting enough for social justice, if I’m taking a step back and delegating, then that’s ‘well you know he’s half white and he’s in the administration’s back pocket’, and then when I author a resolution and go up and debate on something very controversial that’s close to my heart, people get mad and it’s ‘oh well he’s in bed with BSU’. In my experience, skin color means a lot to this university and to students, faculty and staff at this university, and as much as I would like to say that my skin color doesn’t define me, often times I really feel like it does.”
A: “I think, for me, especially being biracial at K-State, being a member of a community lets you in on a lot of insight about that group, and I think that being split right in half and having to commit my time equally to both of those communities has presented quite a few challenges to not only my identity but also how I approach I guess leadership and really just going to K-State. A lot of times, these two groups conflict in what they believe the best way approach certain issues at K-State, and I find myself in a constant tug war of ‘am I being too white for the black people? Am I being too black for the white people?’. I remember last year, one time specifically, I was
“Am I being too white for the black people? Am I being too black for the white people? I find myself in this constant tug of war, and it has presented challenges not only in the way I view my identity but also in the way I view leadership.”
the stories
#31
ryan [november 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
Darrell
the stories #32 www.gabbykirsten.com
Reese
Often seen speaking publicly on behalf of students of color, this former president BSU president and student ambassador lives in the spolight PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: DARRELL REESE
the stories
#33
www.gabbykirsten.com
Reese
Q: What is social justice?
marginalized groups on campus. It plays a huge part in my story – my awareness and my identity – probably more than it has ever been going from high school to college. It’s definitely played a huge part in the things I’m passionate about now. It’s a positive thing because with has helped me to develop my identity as a black man on a predominately white campus and in our society, but its also a negative thing because you don’t expect to come to college and have to deal with the kind of stuff that happens on campus.”
#34
A: “When I think about social justice, what comes to mind is justice for those who are oppressed, justice for those who are marginalized (in our community and even in a broad sense – our nation), justice for those who feel undervalued – it hits a lot of different areas even outside of race – sexuality, gender, religion. Ensuring that we are having justice for all…kind of ensuring that everyone feels valued, their needs are met, and their voices are heard, and that we aren’t taking their voices for granted (that is something that happens from an oppressive Q: How are you more than your skin color? and marginalized standpoint). We have to make sure we are A: “I am a lot more than my skin color because there is so much power [in being black] but, man, there is so much more that is within me than just the color of my skin – the stuff that I’m passionate about, the vision that I have for my life. It could be easy for people on the outside to get wrapped up in “because you are this skin color, you have to do this, act a certain way, be this kind of person,” but you don’t. You shouldn’t feel like you have to seclude yourself to your skin color and the stereotypes that come with your skin color. What you have inside of you is really more important than what’s on the outside.”
“I didn’t really start coming into myself, my skin color, and my blackness until I got to K-State – the first place where I felt marginalized and the real effects of racism, harsh remarks and microaggressions. I saw it face-to-face. It happened to me.” listening and putting actions behind our words.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story? A: “My skin color has impacted my K-State story because for me, I didn’t really start coming into myself, my skin color, and my blackness until I got to K-State – the first time to where I felt marginalized and the real effects of racism, harsh remarks and microaggressions. I saw it face-to-face. It happened to me, and also from the standpoint where I’ve had to defend
Reese
#35
darrell [december 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Tyler
#36 www.gabbykirsten.com
Burns Passionate about mainting his character off the ďŹ eld, Tyler works to live louder than his athletic expectations PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: TYLER BURNS
the stories
#37
www.gabbykirsten.com
Burns
Q: What is social justice? A: “Social justice? What does it mean? Short answer – I think it’s looking for equality, but what exactly does that look like and why is that the case? I think a lot of it is restorative justice, restoring things to how they should’ve been the whole time. That was never the case because of colonization and white culture just putting people down so now African Americans, Native Americans…all minorities are seeking to find this equality now – how it should’ve been. Who knows if that will ever be the case with a lot of systematic things and mentally within people from the 100s of years of hearing ‘you are lesser’? So,
times I feel like you don’t want to act like your stereotypical black guy because then people are like ‘oh, they all act like that’, so I have to be more cautious of how I act and how I speak. For the most part, I grew up around more white people anyways, so probably by nature, I do have more of this different culture than what you would expect an African American to have. But then also, playing football for three years, that also perpetuated stereotypes that I knew people had about black football players – they’re lazy, they’re dumb, they don’t show up to class, and I’m like I know [we] put in hours of work, and I know that we’re tired. In my head, I’m like I have to make sure I’m being a little bit better, that I’m not fulfilling the stereotype of this lazy, black person. Mentally, I’m always thinking about that.” Q: How are you more than a color?
