Know Your Worth
Artist Stament
Reflecting since 2016
Know Your Worth (2016) is a deeply personal exploration of identity, resilience, and the power of words. Through 12 black-and-white self-portraits paired with a poignant poem written by my sister, this series reveals the emotional landscape shaped by both external judgment and internal strength.
Each image reflects a moment of vulnerability and affirmation, illustrating the complexity of living in a world where skin color and spoken words can wound deeply. The poem’s raw truth amplifies the voice.
Know Your Worth
They say that in the darkest of times
People commit their darkest crimes.
They say words don’t affect you,
but my whole life has been affected
by the words people have said to me.
I am no different from you or the next.
A skin tone kissed by the sun
one too many times.
Pupils dark and rich in color,
but still I say
I am no different than you or the next.
When I hurt, I feel PAIN!!
I am no different than you.
What gives you the right
to commit your crime
with words of hatred?
You look down on me
for not being able to move the way you do
or dress the way you do.
You slander my character without knowing me,
but the worst pain
comes from those who do.
— T. Hendrix
