I am investigating my identity through the way people see me and how I see myself as a person of mixed ethnicity in an attempt to contribute a first-person account to the discussion of racial identity. For many years, I've been asking myself how I identify as an individual of mixed ethnicity and pondering over comments made about my appearance. When asking myself how I fit into my varying cultural backgrounds, I wonder whether I have rights to their histories and traditions. Through the series of images I've created, I contextualize my search for identity by dissecting different features of my appearance. I have photographed the parts of my body that I feel connect me to my black heritage and the parts that might cause others to question my identity.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/02fce0ff-245a-4ecb-ad65-6b3134459fed/1/1/Mum_Hair_Try_Again.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/16efd374-e1b4-4584-9229-4c13cb9b96e0/1/1/Hair_Down.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/dbe03c29-cd3c-48ff-8398-c519ab120c19/1/1/back.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/540802d9-7511-4c2e-b253-be6e0a67e880/1/1/BUNWITHPIC.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/f47ea88a-259b-4cb7-9ea3-eee1c2c5b529/1/1/BRAID.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/956a1f44-ebb1-466d-80e0-2d48512d091c/1/1/BREASTS.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/43114ee8-3b11-4d46-b959-6365cb68744e/1/1/ELBOWSNEW.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/cc71aff9-b571-4238-ad71-54683449f8a9/1/1/bun.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/58600431-a65f-4d5c-a642-07e04c07282d/1/1/feet.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/83bd11e2-fc57-40a7-afd7-2f1cb693796c/1/1/whole.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/409ec326-8430-4da1-932a-3e5f3d4218a7/1/1/WRAP2.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/94d5d056-f2e5-489f-8003-5028dd971b63/1/1/KNEESNEW.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/8191974e-2e6f-4ad0-a1ba-9f13cfd1db5e/1/1/Production_Year_3_Mixed_Ethnicity_Test-hands1015.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,2974,400/0-0-0/81706716-bd0c-404b-baca-c9f150b6fc38/1/1/Mums_Hands.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=d1edb17d8ce6730571e7c3dd548c882e9a345377eac4fdee8f6f6fe6c1e88a50)
I am investigating my identity through the way people see me and how I see myself as a person of mixed ethnicity in an attempt to contribute a first-person account to the discussion of racial identity. For many years, I've been asking myself how I identify as an individual of mixed ethnicity and pondering over comments made about my appearance. When asking myself how I fit into my varying cultural backgrounds, I wonder whether I have rights to their histories and traditions. Through the series of images I've created, I contextualize my search for identity by dissecting different features of my appearance. I have photographed the parts of my body that I feel connect me to my black heritage and the parts that might cause others to question my identity.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/02fce0ff-245a-4ecb-ad65-6b3134459fed/1/1/Mum_Hair_Try_Again.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Mums Hair, 2018, chromogenic print, 20"x20"
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/16efd374-e1b4-4584-9229-4c13cb9b96e0/1/1/Hair_Down.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Down and Bust, 2018, chromogenic print, 20”x20”
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/dbe03c29-cd3c-48ff-8398-c519ab120c19/1/1/back.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Back, 2018, chromogenic print, 20"x20"
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/540802d9-7511-4c2e-b253-be6e0a67e880/1/1/BUNWITHPIC.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Afro Pick and Bust, 2018, chromogenic print, 20”x 20”
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/f47ea88a-259b-4cb7-9ea3-eee1c2c5b529/1/1/BRAID.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Braid and Bust, 2018, chromogenic print, 20"x20"
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/956a1f44-ebb1-466d-80e0-2d48512d091c/1/1/BREASTS.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Breasts, 2018, chromogenic print, 20”x 20”
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/43114ee8-3b11-4d46-b959-6365cb68744e/1/1/ELBOWSNEW.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Elbows, 2018, chromogenic print, 20”x 20”
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/cc71aff9-b571-4238-ad71-54683449f8a9/1/1/bun.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Bun and Bust, 2018, chromogenic print, 20”x 20”
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/58600431-a65f-4d5c-a642-07e04c07282d/1/1/feet.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Feet, 2018, chromogenic print, 20”x 20”
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/83bd11e2-fc57-40a7-afd7-2f1cb693796c/1/1/whole.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Body, 2018, chromogenic print, 20”x 20”
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/409ec326-8430-4da1-932a-3e5f3d4218a7/1/1/WRAP2.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Head Wrap and Bust, 2018, Chromogenic print, 20”x 20”
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/94d5d056-f2e5-489f-8003-5028dd971b63/1/1/KNEESNEW.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Knees, 2018, chromogenic print, 20”x 20”
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/8191974e-2e6f-4ad0-a1ba-9f13cfd1db5e/1/1/Production_Year_3_Mixed_Ethnicity_Test-hands1015.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)
Hands, 2018, chromogenic print, 20”x 20”
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/f456d108-b91b-49d7-8407-b2d8eadd4d39/0/0/0/0,0,2974,2974,1600,2974/0-0-0/81706716-bd0c-404b-baca-c9f150b6fc38/1/1/Mums_Hands.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037587639~hmac=155a273fecac5e01431dc44a9c0ddee7ab27fc648310ca6d9363d11567f84207)