#38
“Growing up, I would always get called a ‘white, black person’. So am I supposed to act a certain color? How does a white person act? How does a black person act? What, am I supposed to say the ‘n’ word all the time? Sag my pants? I don’t know what they meant by it. Being more than this color means that I can act however I want. Whatever my skin color is, it shouldn’t have to affect that in any way. I can be really educated speak like this or I can use slang. It’s funny – being called a ‘white, black person’ because I am literally half white, and no one ever sees that.”
I think a lot of times, it’s about restoring it to what it should’ve been, but never was.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story? “Similar to Laken… in some ways, being lighter skinned… well actually, I’m mixed - my dad’s white [and my mom is black]. Being mixed, in a lot of ways, it made things easier than that of maybe a darker black person. Sometimes you feel like you are a representative of the whole black race. Mentally some-
“Being mixed, in a lot of ways, it made things easier than that of a dark-skinned black person. Sometimes you feel like you are a representation of the whole black race. Playing football for three years perpetuated sterotypes that I knew people had about black football players. In my head, I have to make sure I’m being better than the stereotype. I’m always thinking about that.”
the stories
#39
tyler [december 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Laken
#40 www.gabbykirsten.com
Horton
This outspoken queen of the Student Union talks embracing sterotypes and living beyond her skin color PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: LAKEN HORTON
the stories
#41
www.gabbykirsten.com
Horton
Q: What is social justice? A: “It has a lot to do with equality, not just for one race but for all. Everyone is equal, everyone is human, we should all share the same issues…knowing that out here in the world, that we will all be represented equally. We know that if something happens people will stand up for us, just as they would stand up for another person not because the color of our skin but for the state of the fact that we are humans, and we are interconnected. Honestly social justice is just simple, it’s the fairness of everyone. We are all just on one pedestal - there’s no gold or silver. I bleed the same blood as you. Everyone should feel welcomed, a part of, and included.”
For me, this semester, I went into every class (in a small, like 14 – 15 classroom) like “hey guys, we’re going to be with each other all semester, so we might as well get the jitters out and be friends” and then everyone is like ‘oh okay’, and then they’ll start to talk to me. As for just being a black girl on campus, you’re expected to be the representative of all black people. You are supposed to speak about how they feel. I got backlash from both sides – black people and white. For the first couple of years, it was hard to fit into both groups until I found a select group of friends. I honestly don’t know how to answer this question. For me, my four years have been tough but at the same time, my four years have been easy because I’m a light skinned black girl. Lati (Horton) could tell you it’s been harder for her, but it’s definitely been smooth sailing for me.” Q: How are you more than a color?
#42
A: “How am I more than my skin color? I live that question everyday, trying to prove that I am more than my skin color. There was one time, this girl in my class - the very first day of class – she looked [to find a seat] and she found the very last seat, away from me. Months down the line, they ended up partnering us together, she said they she saw me on a friend’s Instagram, a part of Christian Challenge and asked if I was a Christian. I said yeah and she said cool that’s so cool to know. I wanted to be like, had you gotten to know me you besides just looking at me like everyone else did, you would’ve realized that I am a pretty cool person. Just trying to prove every day that its more about personality and your actions and the way that you carry yourself more so than what you might look like on the outside because color is simply just color. I’m a girl who likes the Sound of Music and Mama Mia and all these different musicals just like the standard, blonde hair blue eyed theater girl would. I like dresses and Converse and everything like the typical sorority girl does. I can fit into all these different categories, and so my skin color doesn’t necessarily determine what I am and what I’m not.
