There is a moment in every life when the noise of the world grows too loud to ignore, when the divisions carved into the earth beneath our feet demand attention. Yet, even in the face of this discord, there exists a truth so fundamental, so unyielding, that it cannot be debated. This project seeks to uncover that truth—not in abstractions or ideologies, but in the words and lives of the people who carry it within them.
I ask a single question: What’s not up for debate in your eyes?
The answers are not about politics or allegiances. They are not about the binaries that dominate our conversations—black and white, red and blue, us and them. They are about the essence of being, the convictions that anchor us, and the passions that give us breath. Everyone has a story, a foundation of self that is unshakable. This project is a collection of those stories: a mosaic of struggles and celebrations, purpose and perseverance.
The beauty of humanity is not found in its uniformity, but in the threads that tie us together. We face the same storms in different boats. What this work reveals is that beneath the surface, our struggles are shared. A father’s love, a mother’s resilience, the drive for justice, the longing for freedom, the demand for respect—these are not the property of any one race, class, or creed. They are the common language of existence.
The medium is stark, deliberate. High-key black and white photography strips away distraction, leaving only contrast, clarity, and the unmistakable humanity etched into every face. The stories are sharp and unvarnished, because they need no embellishment. In the simplicity of this approach lies its power: a reminder that complexity is not required to convey truth.
This project is not about answers—it is about questions. It is about standing still long enough to hear someone else’s truth and recognizing a piece of yourself in their words. It is about finding, in the voices of strangers, the echoes of your own heart.
We live in a world that constantly pulls us apart, that insists we are more different than we are alike. But what if the opposite is true? What if, in our deepest fears and brightest hopes, we are mirrors of one another?
“What’s Not Up for Debate” is a reminder that the human experience, in all its pain and beauty, is a shared one. It is an invitation to listen, to see, and to connect. In a time of division, it is an act of faith in our capacity for understanding—and in the truths that bind us all.
Black Love… Love
What we feel the need to define... I had a sitting with my father in law the other day. I asked him what he thought about Black Love. He went on to tell me about where he grew up it was just ‘Love’. He grew up in Imesi Ekiti Nigeria. He spoke about how ‘Love’ is love for your neighbor, your nephew, your second niece, for your 3rd cousin, for the family down the street, it’s love for your community. A community that is the majority.
My blood father grew up in the islands. He came to America in the 80s, met my mom and here I came. I think at times about the journey my children’s genes took. The divergence and convergence. The sacrifices made so they could exist and thrive. I think of the seas they traveled and the trauma endured.
I am inspired by my father in laws journey. I am inspired by his work ethic and what he did to pave a path for his family. I am thankful for his daughter and I give thanks for my children. He is the smartest man I know, the wisest man I know. He treats me like a son.
It’s ‘Love’. I grew up and Father’s Day was for my mom. (My father wasn’t around). But with Father’s Day coming tomorrow I think about how blessed I am to be in my children’s life. How fortunate I am to have the opportunity to love them. The responsibility I have to protect them. The blessing it is to teach them how to love their community, to fight for their community, and celebrate their community.
To teach them that Black Love is Love
As I sit back and think about my journey, I often hear that I have to find a middle ground in the things that I do.
I believe that there is no middle ground.
It’s either you’re going to set your mind to doing something or you’re not. That holds true today with the injustice of my people. There’s no middle ground. We’ve been villainized in the media and our positive impact that my people have made have been muted as well. We all have the ability to Love, to Hate, and to Help others. It’s a choice that an individual has to make. Again, there’s no middle ground in that.
My choice is to Love and Help others. I believe that is my purpose in life. Anyone who knows me can attest to that. If you strongly believe in something, I’m right there with you, cheering you on or figuring out how to make the dream come true. I guess you can call me a hype man or battery pack. I also believe that everyone has the ability to be great, but they have to overcome their personal fears and insecurities. Essentially you have to master the art of not giving a f#%* what people think and keep pushing. ✊🏿”
Understanding the YOU are and living in that truth, not the YOU that we use as an excuse to operate out of trauma or to further abuse others but the YOU at the core of your individual humanity, the YOU that connects us all to each other. If I am to believe in collective consciousness, a unified mind that all of us worker bees follow, I also must believe that what I admire in myself can also be found in others. That my true power as an individual is much like a corner of a billion piece puzzle set, it is made to connect to others. And it’s through connection to others that our individual holds value
“What’s not up for debate are the lives of the people that are dying daily because this country clearly is more obsessed with money and power over the lives of the people who create the means for them to have it. The health disparities in lower socioeconomic communities all around the country, and even the world,have been highlighted even more, and yet we still haven’t fixed it. Over the past year the lives of over 500,000 people in the U.S. we’re lost. Not to mention the insurmountable debt that people have accrued because of the high costs of healthcare in the country. Why have we failed to proved such a necessity and why must we people go in to debt just stay alive.”
