By Imani Lowe
I created this compilation of mediums to express how I feel being a queer Black woman in love with another queer Black woman. I commissioned a painting months ago of me and my girlfriend by an artist and her IG handle is Nathematical. I inserted the renderings into the collage because I think the paintings are beautiful and because I don’t always see people like us celebrated and incorporated into art. The pieces of media created are a celebration of how phenomenal I feel in this relationship. As mentioned in my subtitle, loving my partner feels like radical self love because loving her in public, openly, and full of adoration feels like an act of healing and restoration for both myself and for her. Loving my partner feels like what Audre Lorde described as self-care, not being an act of self indulgence but an act of self preservation and political warfare. This piece is a celebration of existing proudly, authentically, with joy and love in the face of adversity.
To listen to Imani’s curated Spotify playlist, click here.
Imani Lowe (she/her) is the Ally team leader at Public Allies Miami.
This piece is part of Public Allies’ campaign to highlight voices of LGBTQIA+ identifying humans in our network in honor of Pride Month.