I’m teaming up with American Express for their #Amex100for100 program!

Happy Women’s Entrepreneurship Day!

Several weeks ago, I received an email from iFundWomen with the subject line, “You’re in consideration for an American Express • IFundWomen Debut Program.”

I wasn’t aware of the details or the amount, but I was so excited. I have been hard at work applying for public and private foundation grants to help cover the cost of my upcoming exhibition.

The iFundWomen of Color and American Express team organized a Zoom meeting to discuss the details, which took place in late October. After briefly talking about my goals for Her House Media (previously AC Media), I heard something like…

You are actually not in consideration. You won the “100 for 100” Program grant.

In the feeling of gratefulness, I shed tears of joy… and relief. I thought to myself…

I can really do this.

My grand idea…

I had an idea to make my exhibition in March 2021, accessible for visitors with visual and hearing disabilities. The largest expense being the conversion of 2D photographs into 3D and adding audio description of my portraits from I Am More Than My Hair book. It’s a $35,000+ expense, as compared to $3,000 to $5,000.

Yes, you read that right!

It cost over $35,000 to create an accessible exhibition. And that’s the lower end of the scale. But it all worth it, to make my exhibition accessible for all to feel included.

To give some background…

American Express created “ 100 for 100 ” in partnership with IFundWomen of Color , the leading platform for women of color to raise capital, to support Black women entrepreneurs as they work to jump start and grow their business ventures. The program will provide each of the 100 women with grants of $25,000 and 100 days of business resources, including business education, mentorship, marketing, virtual networking, WorkSpaces by Hilton hotel reservation credits and more. The initiative is part of American Express’ recently announced $1 billion action plan to enhance diverse representation and promote equal opportunities for its colleagues, customers and communities.

To add to the amazing gesture, I returned home last week to beautiful, handpicked gifts from The American Express Team. The custom gifts were all created by Black Women:

• “Creator” tote bag from rayo & honey @rayoandhoney
• “Muse” candle from LITBKLYN @litbklyn
• Enamel mug from Black Pepper Paperie Co. @blackpepperpaperieco
• Notebook from Greer Chicago @greerchicago
• “Power” print by Jade Purple Brown @jadepurplebrown

It was hard to keep this a secret, but I am beyond grateful for the impact iFundWomen and The American Express Team has created for me and the 99 other business owners in the “100 for 100” Program.

Together, we’re making history. And that’s a beautiful thing.

Grants for artist of color, about the black experience? I AM the black experience.

It’s no doubt that the grant process is frustrating, especially when most recipients look nothing like me… a woman of color. On the other hand, grants focused on supporting artist of color make it very clear that the “artist” work should encompass the “black experience”.

But I am the black experience.

I am the black experience when I step out into the world and I am judged FIRST based on the color of my skin and not my talents. I am the black experience when I’m constantly in the position of having to fight for my children to be treated equally in a public school institution. I am the black experience when I am in fear and question if my husband will safely return home after a “routine traffic stop”. I am the black experience when I live in a system created against people who look like me.

And my list goes on…

Although I wish the grant process… well life in general, wasn’t biased, it is my unfortunate reality. When I apply, though I do my best and hope for a great outcome, I know that most likely the “look” of the grantees won’t change.

Then on the other end of the spectrum, some of the organizations that fund projects by artist of color has a specific criteria. The topic of focus should include slavery, racial injustice, police brutality, immigration, etc. Is that all the black experience encompasses?

In this case, my work is too black for one… not black enough for the other… and a box I simply can’t fit in.

Does this mean I change the direction of my work? Absolutely not. Although this isn’t the case for all organizations, it is evident that I have to continue working 3 times as hard. But not to worry. I get what I set my mind to. Nonetheless, I do look forward to the day when more opportunities live outside the box. Who knows? I may just start something new… in due time.

You can help me finish my documentary film, I Am More Than My Hair.

 

Join me as I present my research behind my project, meet the women who participated and take part in a Q&A. Book signing to follow.

Sunday, September 9, 2018
5-7PM

Busboys and Poets
5311 Baltimore Avenue
Hyattsville, MD 20781

There will be an open menu for food and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Tickets are $10. Proceeds from tickets sales will go towards the finishing funds for my film.

To learn more and get get tickets, visit Busboys and Poets or Eventbrite.

 

I Almost Threw In The Towel

As much as I love to give good news, I always want to be open and honest about my hurdles along the way.

I’m exhausted.

It’s as simple as that.

I excitedly reached out to my grantor to inform them that I finally use my grant funding as planned. Keep in mind, the remainder of my grant was supposed to have been released, but because I did not use my previous year’s grant as yet, it has been withheld. {It’s only fair but this is my first grant award and I’m learning that there’s a lot more logistics to the entire process than originally thought it to be.}

My excitement quickly turned to disappointment when I receive the response…

“Is your project complete?”