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story? A: “For me, I’ve always been on the lighter side of the spectrum, so I would say my experience has been relatively easy. Although, there is the typical being the only black girl in the class, nobody wants to work with you, or nobody wants to sit next to you. I always try to go into situations knowing the color of my skin dictates how people see me, but I try to let my personality outshine the color of my skin. So when I go into situations, I always smile or say something funny to break the ice – that way everyone is like “oh, okay, this is not that bad.”
“I always try to go into situations knowing the color of my skin dictates how people see me, but I try to let me personality outshine the color of my skin. My skin color doesn’t neccessarily determine what I am and what I’m not. My personality and spirit are who I am, and my skin color is a bonus.”
the stories
#43
laken [february 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Xavier
#44 www.gabbykirsten.com
Deguzman
This student is using his passion to navigate the pitfalls of classrooms that don’t look like him PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: XAVIER DEGUZMAN
the stories
#45
www.gabbykirsten.com
Deguzman
Q: What is social justice? A: “Social justice is the appreciation of all different kinds of cultures and skin colors.” Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story?
#46
A: “It’s definitely impacted my K-State story because this is a predominantly white campus. I’m half Filipino and half Mexican, so I when I do sit in the classroom and look left and right, there’s not many people who look like me. That’s made me
“I’m half Filipino and half Mexican, so when I do sit in the classroom and look left and right, there are not many people who look like me. That’s made me have to adapt and get uncomfortable. It’s made me who I am.”
have to adapt and get comfortable with the uncomfortable. It’s made me who I am.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How are you more than a color? I think being more than your skin color boils down to the simplicity of being a good person, wanting the best for others, being selfless, and spreading love.
the stories
#47
x [february 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Michael
#48 www.gabbykirsten.com
Leverett
The diversty front man translates pain into emotional gain. Now he’s passing his positivity to everyone that wants it PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: MICHAEL LEVERETT
the stories
#49
www.gabbykirsten.com
Leverett
Q: What is social justice?
#50
A: “Social justice, to me, if you just use the two words “social” and “justice”, social justice is being equitable for all. It’s really simple. What does that look like? It could look like physical protests and it may even come off as violence but that’s how some people express themselves. It may be through violence, it may be through art, protesting, or even being quiet. And I say that [because] we cannot dictate how people express themselves, and though we may deem some qualities as bad because we don’t understand, that’s there means for their social justice – that’s how they speak, that’s how they translate
Q: How are you more than a color? : “Yeah, I don’t know what to say. Like Bailey said – I am a human. I have dreams and aspirations outside of my skin color. Even though my skin color does affect how I move around the world, I am more than just what others may perceive in me. Like [that] India Aria [song] … ‘I am not my hairrrrrr, I am not my skin…….’”
“Even though my skin color affects how I move around the world, I am more than what other people may see in me. People automatically have assumptions based on what we look like and it may not be my skin color - it could be the shape of my head, how I walk or how I talk but it’s especially my skin tone.” what’s equitable and equal and what’s fair.” Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story?
www.gabbykirsten.com
or if I was there helping out. I told him I was another applicant – [and if I wasn’t,] I don’t know why I would come to this meeting or why I would be dressed up. If I was helping out, why would I be dressed up. There are those type assumptions where maybe people with my color of skin does not apply for these types of positions and do not reach for higher.”
A: “People automatically have assumptions based on what whatever we look like, and it may not be my skin color, it could be the shape of my head, how I walk or how I talk but specially my skin tone, they may…. for example, I went to my interview along with another applicant. I introduced myself. He asked me what I was there for and if I was another applicant
the stories
#51
michael [febraury 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Del’sha
#52 www.gabbykirsten.com
Roberts
This BSU president embraces her culture and works diligently to be voice for her community PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: DEL’SHA ROBERTS
the stories
#53
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Q: What is social justice? A: “Social justice is about everyone having access to the justice they deserve – it shouldn’t have anything to do with your religious background, gender, or the color of your skin because we are all human, and this is just what we deserve.” Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story? A: “Being black, BSU plays a big role in my K State story. It was important to me to find people who look like me and think
#54
“Being black, BSU plays a big role in my K State story. It was important to me to find people who look like me and think like me. I wanted to be a part of a community of people. Being a stem major, I’m usually the only one black in my classes, so I feel out of place regardless. I’ve had to learn how to feel comfortable with feeling out of place.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
like me. I wanted to be a part of a community of people. Being a stem major, I’m usually the only one black in my classes, so I feel out of place regardless. I’ve had to learn how to feel comfortable with feeling out of place.”
