I am a mother, a river, a poet-whisperer.

 

A river runs from its present in one place to its future in another, gradually and meticulously shaping its surroundings along the way. In its constant flow of water and dynamic change, time collapses. Past, present, and future exist simultaneously. The mothers in my family are also rivers—recorders and keepers of recipes, stories, photographs, documents, and traditions. Through their guidance, I learned events of the past simultaneously shape our present and future. Working across media, I gather still and moving images, documents, and sound. These archival elements are transformed through my creative process, becoming monuments of duality: past and present, nature and artifice, strength and oppression, memory and recorded history, evidence and critique. I create a new history and personal geography through accumulations of images, text and occupying space with my body. Looking back is equally important to my practice as looking forward. My role as past keeper, present shaper, and future builder comes with responsibilities. The stories of the past are a gift. It is my task to hold them, to distill their lessons, to foster healing, and to pass them on, intact and with annotation.