Salyse.
Diving into Artivism
The story of Salyse was one of resilience, compassion, empathy, art, and introspection. Every piece of the work she has done and art she’s created has come together in such a way that expresses not only her experiences, but the experiences of the communities around her. The intentionality that moves into everything she creates is loud and clear, and the influences of her early life create the backdrop for which she is able to soar.
Speaking with Salyse was an incredible experience. Her ability to drawn clear lines throughout her life and the ways in which they have defined her artistic flow and experiences have meant the world for what her art has turned into. As she dives into her story, it is so clear that each piece of who she is, is incredibly hard to hide.
Salyse was originally born in Boston, Massachusettes to an Italian mother and African American father. Her mother’s family were immigrants to the North Eastern United States, creating a life in the large Italian immigrant community within the region. Her father’s family on the other hand all hailed from North Carolina, with roots there traceably going back to enslavement. Eventually her father and his siblings made the move from the South to the North along with many other African Americans who moved North during the Great Migration. Although there was not a large African American, or even Black, community within Boston, Salyse was able to remain strong in her roots and her experience as a Black biracial person in the context of Boston.
Salyse’s story not only involves the development of her love for art through the influence of her parents throughout childhood, but her fierce passion for activism and the protection of the Black community. It was extremely interesting to listen to the ways that Salyse remembered milestones in her life based around the tragedies happening in the Black community at the time, and the ebbs and flows of the Black Lives Matter movement. As she shared her own history with activism, she highlighted tragic events that shook the nation and in turn affected her as well. From the murder of Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown from 2012 - 2013, to her involvement in major movements in her University community Salyse allowed the moment to push her into leadership and power, refusing to stand down.
This culmination of experiences eventually lead her to Atlanta, where Black culture, Black creativity, and Black activism have come together for generations. Atlanta became the perfect place for Salyse to develop in her ‘artivism’, or the balance between activism and art that she has expressly shared with the world through her creativity. Although she plans to leave the South soon, Atlanta was a beautiful stepping stone to the development of Salyse as we know her today.
Feel free to engage in Salyse’s work on all platforms. Find the linktree to all of her work here: www.flowcode.com/page/salyseofficial
Click the audio above to listen to more on the story of Salyse.