I am an Black queer southern artist and writer passionate about studying and preserving the interior lives of Black people across the diaspora. As part of this commitment, I run a monthly zine service where I mail out free zines that center my interior life as a way to foreground Black femme experiences in a world shaped by erasure. I received my bachelor’s degree in African, African American and Diaspora Studies with a minor in Environmental Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Library Science concentrated in archive resource management, with my research examining the use of speculative fiction as a counterarchive for understanding the lived experiences of Black people.
I was raised in a low-income household in a predominantly Black and Hispanic area which shapes my views on memory, belonging, and access. My background provides a unique view into community archives. My ideas about empowering communities to share marginalized histories are strong. I believe that all people should have access to and help shape archival materials that reflect their lived reality. My identity is what shapes my approach to preservation. Being a Black queer southern is on the periphery for many but for me it is central, I understand the urgency of documenting overlooked narratives.