the stories
#55
del’sha [february 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Grant
#56 www.gabbykirsten.com
Thompson Grant shines a light on using his priviledge to amplify authentic stories PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: GRANT THOMPSON
the stories
#57
www.gabbykirsten.com
“Being a white man on K-State’s campus has probably helped me in ways I don’t even realize. Beyond skin color, being a gay man on this campus plays into my appearance as well as the way I dress, the way I act, and the way I move. I’ve definitely had to adjust the way I see myself because of how people see me.”
#58
Thompson
on this campus, I think people are probably always making judgements about that too - and maybe they’re not. I don’t A: “I think social justice, for me, means, and this is very prev- know...I think I’ve definitely had to adjust like how I see myself alent right now in my life - especially joining a new fraternity on this campus because of how I think other people see me.” on campus, I’m around 70 men who all think similarly about speaking up when they feel uncomfortable, because if you’re Q: How are you more than a color? feeling uncomfortable, someone else is probably feeling uncomfortable, but they might not be able to…they might not have A: “I think, for me, it wasn’t hard for me to find my fit on camthe courage to speak up. To me – social justice – that’s the first pus being white but that hasn’t like held me back from being step: speaking up and having your opinions heard so your not involved with other communities on campus. I still try to go feeling confined to what other people are saying. And then, out of my way to make sure that I’m getting to know everyafter that, I think it’s about getting more people to speak up one in different communities and that I’m not just staying in my own bubble according to my skin color. Yes, even though I am white, that doesn’t that I’m not an advocate and that I can’t be a part of the conversation.” Q: What is social justice?
about their own beliefs in a constructive, positive way to promote growth rather than to tear people down. And hopefully through that, social justice can be somewhat achieved.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story? A: “I think for me, being a white man on K-State’s campus has probably helped me in ways I don’t even know or realize because I don’t see that usually. I don’t know…beyond skin color, as a gay man on this campus, that plays into my appearance as well. I think the way I dress, the way I act, the way I move
the stories
#59
grant [april 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
Adam
the stories #60 www.gabbykirsten.com
Carr
Pushing boundaries while raising awareness, this senior is changing the campus climate by using his voice PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: ADAM CARR
the stories
#61
www.gabbykirsten.com
Carr
Q: What is social justice?
white people’ but instead, be a voice that says ‘well I’m acknowledging that this happens…what can I do to help fix it’. So A: “So when I think of social justice, I think of the intersections I think in that sense, it’s made things easier for me to have my of identities coming together as a movement for change, jus- voice, but it’s also made me individually, work harder.” tice being the reparations of past harms and the prevention of future harms, and that social aspect is really at those inter- Q: How are you more than a color? sections of our identities and bringing those together to create that justice.” A: “I think that myself and others can be more than your skin color because it tells a story, but it tells the story that others Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your read – it’s like that color is what people read and it’s not what K-State story? you have been told. It’s not what you as the individual can give to the world, it’s something that’s been defined for you. When people see your color, they have created the definition of who you are from it where as, I am more than that in every sense. Yes – that definition might fit me in some places or it might be the perfect definition, but it’s my definition to give. I create the stories that my identities hold, and I give them meaning and I give them power, and I can’t allow others to do that. And in that moment, I am more than my color.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
#62
“It’s something that has been defined for you. When people see you, they have created the definition of who you are from it. I am more than that in every sense. I create the stories my memories hold. I give them meaning and power, and I can’t allow others to do that. I think that in that moment, I am more than my color.” A: “I think my physical appearance has led to my relative ease on campus. I don’t think being a person from a predominantly white campus…being white myself, I can’t negate that’s created easy channels. It’s created ‘me’ spaces. In most of my interactions on campus, I don’t have to think about my race, and it’s allowed me the privilege to not have to do that, and I think that in of itself has given me the opportunities that others have not been afforded in terms of respect, in terms of safety, in terms of mental and physical care, but I think it’s also given me, introspectively, with me other identities, the opportunity to work harder, and to not be the person that says ‘well not all
