My current research looks at the boundaries of health and nutrition, looking at how nutrition and art can support better mental health. I want to explore the notion of social prescription and health- the proposition of self-care as a socially prescribed medication.

Living with a hidden disability is something that has affected my life in many ways than one. My project is about reclaiming my body through performance; being bold and speaking out against the stigma that comes with dealing with mental health. My project is about speaking out about depression, I have lived my life with the shadow of shame, feeling afraid to talk about depression. not knowing how to ask for help because of fear of being judged. Uro which means clay in English is an opportunity to silence the judgments and explore how art can support equality and promote boldness in times of fear.

‘Uro’, explore's the ideas of dying and rebirth; depression as an awaking rather than a silencing. I live in a body that is multi-dimensional, a body with many historical labels and I exist in a world where human relations have become a factor in the way we see and experience each other. In addition to, the need for justice and the desire to be a voice for the voiceless. The idea of the ‘other’, the concepts of a racial mindset and the domination of a human-centered world also informs my work. In everything I do, I try to question; I work with the issues that impact me and those around me. I don’t want to be in the army, nor do I want to be a politician, so through performance I pick up my pickets and walk the protest line. Life informs my work, whether it be my life experiences or my need to bring light to the experiences of the marginalised. This is not an ideology…. If art can not speak for the underdogs, then what is its relevance?

What our grantee is saying: "To be awarded the Awesome Disability Award is a life source for someone like me. I have suffered in silence for many years, not knowing how to get help or who to go to in order to be helped. My project is about depression and this award gives me the opportunity to speak out and be bold about what depression really means for black women like me. This award alone gives me a boldness, I have lived in a shadow and now because of the Awesome Foundation, I am able to stand tall and stand strong in my visibility as someone living and working through an unseen disability''.

Photo by Guido Mencari / www.gmencari.com