Simuels, Murrays, Armisteads, and Jacksons. These are the people I come from, mostly by way of Virginia and Louisiana.
I was educated at Harvard Divinity School, Princeton Theological Seminary, and UCLA where I considered the intersections of religion, race, sexuality, and gender.
I believe in courage, gratitude, kindness and truth, among other necessities.
At UCLA’s “Black Graduation,” one speaker reminded us, “Many of you are here today because your ancestors survived the middle passage. They could’ve jumped but didn’t. What are you going to do with your life knowing that someone chose to survive on your behalf?”
Being an artist enables me to answer that question.
-Michelle Renee Jackson