the stories
#63
carr [april 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
Paloma
the stories #64 www.gabbykirsten.com
Roman
Meet the leader carving a space for students of color to find their ‘right fit’ at K-State PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: PALOMA ROMAN
the stories
#65
www.gabbykirsten.com
Roman
Q: What is social justice? “When I think about social justice, I think about equity. A lot of the times, people talk about standing up for others and trying to find equality, but a lot of times, when you think about it, not everyone has the same need. So that’s why I think [of] equity. At the same time, it means standing up for each person for what they need. At the same time, I also think about social justice and why people do it. I feel like a lot of times, people are impacted by social justice because of empathy. Someone should feel strongly about an issue before having to put themselves in their shoes, they should just know ‘that’s wrong’. [We
times, a lot of Hispanic college students come to college and do what they need to do as far as their education and don’t really get involved as much other than [with] their own circles. [I was] a little bit more involved and got out of my comfort zone and [did] things that some Hispanic people might not want to do [and that] rose the question of if I’m actually Hispanic or just half. At the same time, I think it’s also been a strength of mine because I get to be that person that might pave the path for someone who’s looking to have a similar experience at K-State. A lot of times, the university can use your representation a lot, and you kinda become that token image. Although I try to use my representation, my platform, or my stance in college for the better, it often can just get a little tiring and confusing.” Q: How are you more than a color?
#66
“It’s really easy to judge without wanting to which I think that’s something everyone needs to work on. I cherish my color, and I love who I am, and I’m really proud of how far I’ve come as a first generation student and my parents being immigrants, but at the same time, I think it’s really important to dive beneath the surface and realize that just because of the way that someone looks doesn’t mean that they are gonna act a certain way or look a certain way.”
“I think the university can use you as the token image of a certain representation. I get to be one of the individuals that paves a path for my community. Although I try to use my platform for the better, it can be tiring.” hear a lot of] …’well, it’s not happening to me’ but we have to come out of that selfishness and act selflessly and more inclusively of others.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story? “I feel like my physical appearance has been interpreted as confusing. I feel like the culture of Hispanics, especially when they go to college, is mostly to get an education, and that’s kinda what our parents want [us] to do… they [us] to be doctors, lawyers, they want [us] to be engineers, and a lot of the
the stories
#67
model roman name [completion [july 2019] date]
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Juliane
#68 www.gabbykirsten.com
Francia
Juliane talks self identity and building a community at K-State that ďŹ ts PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: JULIANNE FRANCIA
the stories
#69
www.gabbykirsten.com
Francia
Q: What is social justice?
obviously one of the first things you see. If the people you surround yourself with are mature enough to see past that then… A: “To me, it means everyone being treated fairly in the ins and who you are on the inside is much more important.” outs of everyday life – anything from the smallest things to the biggest things – just equality for all no matter what.” Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story?
#70
A: “With K-State being a very predominantly white campus, I felt like – before I got here – I felt like I might feel like an outsider, coming from a very diverse high school to coming straight
Coming from a diverse high school and acknowledging K-State is a predominantly white campus, I felt nervous I might feel like an outsider, but it’s been so different. Everyone has a unique outward appearance but who you are on the inside matters more. into K-State. But when I got here, I didn’t feel like that at all which has been really great. I’ve felt very welcome, and so I think that speaks volumes on how K-State is and the students that go here.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How are you more than a color? “I think everyone has a different outward appearance. What makes you, you, is what’s on the inside – what you’re born with besides just your skin color, how you grow to be, and the people you surround yourself with. On first impression, that’s
the stories
#71
jules [junly 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
Ayanna
the stories #72 www.gabbykirsten.com
Phillips
Meet the RA crearing more equitable living communities for right here, right now PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: AYANNA PHILLIPS
the stories
#73
www.gabbykirsten.com
Phillips
Q: What is social justice? A: “I think, to me, social justice is an environment where every space you walk into you feel safe and comfortable, and if that’s the case, it’s a space of social justice and equity.” Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story?