Love isn’t up for debate, it should be the basis of our connections with each other, we should lead with it in situations with others, being patient, being kind, expecting the best, forgiving each other, living is tough enough as it is but loving one another shouldn’t be up for debate.
At this moment of life - Joy - has no beginning and no end. Like Love, and the stillness of Peace, I believe it’s one with who we all are. Joy is part of an infinite & divine energy we can all tap into, within & without. Unlike happiness... which Eckhart Tolle describes as human made emotion driven by ego, Joy can’t be turned into sadness by any perceived situation. That resonates with me deeply. Joy is infinite, boundless. Which makes ‘En-joy-ment’ a right of all humans. Remembering this as part of how I exist, part of what I fight & work for, has helped to strengthen my resolve in living a life that’s full of good trouble. I’m en-joy-ing all the highs and lows of moments, finding the underlying current of Love, Joy & Peace within myself, others, and the world around me… even in all our not so pleasant experiences, signs of Joy are signs of hope.
I asked him for something that wasn’t up for debate. Something where there is no middle ground. Something that is beyond a debate. I loved his answer.
“Jesus is real. That’s all that matters… Fight me”
What’s not up for debate is me being me. People see this person on TV and at shoes… I’m a people person, I don’t like the VIP. I’d rather be around my people. I’m a man of the people.
What has no middle to me is Loyalty. No matter what goes on I feel like you should stick with your people. If I been with you at the start stick with me at the end. It’s the type of thing where if you are down I’ll pick you up, and if I’m down you do the same.
Loyalty is everything in my eyes.
The Wise are wise only because they love. And the foolish are foolish only because they think they can understand love.
Love is a disease no one wants to get rid of. Those who catch it never try to get better and those who suffer do not wish to be cured.
For your brother, sister, neighbor and partner.
“As I sit back and think about my journey, I often hear that I have to find a middle ground in the things that I do. I believe that there is no middle ground. It’s either you’re going to set your mind to doing something or you’re not. That holds true today with the injustice of my people. There’s no middle ground. We’ve been villainized in the media and our positive impact that my people have made have been muted as well. We all have the ability to Love, to Hate, and to Help others. It’s a choice that an individual has to make. Again, there’s no middle ground in that. My choice is to Love and Help others. I believe that is my purpose in life. Anyone who knows me can attest to that. If you strongly believe in something, I’m right there with you, cheering you on or figuring out how to make the dream come true. I guess you can call me a hype man or battery pack. I also believe that everyone has the ability to be great, but they have to overcome their personal fears and insecurities. Essentially you have to master the art of not giving a f#%* what people think and keep pushing. ✊🏿”
For me, I owe my existence to black women. Aside from my mother, my spiritual mother who’s protected me since teen years up to now, the women who have raised my children, and those who loved me and sheltered me when I had nowhere to go. That’s why for me, protecting black women is my base level requirement for being human. They raised me, loved me, allowed me to live as opposed to surviving. It’s black and white. That which is black needs black love, care, and attention to be.
As a black woman who experiences adversities I believe I could love anybody. Anyone on this earth because I have perspectives on being mistreated. I put myself together after being mistreated...I can help(love) anybody back to whole because I know how it feels to be broken by many things, and many people.
💜
“Jesus is real. That’s all that matters.”
Fight me.
I would say the absence of my father through out my life. Growing up, it is very important for young black men to have their fathers around because they are able to teach you things a mother can not. Although he was an addict, that does not excuse his actions. Even though my father was not in my life, my mother has done everything possible to raise me as the strong, confident, black man I am today. My mother is definitely one of the hardest working people I’ve seen. I strive to one day have a drive as strong as hers. She’s never showed me her struggle, but I know there were times of struggle raising a child at 16. I don’t think I appreciated everything as much when I was younger and I still feel like my appreciation will grow. I look forward to growing as a person and achieving my ideal success. I believe I can achieve everything I want and more with hard work and dedication.
Through my experience, I have learned how I would like to treat and be there for my children in the future. At this moment of life - Joy - has no beginning and no end. Like Love, and the stillness of Peace, I believe it’s one with who we all are. Joy is part of an infinite & divine energy we can all tap into, within & without. Unlike happiness... which Eckhart Tolle describes as human made emotion driven by ego, Joy can’t be turned into sadness by any perceived situation. That resonates with me deeply. Joy is infinite, boundless. Which makes ‘En-joy-ment’ a right of all humans. Remembering this as part of how I exist, part of what I fight & work for, has helped to strengthen my resolve in living a life that’s full of good trouble. I’m en-joy-ing all the highs and lows of moments, finding the underlying current of Love, Joy & Peace within myself, others, and the world around me… even in all our not so pleasant experiences, signs of Joy are signs of hope.
