Creating original artwork: 5 points

While studying abroad in Cali, Colombia, I created an artwork that explored body, sexuality, and gender through the lens of ecofeminism. I wanted to show how the mistreatment of the environment mirrors the violations of women’s autonomy, especially for Black women. The piece included a poem I wrote directly on the artwork, giving voice to the connection between environmental destruction, personal experiences of violation, and the resilience of my ancestors.

My poem reads:

Querida Mama Tierra, ¿sientes mi dolor?

Cuando arrojamos basura en tus ríos,

¿sientes mi violación

en la discoteca,

cuando sus manos donde no deberían estar?

Cuando cortamos tus árboles

la corona de tu cabeza

¿experimentas mi vulnerabilidad

cuando me dijeron que mi pelo era demasiado salvaje,

indomable, poco profesional?

Hay algo que nos vincula,

tal vez mis raíces en África,

cuando mis ancestras te protegieron,

cuidaron tus flores,

y tú les diste tu merecido aire y amor.

Pero hay algo que nos separa,

tal vez mis obligaciones

entregar mi libertad y mis derechos

para vivir en una ilusión de lujo,

no matter how much it hurts you and kills me.

One of the strengths of this project was how it allowed me to combine visual art and poetry to make a personal, social, and political statement. My artwork was a raw and deeply personal reflection that invited viewers to consider the relationship of environmental justice and bodily autonomy. It created a space to reflect on intergenerational trauma, environmental justice, and cultural identity. A weakness was that some viewers may have missed the depth of the ecofeminist message without context. One area for improvement would have been to provide more context or an interactive element to ensure viewers fully understood the ecofeminist connections.

This activity connects to my broader experiences in social advocacy and psychology, particularly my interest in supporting Black women and children. There is a clear pattern concerning these groups where systems often fail to protect those most vulnerable, whether it is the environment, women’s bodies, or marginalized communities. The project reinforced the importance of creating spaces that center these voices and narratives.

Creating this artwork has shaped my goals by showing me how art can be a tool for education, reflection, and activism. I plan to continue integrating creative expression with advocacy for Black women and environmental justice. This experience reminded me that personal reflection, when shared thoughtfully, can inspire awareness, empathy, and action, and that creative work can bridge the personal, the cultural, and the political in powerful ways.

-Zaria Samuel