#74
A: “I think that it’s made me work harder because situations where I know that the work that I have is good – it might not be as quickly recognized as people who hold other identities,
You are more than your color when you use your color to defy sterotypes, step out of your own boundaries, and create meaningful experiences for yourself and other people. It’s about being an example. and so I think that it’s only made me become greater.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
Q: How are you more than a color? “I think you’re more than you color when you use your color to defy stereotypes and you step out of your own boundaries and create experiences for yourself and for other people. It’s being an example for other people as a person of color stepping out and doing something that maybe you’re nervous to do so your color holds you back, in order to have people after you have more comfort and to expand upon that.”
the stories
#75
ayanna [july 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
the stories
Bailey
#76 www.gabbykirsten.com
Porter
The Asian-American student leader expressing his journey on connecting his skin color to his heritage PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: BAILEY PORTER
the stories
#77
www.gabbykirsten.com
Porter
Q: What is social justice?
myself, that’s something I’ve been more in tune with in college. I’m still not somebody who identifies a lot with my skin color as A: “I would say it’s like giving a voice to the voiceless and much but I would say that I’m more receptive to how people fighting with others that might not have the opportunity just be- perceive me and also the privilege that I have being more cause of how our society is set up just based on the preju- light skinned than other mixed people or people of color.” dices’ of others – [fighting for] equal opportunities to just be Q: How are you more than a color? successful and just living their life to the fullest.”
#78
Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your A: “I’m a human, too. I have my own dreams and aspirations that drive why I’m at KState and the direction I want to go with K-State story? my life. My skin color hasn’t necessarily influenced that direcA: “I went to high school in Johnson County, and it’s obviously tion but it’s indirectly affected it, so it’s more that.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
“I have very light skin, so a lot of people didn’t realize or think that I was Asian. I never really confronted them about it either - I kind of just lived my life. I’m not a person who identifies a lot with their skin color, but I’m much more receptive to how people perceive me.” a white majority there. Even for the few people of color who went to my high school, they were very blind to it, like it was never a topic that was brought up, and I’m mixed. I’m half white and half Asian, so I have pretty light skin, so a lot of people didn’t realize it or think that I was Asian. I never really confronted them about that either, I just kind of lived my life. So, coming to KState and coming to college I think really opened my eyes to kind of having the blinders on when it comes to people who look different then me or actually identify with their skin or race. Through that, maybe not necessarily identifying more with my skin color but with other identifies of
the stories
#79
bailey [july 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
Francisco
the stories #80 www.gabbykirsten.com
Cardoza
This MAPS alum explains how his enviroment pushes him to build meaningful connections with his peers PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: FRANCISCO CARDOZA
the stories
#81
www.gabbykirsten.com
Cardoza
Q: What is social justice? A: “Social justice is about equality. That’s what comes to my mind first…everyone feeling equal and feeling included. It’s really difficult to get there. In our political climate, a lot of people have stepped up which it’s kind of sad that that needed to happen. People are politically engaged and aware of what’s going on around them. There’s a lot more truth being talked about, and that’s something I appreciate from that bad – seeing all this good coming out of it.”
brown or a different color, they feel the same way. I feel like I’m not alone in that, so how come this…that should not be a norm. KState is known for being a family, and these freshmen coming in, the first couple of weeks or maybe the first year, the whole time they just feel like they pop out… they don’t feel comfortable. It does shape you – like the person you are in your classes. It kinda just makes you see things in a different perspective than most people. And when I do see someone of color, I just feel like I can relate to them. I don’t know the person, but I know you which I think is really cool. That just really does form how I fit in here at KState.”
Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your Q: How are you more than a color?
#82
A: “That’s like the first thing you see right? There’s so much more, that’s like judging a book by its cover. It’s cliché, but it’s the truth. There’s so much more to people that what’s on the outside. You shouldn’t worry about it – the outside. You should just worry about what’s on the inside and how the people are as a person. It’s frustrating for me to see it’s still a big thing. I still do it myself like when I see a person of color and I feel connected to them. I still do it myself, but that should not be something that people still value as much – we should worry about character and value.”