Black Love and Lineage - Love
What we feel the need to define... I had a sitting with my father in law the other day. I asked him what he thought about Black Love. He went on to tell me about where he grew up it was just ‘Love’. He grew up in Imesi Ekiti Nigeria. He spoke about how ‘Love’ is love for your neighbor, your nephew, your second niece, for your 3rd cousin, for the family down the street, it’s love for your community. A community that is the majority. My blood father grew up in the islands. He came to America in the 80s, met my mom and here I came. I think at times about the journey my children’s genes took. The divergence and convergence. The sacrifices made so they could exist and thrive. I think of the seas they traveled and the trauma endured.
I am inspired by my father in laws journey. I am inspired by his work ethic and what he did to pave a path for his family. I am thankful for his daughter and I give thanks for my children. He is the smartest man I know, the wisest man I know. He treats me like a son. It’s ‘Love’. I grew up and Father’s Day was for my mom. (My father wasn’t around). But with Father’s Day coming tomorrow I think about how blessed I am to be in my children’s life. How fortunate I am to have the opportunity to love them. The responsibility I have to protect them. The blessing it is to teach them how to love their community, to fight for their community, and celebrate their community. To teach them that Black Love is Love.
I would have to say Fatherhood. Being a Dad is super important in the development of our children and often times a lot of guys phone it in and that’s not fair for the child and ultimately not fair on the well being of your partner. Rearing children has a number of important aspects but the one with the most weight in my opinion is giving them the all the tools and resources needed to be a productive member of the community and to be able to raise their kids with the lessons you instilled.
There’s no in between for the children. They don’t care about your reasons or excuses; you need to be present and all in to be truly influential. My dad is an amazing father and I’m striving to be at least half the man he was for my family, my community, and my son who just turned 1 in May. It’s important for me to grow and evolve as a man so I can provide for him a safe place to grow, explore and develop into the person he wants to be.
One thing that’s not up for debate is … ME!
As a recovering people pleaser, as someone who always thought of others before I thought of myself, as someone who put my comfort and desires second for majority of my life, I do not and will not compromise myself.
Shadow work is hard. It took a lot of dark days and nights, a lot of deep digging and a lot of facing myself to get where I am today. After fumbling with grace for years before catching it, I gave it to myself. I released chains of guilt + shackles of fear and found my whole authentic self + I refuse to retreat.
Healing is an ongoing priority + spirit guides me rather than external judgment + desires. I love myself + love ON myself more than I ever have. I trust myself + the tools my ancestors have given me to make divine choices for my family + I.
I am who I am + I said what I said. I am not up for debate.
People not understanding that we have come from slavery.
You can’t debate me that we have been through a lot as African Americans. We are still fighting to get to where we need to be.
So when there is a debate about we haven’t been through things, and had hardships to stand here in front of people today and hold our heads up high, I won’t let people debate me on that.
Especially the more history I learn about myself, my people and how cultural we are you know. I want people to understand and respect our culture the way they respect other cultures, like they respect their culture.
I don’t allow people to debate me when it comes to how African Americans have been treated in their lives and how far we have come and how far we are going to go, and the respect we deserve.
In my eyes being your authentic self is not up for debate. When I leaned in to who I am — in my passion for storytelling, I found my purpose. Realizing the authentic is where the most powerful stories are told.
There is a moment in every life when the noise of the world grows too loud to ignore, when the divisions carved into the earth beneath our feet demand attention. Yet, even in the face of this discord, there exists a truth so fundamental, so unyielding, that it cannot be debated. This project seeks to uncover that truth—not in abstractions or ideologies, but in the words and lives of the people who carry it within them.
I ask a single question: What’s not up for debate in your eyes?
The answers are not about politics or allegiances. They are not about the binaries that dominate our conversations—black and white, red and blue, us and them. They are about the essence of being, the convictions that anchor us, and the passions that give us breath. Everyone has a story, a foundation of self that is unshakable. This project is a collection of those stories: a mosaic of struggles and celebrations, purpose and perseverance.
The beauty of humanity is not found in its uniformity, but in the threads that tie us together. We face the same storms in different boats. What this work reveals is that beneath the surface, our struggles are shared. A father’s love, a mother’s resilience, the drive for justice, the longing for freedom, the demand for respect—these are not the property of any one race, class, or creed. They are the common language of existence.
The medium is stark, deliberate. High-key black and white photography strips away distraction, leaving only contrast, clarity, and the unmistakable humanity etched into every face. The stories are sharp and unvarnished, because they need no embellishment. In the simplicity of this approach lies its power: a reminder that complexity is not required to convey truth.
This project is not about answers—it is about questions. It is about standing still long enough to hear someone else’s truth and recognizing a piece of yourself in their words. It is about finding, in the voices of strangers, the echoes of your own heart.
We live in a world that constantly pulls us apart, that insists we are more different than we are alike. But what if the opposite is true? What if, in our deepest fears and brightest hopes, we are mirrors of one another?
