I had the opportunity to work with Anna Obura, one of the Parent Engagement Specialists from UWEAST and specifically the Southern Sudanese Community Center. For this project, I was inspired and personally impacted by the words Anna shared during our interview. While reflecting on Anna’s experiences, certain words stood out to me that reminded me of the connections to home and the power of what making a home means. This acrylic painting has the colors of the Ugandan flag, one of the places Anna considers to be home.
I put the word “home” at the top left corner to move away from centering time and space in a fixed fashion as I feel what Anna shared moves across and between time periods. I felt a cascade of the colors down reminds us of how fluid and never-ending building family and home truly is. It was important for me to highlight Ugandan representation as something Anna is proud of and wants to continue creating more visibility for.
Originally, I also wanted to put words on the painting, drawn from the interview, but instead created an accompanying word map to highlight a feeling of connectedness and reunion with family and loved ones that spoke to me throughout the interview. I am grateful to have shared space and time with Anna, the students who come to tutoring and all who make the amazing work at the Southern Sudanese and East African Community and Cultural Center possible.
