I recently had the honour of being featured in the Midnight Magazine, an amazing initiative that was created to showcase Black excellence in various spaces and art forms. The magazine was created by Western University alumni Destiny Udoh and current Western student, Hannah Lewis. Unfortunately, not all of my responses could be included in the magazine in their entirety so I decided to post them here. The following are my responses to the questions posed for the "Black Art" section of the Midnight Magazine. I hope my words can provide even a glimpse of insight into what art means to me and how it plays an ongoing integral role in my life. It's always a blessing and honour to receive any opportunity that allows me to share my gifts or reflect on my love for my craft(s). The recognition and support truly never goes unnoticed.
Please enjoy the read!
"As I get older, I am actively making the decision to free myself from the expectations others have imposed on me and give myself the grace to be who I am destined to be."
- Kimberly Douglas
1. Tell me about your art form(s). How does it help you express your identity as a Black person?
Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up in an artistic household, I was always encouraged to express myself in unique and creative ways. The performing arts, mainly music, was my first encounter with art at a very young age. From waking up to Gospel music and a day of cleaning on Saturday mornings to hearing Reggae classics at family BBQs, music has been there for me through every phase, emotion, and memory. Studying, listening to, and creating through this art form allows me to feel connected to the rich history, cultures, talents, and stories that intertwined to make me who I am. It is for this reason that I consider music to be my “first love”.
In my preteen years, poetry became my favourite literary medium and an art form that I love so dearly. Having an outlet that allows me to speak my truth, nurture my inner child, and reflect on my experiences as a Black woman is something I will never take for granted. I really love that throughout my life, art has always afforded me the freedom to define my Blackness in a way that feels personal to me. The ability to create free from monolithic stereotypes, expectations, and who the world thinks I am or believes I should be; is truly a privilege.
2. Do you feel that you struggle to stand out as a Black artist?
Standing out as a Black artist has never been particularly difficult for me. If anything, being Black is one of the factors that continuously causes me to stand out in my art forms. My Blackness has always seemed to hold a seat at the table or play the role of the elephant in the room throughout the many stages of my artistic journey. The real “struggle” to stand out has been breaking free from the idea that my art has to look a certain way or draw attention to certain social issues, simply because I am a Black artist.
3. What challenges have you faced as a Black artist? How did you overcome them, or are you still working to overcome them? In other words, what are some barriers to succeed?
Growing up as a Black artist, I always felt pressure to work twice as hard as my non-Black counterparts, convince others of my talent, or prove someone wrong. Being Black meant my performance couldn’t simply be good, I had to be extraordinary. From being one of few Black women in an orchestra to auditioning for roles traditionally played by non-Black women, representation has always been a significant theme throughout my life.
As I get older, I am actively making the decision to free myself from the expectations others have imposed on me and give myself the grace to be who I am destined to be. I continue to overcome these challenges daily by choosing to be my authentic self, unapologetically. I often remind myself that the gifts I possess are valuable and as long as I continue to create from a place of passion and authenticity, I’m staying true to myself; which has always been the ultimate goal. The beautiful thing about being unique is that just as nobody can be me, I would never wish to be anyone else, and that is my power.
4. Does oppression or past trauma as a Black person influence your art?
Yes, it absolutely does. Three words I like to live by that encapsulate the stages of my creative process are “experience, create, inspire”. Unfortunately, navigating the
world in a Black body means that the “experience” stage often comes with oppression and generational trauma, which can be extremely saddening at times. However, experiencing life, and the many challenges that come with it, is an essential component of the creative process. I truly believe that one of the bravest, and ultimately healing things about being an artist is the ability to take one’s deepest pain or trauma, and create something beautiful from those experiences.
5. Tell me about some of your accomplishments as a Black artist. What inspires you?
As a musician, I was enrolled in an arts program in middle school and a regional strings program in high school, both of which allowed me to enhance my skills on various instruments including the piano, cello, drums, bass guitar, and my current instrument, the violin. I had the honour of playing in the Brampton Rosebud Orchestra for 2 seasons where I got the opportunity to perform in multiple concerts at the Rose Theatre. In 2020, I graduated from high school with a regional strings certificate of excellence as a violinist.
As a poet, my work has been featured in various collectives such as the Western Gazette, Iconoclast, and the Stay Woke Youth Album. I have had the honour of performing for notable events including the City of Toronto Children’s Services BHM Showcase, the University of Windsor AfroFest, and the BSAWestern SOUL Gala. I have also had the privilege of speaking on the CBC London Morning Show which was one of my most surreal, “Hi mom!” moments to date. In 2020, I created and launched my online poetry portfolio and blog “Poetry by Kimberly Daniella” (www.poetrybykd.com) which I later registered as an official business in Ontario. PbyKD is one of my most fulfilling accomplishments to date because it is completely mine. It’s truly my own little world. Creating a space to share my craft freely with others is something that will have a place in my heart forever.
I am inspired by many things; from the people in my life to the places I’ve seen, but one of the main things that inspire me daily is that art is truly everywhere, just waiting to be discovered. There’s always something to be grateful for. There are always ways to find beauty in life even when things get ugly. There’s always something new to be created, and as long as it means something to you, there is no right or wrong way to do things. When it comes to art, I truly believe the artist creates the “rules”.
Follow @the.midnightmagazine on Instagram and purchase a copy here to support this beautiful collective of Black art, love, and beauty.
And of course, Happy Blackity, Black, Black, (with a side of Black) History Month!
May we strive to celebrate the lives and contributions of Black people in our society on a daily basis but simply be a little more extra about it during these 28 days🤎
Peace, love, and gratitude always,
Kim
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