Black History Month: Luvvie Ajayi-Jones
How do you make Friday even better? Make it a Black History Month Friday! Let’s talk about:
Luvvie Ajayi-Jones, also known as Awesomely Luvvie. Photo credit: Kesha Lambert Photography
I like to think of Luvvie Ajayi-Jones as the Empress of You-Know-You-Ain’t-Right observations of pop culture. She gives fair warning, though: her first best-selling book was titled I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual. I like her refusal to suffer fools. It’s fair to say she had an indirect influence on my “St. Felicia, Patron Saint of Farewells” assemblage sculptures. (Read some of the backstory here.)
“St. Felicia” assemblage sculptures in my solo exhibit at Northwest African American Museum, 2017
Some of the many reasons to read Ajayi-Jones’ work:
Her writing is concise, vivid and gasping-for-air hilarious
She celebrates Black joy, ingenuity, and critical thought
She regularly reminds her readers that she had to grow into becoming a “Professional Troublemaker,” and her life isn’t all stylish badassery all the time.
Ajayi-Jones is the only writer I know whose blog provokes comments I recommend you read. The back-and-forth between her and her readers is priceless. Hope you don’t mind cackling out loud.
Have a good weekend, and I’ll see you Monday with a new inspirational artist!
