19th Amendment Poster

What does the 19th Amendment mean to me? It means using my voice to vote for those in the political world that have the ability to make positive change. And it means being an ally, regardless if issues directly affect me or not. Everyone deserves the same rights.

Recently I was contacted by the Haight Street Art Center in San Francisco and was asked if I would be part of an exhibit later this Aug. The exhibit features a selection of female and non-binary artists as they reflect on the centennial of the 19th Amendment. It was important to me that I honor and bring more representation to the strong African American suffragists of the time. I went through 25+ iterations of this design, with many illustrations and different compositions. In the end, I chose this pose, where she is gutsy and bold, looking to the future. The modern edited words of the 19th amendment take the form of her blouse, and while still staying current, the face mask with the handwritten words "suffrage" cover her face, alluding to voter suppression that is still an issue today in many neighborhoods.