“Skin color - that’s the first thing you see, right? There’s so much more to me. That’s like judging a book by it’s cover but that’s the truth. There’s so much more to people than what’s on the outside. We should worry about character.”
www.gabbykirsten.com
K-State story? A: “So I’m a lil’ bit brown – I’m Mexican. It impacts it in a big way. So for me, coming to KState, I did the MAPS program, so in that program, I saw a lot of people with diverse [backgrounds] and a lot of colors. When actual class started, it was just a bunch of white people, and then you just pop out like a thorn. You feel different, you feel like you don’t belong there. I’m a junior now, so two years later, I’ve gotten used to it – something that I feel like shouldn’t be a thing, getting used to something like that. I’ve talked to freshman, and being
the stories
#83
francisco [july 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
Evelyn
the stories #84 www.gabbykirsten.com
Lucio The Mexican-American student breaking through the expectations placed on Latina women in the US PHOTOGRAPHY: DESMUND WEATHERS
ART: GABBY COLEMAN
WORDS: EVELYN LUCIO
the stories
#85
www.gabbykirsten.com
Cardoza
Q: How are you more than a color? Q: What is social justice? A: “Social justice, to me, is just being an advocate for those whose voices are never really heard – doing something good, not just for yourself but for the community around you.” Q: How has your physical appearance impacted your K-State story? A: “I was born in Mexico, so when I speak Spanish or when people see me speaking Spanish, (I don’t know why) they
“People throw around stereotypes like you’re not brown enough or you’re the light-skinned Mexican. When people see me speaking Spanish, they assume that I am mixed. At first, I was embarressed to speak Spanish because I didn’t want to deal with those comments. Now, I am just like, hey, I’m Mexican - we all come in different shapes and colors. People have an idea of what Mexicans should look like, and I’m glad I represent a different side of that.”
#86 www.gabbykirsten.com
A: “For me, being a part of the stereotypical brown community, like just being here at school is kind of like beating that stereotype of you know ‘oh you guys can’t do it, you can’t get a higher education’, especially for me because I am a DACA student. There’s many times that people told me – ‘are you sure you want to go to college? You should just stick to cleaning houses’ because that’s the stereotypical job for us as Latina women. So just being here at school and being a part of the brown community, I think that’s just me representing that I’m more than what people think of.”
assume that I’m mixed – like African American and Caucasian, so sometimes I get people throwing stereotypes like ‘but you’re not brown enough’ or like ‘you’re kinda like the lightskinned Mexican’…I don’t know, they just throw stereotypes at me like that. At first, I was kinda embarrassed to speak Spanish because I just didn’t want to deal with those things or comments, but now, I’m just like ‘hey, I’m Mexican!’…we all come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. I guess people have a notion of what Mexican people look like, and I’m just glad I could represent a different side of that I guess.”
the stories
#87
eve [july 2019]
www.gabbykirsten.com
www.gabbykirsten.com
#88
MORE THAN ONE COLOR 2019
MORE THAN ONE COLOR 2019
Sparking Conversation in my K-State Community Since I began my #morethanacolor series in November 2018, I have been very blessed with an overwhelming wave of support for my peers, campus community, fellow creators and our local Manhattan media. When I began this project, I documented its evolution and process imagery on my personal Instagram @_gabbykirsten through saving my stories and posts to a dedicated art highlight. #89
A few months after their original placement in Bosco Plaza, I was approached by my friend Sav Thaemert and asked to be interviewed for a short documentary focused on the stories of people of color realized through my art. In late April, I had had the opportunity to be interviewed by Rebecca Vrbas, a Collegian reporter, on the story that lies behind my art for her piece “Architecture graduate student shares story behind her ‘More Than A Color’ art project”. In June, I was presented with a copy of the summer 2019 issue of the K-Stater which featured my artwork on the front cover. This initiative had been in the works for a couple months, and I am so grateful to the staff at the K-State Alumni Association for the amazing opportunity, especially Dr. Jessica Elmore.
Thank you.
www.gabbykirsten.com
I am so pleased to receive recognition for a project that called me to be vulnerable and engage in a WHOLE lot of self-reflection. As always, the support means the world!