Water is the essence of life: it is the substance in which we are created, a necessity we cannot live without for more than three days, and it is what we expel when we die. Societies are built around water sources, making it not only the foundation of biological life, but also the foundation of cultural, social, and economic life. Since water is all around us, it can be easy to take it for granted. And yet, there are people in our communities who cannot afford it.

Access to clean water is a basic human right, a right that colonial forces in many forms  have taken away from people for centuries. In basic terms, colonialism is the control of one entity over another for the sake of extracting resources. American settlers have exploited many – the indigenous people of this land, poor people, colonized Afrikans, and other third-world persons. One of the main resources extracted from all oppressed peoples is water.

I am a volunteer and cadre member of People’s Programs, which emphasizes New Afrikan liberation through decolonization programs. My political education with the organization, combined with interviews I had with a comrade and a professor, helped me realize that education and demonstration are the most effective ways of bringing about shared consciousness .

Thus, I created a collage of layered videos called Our Water, which reflects on how water’s spiritual significance has been transformed into a commercialized product. I wrote and recorded a 174-second guided meditation with sounds of a creek to accompany the video collage; 174 seconds because 174hz is the frequency at which our bodies heal. In addition to the video collage, I embellished the video screen with rocks, shells, and pearls, and created an altar space honoring the element with water and moon-related crystals, Moon incense, a meditation fountain, and a place to view the video. Together, the elements of Our Water are meant to provide a reflective but critical space in which to meditate on our most essential life force.

You certainly don’t have to, but this would be a good place to add one more sentence about how your design skills/education in tandem with this experience and mentorship with People’s Programs led you to explore water through video and sound.