They can’t be referring to having to the 1,000 copies of I Am More Than My Hair, printed and available for sale? Or so I thought.

I assumed that using my grant money was sufficient for releasing the remaining award and moving on with my project. I thought wrong.

Damn it, another hurdle!

Not only has a set back been obtaining the stories necessary to accompany the photos of all the women in my book, but also obtaining the funding needed to complete it. That’s why the grant was so vital.

My initial response (in my own head)…

“I can’t do this. I’m done!”

It has been frustrating, to say the least, working as a one-woman show. As much as I don’t like to admit this, unfortunately, I’ve had to eliminate multiple women from my project because they either haven’t sent their stories to me on time or have been unresponsive.

If there’s one thing I understand, it is that we all have lives and sometimes making the time to complete “another task” isn’t as urging as our daily routines. Then add the challenges the Universe throws at us from time-to-time.

Today, I made my last attempt to collect the story of one individual, whom hasn’t respond to my emails in over a year. I finally figured I should Google her name to see if her contact info may have changed.

Instead of finding any updates, I found an obituary.

Katie had passed away and I didn’t even know it. I was so stuck in tunnel zone I never thought to reach out to her in another way before this day.

Katie was the first individual to respond to my call for participants {outside of the first groups of women from SWAG and NAAF‘s Facebook post}.  Despite her diagnosed with breast cancer, Katie happily volunteered and often sent positive words of encouragement, especially when I lost the patience with myself and my project. She was never critical and never questioned my timing.

Instead she said…

“It will happen when it’s supposed to. There’s no rush.”

So today, I had to pull myself out of my pity party, say prayers for Katie to rest in peace and the condolences of her family, and remind myself why I started in the first place.

To use my creativity as a pedestal to cultivate awareness, and dispel the myth of a “beauty standard”. I Am More Than My Hair aids in the awareness of alopecia.

And…

I am the vessel given the opportunity to bring it to life.

It has been undeniably challenging, which I am sure is no different from anything you give as a labor of love.

So I move forward knowing that I have to work 10 times harder, but believing that it can and will be done. And although not having the grant on-hand has caused a delay, I can’t give up.

Actually, I take back, because I can.

I won’t.

I thank you for your patience and belief in the work I create, that in some way contributes to social-good, through art.

Enjoy the Holiday!

Katie… May you continue to Rest In Peace. To her family… I send my condolences and lots of love and light your way.

Peace & Blessings,
Alyscia

MoCo Grantee Awards

Last week I attended Montgomery County’s 15th Annual County Executive Awards for Excellence for the Arts & Humanities (#ExecAwards2016). This event recognizes the individual artist, art organizations and art projects awarded grants for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

It includes the grant I was awarded to cover production cost of I Am More Than My Hair. Seeing my name on the screen at the ceremony, as an individual artist grantee award recipient, was confirmation that I’m headed in the right direction.

In that moment, I felt an immense amount of gratification as I thought back to all of the hard work and time I’ve invested, and continue to invest, into my art. Not only has it opened a new door and path for me but also also proven that passion and dedication makes dreams come true.

I’m feeling thankful!

My First Grant Award!

After several years of applying on multiple platforms with various organizations, I am so EXCITED to finally have been awarded my first grant. The Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, MD provided me with a $3,500 grant to help me develop and print 1,000 copies of my book I Am More Than My Hair: Bald and Beautiful Me, a social-change coffee table book that tells the stories and celebrates the beauty of girls and women who have lost their hair due to medical conditions.

Although the many rejection letters I’ve received was disappointing, I must admit, I was unprepared for a grant before this. After comparing my previous applications to the one I was awarded, there’s no mistaking the growth between then and now.

Looking at my old applicators I wouldn’t have granted myself an award either. Don’t get me wrong, the art is beautiful, but the execution of it wasn’t planned out as I’ve organized it to be now.

Also, recently being selected as an art panelist, for another arts & humanities council, allowed me to view applications from the eyes of a judge. And of course I was able to give back to the community. For my next round of grant applications I will fully prepared.

With all of the excitement and appreciation inside of me, I’ve also had to recognize that I’ll need to come up with an additional  $25, 870 of my $29, 370 budget, to complete both the book and documentary. Yes it’s that much!

For this reason I decided to apply for Fiscal Sponsorship (it’s another application process that has to be approved) and will launch a Crowdfunding campaign in January 2017.

I will send the details and status as I get closer to the dates. In the meantime, know that I’ve been working like a mad woman…and learning so much in the process. Thank you for your support and encouraging emails along the way!

I’m still looking for participants for I Am More Than My Hair. Know anyone? Let’s connect!