“What’s Not Up for Debate” is a reminder that the human experience, in all its pain and beauty, is a shared one. It is an invitation to listen, to see, and to connect. In a time of division, it is an act of faith in our capacity for understanding—and in the truths that bind us all.
"What’s not up for debate is the importance of following your dreams, no matter where life takes you.
I grew up in Georgia, surrounded by sweet tea, summer cicadas, and the kind of comfort that comes from knowing everyone in your small town. But as much as I loved home, I knew early on that my heart was pulling me elsewhere. I dreamed of being a model, of creating art through images, of telling stories not just with words but with movement, color, and light. That dream didn’t fit easily into the world I came from, so I packed my bags and moved to Washington, DC, chasing the possibility of more.
Moving to a city like DC was overwhelming at first—so many people, so many voices, so many dreams colliding in one place. But it was also electrifying. For the first time, I felt like I could carve out my own path. And in the moments when I doubted myself, when I missed home or questioned if I could really make it, I turned to what had always grounded me: my creativity. Through modeling and photography, I found my refuge. I started creating tutorial-style images—not just to showcase myself but to inspire others, to share what I was learning along the way. Each shoot was an act of intention. Each image was a reminder that my passion and purpose were real, that they were driven by something bigger than fear or doubt. In DC, I learned that your dreams aren’t just something you think about—they’re something you live through your actions. Following your heart isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary. It’s about showing up for yourself, about creating even when no one’s watching, about turning intention into reality one small step at a time.
What’s not up for debate is that our purpose is written in how we move through the world. It’s in the stories we tell, the risks we take, the ways we choose to express who we are. For me, my purpose is in the art I create. It’s in the images that tell my story and in the hope that they’ll inspire someone else to tell theirs.
Living in a new city has taught me that dreams don’t come to you; you go to them. And when you show up with heart and intention, the world starts to reflect back all the beauty you put into it. That’s what I hold onto—my dreams, my purpose, and the unshakable belief that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be."
As I sit back and think about my journey, I often hear that I have to find a middle ground in the things that I do. I believe that there is no middle ground. It’s either you’re going to set your mind to doing something or you’re not. That holds true today with the injustice of my people. There’s no middle ground. We’ve been villainized in the media and our positive impact that my people have made have been muted as well. We all have the ability to Love, to Hate, and to Help others. It’s a choice that an individual has to make. Again, there’s no middle ground in that. My choice is to Love and Help others. I believe that is my purpose in life. Anyone who knows me can attest to that. If you strongly believe in something, I’m right there with you, cheering you on or figuring out how to make the dream come true. I guess you can call me a hype man or battery pack. I also believe that everyone has the ability to be great, but they have to overcome their personal fears and insecurities. Essentially you have to master the art of not giving a f#%* what people think and keep pushing.
I would have to say Fatherhood. Being a Dad is super important in the development of our children and often times a lot of guys phone it in and that’s not fair for the child and ultimately not fair on the well being of your partner. Rearing children has a number of important aspects but the one with the most weight in my opinion is giving them the all the tools and resources needed to be a productive member of the community and to be able to raise their kids with the lessons you instilled.
There’s no in between for the children. They don’t care about your reasons or excuses; you need to be present and all in to be truly influential. My dad is an amazing father and I’m striving to be at least half the man he was for my family, my community, and my son who just turned 1 in May. It’s important for me to grow and evolve as a man so I can provide for him a safe place to grow, explore and develop into the person he wants to be.
I would say the absence of my father through out my life. Growing up, it is very important for young black men to have their fathers around because they are able to teach you things a mother can not. Although he was an addict, that does not excuse his actions. Even though my father was not in my life, my mother has done everything possible to raise me as the strong, confident, black man I am today.
My mother is definitely one of the hardest working people I’ve seen. I strive to one day have a drive as strong as hers. She’s never showed me her struggle, but I know there were times of struggle raising a child at 16. I don’t think I appreciated everything as much when I was younger and I still feel like my appreciation will grow. I look forward to growing as a person and achieving my ideal success. I believe I can achieve everything I want and more with hard work and dedication.
Through my experience, I have learned how I would like to treat and be there for my children in the future.
As a black woman who experiences adversities I believe I could love anybody. Anyone on this earth because I have perspectives on being mistreated. I put myself together after being mistreated...I can help(love) anybody back to whole because I know how it feels to be broken by many things, and many people.
🖤
For me, I owe my existence to black women. Aside from my mother, my spiritual mother who’s protected me since teen years up to now, the women who have raised my children, and those who loved me and sheltered me when I had nowhere to go.
That’s why for me, protecting black women is my base level requirement for being human. They raised me, loved me, allowed me to live as opposed to surviving. It’s black and white. That which is black needs black love, care, and attention to be.
