Pg. 48 Priscilla Amado

Pg. 48 Priscilla Amado

 
 
 

"She loves herself and there’s nothing more beautiful than that."

 
 
 

I take pictures of people because I love people. My work as a photographer is to capture the essence of a person at that moment. With some people, it's easier to do than others. In this case, Priscilla came with her lights on. She has a very pronounced presence. It’s beauty and power and finesse — and it’s effortless.

We walked in the neighborhood around the office talking about things that mattered and occasionally stopping for camera work. Talk to Priscilla and right away you’ll get the sense that she’s familiar with herself. She’s grounded and comfortable in her own skin. She loves herself and there’s nothing more beautiful than that.

It’s also easy to see that Priscilla loves her people. I talked about the common ills of the Black experience and she gave me a list of the projects and programs that she is currently working on to address those ills. She talked about collaborating with her mate in her community work. It’s always good to encounter instances of productive Black couples but it was how she spoke about him that made an impression on me. She wore him. Not in the same way that an insecure woman wears a man but, like an inherited jewel. Later I would see them together and understand why. He adds to her rather than defining her.

 
An empty edge control tub and baby shampoo bottle filled with money.

An empty edge control tub and baby shampoo bottle filled with money.

I needed cash to fill the empty product bottles for the lead photo in this spread so, we took a walk to the bank. Inevitably our conversation turned to economics and focused tightly on economic empowerment for Black people by way group economics. We talked cloth talk and made our way back to my building. “Stand right there,” I said as I pointed to the green facade in front of a large construction site. Priscilla positioned herself in front of the painted plywood and I reached into my pocket to hand her the cash. She extended her hand to me and I fanned the bills a bit for dramatic effect. “Make a fist,” I told her. I lifted my camera and we made history. Dressed in couture from crown to boots, Priscilla Amado is our Black statue of liberty and economic empowerment. Her fist represents the people working together in unity specifically as it pertains to how we spend our money. This image is a signal to our people to buy Black. This is one of those times when the creative class pulls their weight in our struggle for victory.

 

 
 

Pg. 48: Black Beauty & the Economics of Liberation
Words by Chelsea Johnson Photography by Nkrumah, Styling by Priscilla Amado, Hair by Ancestral Strands.

 
Volume No. 01 — 4 Issues
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