For The Culture Chapter #6

I made this mixed-media piece to showcase my undying love for the Beyhive and my commitment to Beyoncé and Solange since I was a little kid. Discovering Beyoncé and then rap and hip-hop culture through Jay-Z, and the true artistry of Solange, is so much of who I am. It doesn't matter how I'm perceived to the outside world; I am a Diva, I am that girl, I am a boss, I can do whatever, even with a broken leg I can't be stopped. As Beyonce puts it "I am the Dragon Breathing Fire." That is what I learned from being a committed fan from age 11, thats what Beyonce and her fans preached. That is what the tribe told me, and that is how my identity formed. So when everyone tries to put me in a box and say I'm "masc" or dummy in the room, off in my own world, I stayed true to myself because of the music and the culture. I found more music, my style, and learned how to be happy alone and with myself. I learned, and continue to learn, from the culture surrounding Beyoncé and Solange. It sounds dumb but its true. Thanks dad for taking me to see Beyonce at 13 not everyone gets that privilege.

Sitting on the blueprint

Committed churchgoers will attend church every Sunday, often involve their children in this commitment, and stay connected within the church community. I have had friends do community service through the church, not because they did it out of the goodness of their hearts, but simply because it was what everyone did when it was time for their confirmation. If they stay committed into adulthood, the beliefs within the church often become their own, and it's odd to watch from the outside. My once uncultured friend is now cultured in New Jersey, hick, loving, Trump-supporting propaganda. But my other friend, who has been committed to church every Sunday, even when we were studying abroad in Spain, has found a new acceptance of other people's cultures and beliefs, along with acceptance of himself. You can see the different ways belonging to a tribe reflects on oneself.