Image Credit: Bayeté Ross Smith, from "Our Kind of People"
Prof. Bayeté Ross Smith — who was recently one of three artists to be emebedded in The New York Times' newsletter, Race/Related — has launched #HereIsMyAmerica via The New York Times yesterday. The social media project is an attempt at counteracting the tendency in the media to define black Americans, and people of color at large, by a single narrative. Says Prof. Ross Smith in the Times article announcing the project:
We’re inviting you to help build a more nuanced national portrait. What do you want to show or tell the world about your America that politicians and much of the public do not fully grasp?
Please post your photos and videos to Instagram (and Twitter or Facebook) with the tag #HereIsMyAmerica. We’ll be in touch if your contribution is selected for our gallery of the strongest imagery that broadens the national conversation about race and ethnicity.
To get the project started, Prof. Ross Smith spoke with several black Americans about their America. You can see their portraits and read their stories in the article.
Bayeté Ross Smith is a photographer, multi-media artist, filmmaker, and educator living in New York City. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at the NYU Tisch Department of Photography & Imaging and teaches the Summer High School Program. www.bayeterosssmith.com