My name is Maya Sophia Ananda James, a multidisciplinary social practice multimedia artist, graphic novelist, author, writer, arts educator, journalist, and recipient of the Vanguard Award in ArtPrize 2023. My work thrives in collaboration with communities and organizations serving undervalued groups, including but not limited to black women and black LGBTQIA+ individuals.

 

Art is the weapon of choice in my family against white supremacy. In 1955, the Snoddy family fled Texas in the dead of night, eventually settling in sunny Los Angeles. After our family was driven off our land and out of the state, my father found freedom within his dream to escape a lot of the evils of Jim Crow. Breaking barriers, my dad became the first in his family to attend college, earning a master's degree in Fine Arts and becoming one of the most prolific black artists of his time. While he resisted being categorized as a "black" artist, I embrace the responsibility of claiming our identity as "black" artists. It may be hard to understand to many people around the world why someone who looks like me might claim blackness as their identity, but my father was not the last in our family to experience racial violence in the backwoods of rural America. My nuance is that I am a byproduct of the unpleasant intersections that the children of our world sometimes represent or result from. My work is dedicated to portraying the resilience of black people and creating art that challenges harmful assumptions through untold stories that are essential for our future.

 

My career started in journalism while pursuing a Political Science degree when I was a teenager in college, the pivotal moment occurring at a Collegiate Associated Press Conference with my community college newspaper, where I pitched an idea to YR media despite their initial lack of interest. This led to my first work as a youth correspondent, mainly focusing on controversial subjects, race relations, and racist violence in northern Michigan. My writings were featured in the New York Times Race/Related Column, USA Today, USA Today College, and on the YR Media.

    Responses to my literary work stimulated my decision to leave my predominantly white hometown which was a source of trauma which led me to pursue a career in art centered around black femme identity. Becoming a full-time artist required significant sacrifice, especially because it was less traditional compared to my father's experiences in the '60s and '70s in his burgeoning art career. With the publication of "LUKUMI," I became the first black woman to participate in the National Arab American Museum Artist Residency at the City Hall ArtSpace Lofts, housed in the same city hall that once hosted the reign of segregationist Orville L. Hubbard.

 

My artistic pursuits go hand in hand with my commitment to community engagement and social justice. My work is based in strategic social practice initiatives such as “Come As You Are,” an upscale art auction celebrating black LGBTQIA+ leaders. This event was not just about art but also a way to support the community, with half of the funds raised donated to Legacy House, an LGBTQIA+ youth housing facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, run by Outfront Kalamazoo. My dedication is to make a positive impact and support marginalized voices through both art and action.

 

My name is Maya Sophia Ananda James, a multidisciplinary social practice multimedia artist, graphic novelist, author, writer, arts educator, and journalist. My work thrives in collaboration with communities and organizations serving undervalued groups, including but not limited to black women and black LGBTQIA+ individuals. Portraiture, murals, art installations and advocacy campaigns are my tools of choice to empower black people and challenge harmful assumptions. My commitment to community engagement and social justice, such as social practice initiatives such as “Come As You Are,” an upscale art auction celebrating black LGBTQIA+ leaders.

 

My career started in journalism while pursuing a Political Science degree when I was a teenager in college, the pivotal moment occurring at a Collegiate Associated Press Conference with my community college newspaper, where I pitched an idea to YR media despite their initial lack of interest. This led to my first work as a youth correspondent, mainly focusing on controversial subjects, race relations, and racist violence in northern Michigan. My writings were featured in the New York Times Race/Related Column, USA Today, USA Today College, and on the YR Media.

 

and recipient of the Vanguard Award in ArtPrize 2023

untold stories that are essential for our future