Artist Description | Named after a famous abolitionist speech given by Sojourner Truth, this is the story of an imprisoned Black woman in the early 1900’s, experiencing industrial slavery otherwise known as convict leasing. Historically, women under the American prison system who were leased to private industry endured sexual violence, systemic racism,, and exploitation while struggling to preserve their dignity. The figure in this piece demands that the acknowledge her as she screams with her eyes, with her pain, with her strength, with her feminine curves, “Ain’t I a Woman?!” Satirically, bees alongside the main character are given human characteristics, carrying garden rakes, to emphasize the absurdity of exploitative labor.

Medium | Acrylic and Oil on Canvas

Size | 30" x 40" (76.2cm x 101.6cm)

Year | 2025