In this series of collages, I wanted to express themes of land, linage, and legacy while reflecting on my identity as a Black and Wampanoag woman. Thinking of my native land, Chappaquiddick Island on Martha's Vineyard, I wanted to address the history of erasure and bring forth some of the narratives that have been lost overtime. I use images of ancestors and tribal members from the 1800's to present day. I wanted to share this series now, not only because it is National Native American Heritage Month, but as we approach thanksgiving I am reflective of my Wampanoag ancestry and the first Thanksgiving in 1621. I am reflecting on my full-blooded great-grandmother Swan Song, who I saw for the last time on thanksgiving last year before she passed in April 2020. I carry on my great-grandmother's legacy and the legacy of my ancestors. We are here because they survived. Survival is in my blood and as I highlight these realities in this series, I hold dear to those memories.
