Lift Ọmọ Mi

acrylic on canvas
16"x20"

“Lift Ọmọ Mi” is a phrase of English and Yorùbá translated to mean “Lift My Child” as an ode to the Black National Anthem ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing.’ I am a Black artist that resonates and connects deeply with their African ancestral heritage. I wanted to create a piece that displayed the hardships, fates, and elongated oppressive history Black people have experienced, yet also illustrated the resilience, support, and ambition of the Black community as a part of their DNA to combat all they face. The waves of various hues that resemble hands pushing the Black girl up represent the souls of many ancestors who watch over and support the living generation of Black people. Through transgressions, Black people have still broken through the surface of the water to lay out the next foundation for future generations time and time again; challenges are encountered with more persistence, more resistance, and everlasting knowledge of our truths, and sentiments of our ancestors’ spirits.