In the Image of My Queens, I Stand
A nature-infused mural featuring Indigenous Bedouin and Nubian women protected by ancestral geometric light, standing in fierce resistance on stolen land while maintaining connection to their traditional territories. Created through community collaboration with proceeds benefiting humanitarian efforts.
Funding & Community Support
This mural was made possible by the New York State Ccouncil On the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor. The Mural Jam is also supported by the Ithaca Community Arts Partnership, Meldrims Paint Center, Argos Inn, and Gimmecoffee. This work was commissioned through Ithaca Murals, a project of the Cornell Center For Transformative Action.
Indigenous Solidarity Creation
How community collaboration and ancestral wisdom guide the creation of resistance art
Southworks Mural Invitational
Invited as artist to Southworks Mural Invitational for factory renovation after receiving major NY state grants.
Grant Funding & Fundraising Model
Receiving grant funding while establishing mural as fundraiser with proceeds split between different local charities.
Cornell Community Partnerships
Partnering with Cornell's Black Students United, Pan-African Muslim Student Association, and progressive organizations for authentic representation.
Indigenous Cultural Research
Deep research into Bedouin and Nubian traditions, geometries, and ancestral protection symbols with community advisors.
Land Acknowledgment Integration
Incorporating acknowledgment that the mural stands on stolen Haudenosaunee land, connecting Indigenous struggles across continents.
Collaborative Design Process
Community-guided design sessions creating surreal geometric light representing ancestral protection and resistance.
Nature-Infused Resistance Elements
Incorporating indigenous plants, desert landscapes, and Nile imagery as symbols of connection to stolen and threatened lands.
The Queens - Bedouin & Nubian Women
Painting the central figures: Indigenous Bedouin and Nubian women standing close together in fierce solidarity.
Ancestral Geometric Light
Adding the surreal geometric light patterns representing ancestors protecting and empowering the Queens.
Symbols of Land & Resistance
Integrating symbols representing connection to land, resistance to occupation, and Indigenous sovereignty.
Community Collaborative Elements
Cornell student organizations and community members add personal touches representing solidarity and shared resistance.
Final Details & Protective Elements
Adding final protective elements, traditional patterns, and ensuring accurate cultural representation.
Completion on October 7th
Completing the mural on October 7th as a statement of solidarity with all Indigenous peoples facing occupation.
Ongoing Fundraising for refugee support
Continuing fundraising efforts with proceeds supporting humanitarian aid for local & international Black & Indigenous communities.
Indigenous Solidarity Impact
"In the Image of My Queens, I Stand" creates solidarity between Indigenous Bedouin and Nubian women while acknowledging that the mural itself stands on stolen Haudenosaunee land. This connection across continents demonstrates how Indigenous struggles against colonization, occupation, and displacement are fundamentally linked.
The ancestral geometric light that protects these Queens represents the spiritual strength that flows from traditional knowledge and connection to land. Even when physically displaced or occupied, this connection remains unbroken and continues to empower resistance.
Completed on October 7th, this work stands as a testament to the ongoing resistance of all Indigenous peoples and the power of community collaboration in creating art that both heals and challenges systems of oppression.