Image Description: A portrait of Zakiyyah seated in front of a red backdrop wearing a black t-shirt with the text “DANGER - EDUCATED BLACK WOMAN”. She holds a book open in her hands, about to turn the page. Next to Zakiyyah is a pedestal with several stacked books and a pair of glasses. Photo by Mel Taing
A love letter from Zakiyyah
My name is Zakiyyah (she/her). A few months ago, I had the honor of joining the ACI family. As I step into my fairly new role as the Co-Director of Creative Disruption, I’m reminded of the very long, and sometimes painful journey that led me here.
See I’ve been disrupted quite a lot in my life. I’ve been disrupted by men whose bias made my voice inaudible. By white people whose values deemed mine insignificant, and by a capitalist system that taught me that I am not worthy of living a good life unless I sacrifice my sanity--and my culture to do it.
These are the lies that give credence to the idea that we must work with what we’re given, and not with what we can make. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned from my art is that disruption doesn’t just have to be something that happens to me--it can be my path to salvation.
As an arts-activist, I’m constantly learning new ways of being, of lending my art to the charge that is social justice. Along the path I discovered Hip-Hopera, my own way of disrupting the social and artistic expectations of a Black girl whose classically-trained background meant she would gladly abandon the sounds that birthed her, for those that would be more easily heard and respected in the spaces that “matter”.
I fell into disruption, and when I got up I found freedom.
Disruption is messy. It’s unapologetic. Bold. Demanding. And it’s effective.
This is why I decided to join Arts Connect International. There are major systems designed to favor the few, and they require our disruption. Contrary to popular belief, “the system” was never broken, and that’s precisely the problem. Through ACI I’ve been blessed to work with a group of individuals who embody what it means to constantly rediscover your humanity through a commitment to self-disruption after a lifetime of societal conditioning.
As I work with organizations who struggle with major inequities, seemingly imprisoned by years of tradition and capitalist incentives, I’m reminded of just how necessary disruption is. With platforms of greater power and influence, their own systems carry the weight that give all others validation and legitimacy. That is why I seek to disrupt those systems before they continue to disrupt the lives of other BlPOC beings whose very existence is a testament to why people in power fear disruption in the first place.
Now my focus is on working with my fellow ACI members to create the tune that makes all the others stop. We may not always get the notes right, but we always get better.
-Zakiyyah
Image Description: A portrait of Zakiyyah seated in front of a red backdrop wearing a black t-shirt with the text “DANGER - EDUCATED BLACK WOMAN”. She has her left elbow propped up on the pedestal next to her, her left hand framing her face in an ‘L” shape. On the pedestal are several stacked books and a pair of glasses. Photo by Mel Taing
Throughout this fall season we will be highlighting our employee Co-Directors!
Interviewed by Artist in Community Fellow Mel Taing, each co-director will share more about themselves centering on what they're most excited about in their work, how they’ve been practicing self-care, and what they hope to manifest in the future!
Zakiyyah Sutton (she/her) is the Co-Director of Creative Disruption at Arts Connect International. You can follow her work on Instagram - @zakiyyah_official or her website https://www.zakiyyahofficial.com.
To ‘meet’ with Zakiyyah, read below!
What is the juiciest thing you're working on right now? What aspect of your work are you most passionate about in this moment? Is this a particular memory from the past month that you want to highlight?
I'm excited about a show I'm putting together for the end of September at the Museum of Science! The theme is all about decolonizing museums, something that is essential to our arts equity work, and I'm excited that I get to lend my own artistry to this cause.
How have you been filling your cup? How are you creating space for rest, care and joy lately?
I'm still struggling to find my balance. I have a hard time resting because that capitalist guilt seeps in and I start thinking about what I SHOULD be doing. I'm trying to stave off those thoughts by getting back into exercise. Exercise changes my mood in general and I don't really have an opportunity to think about my long list of responsibilities in that moment.
Looking into the near or far future, what are you hoping to manifest? What are you visioning into within this moment?
In the near future, I want to manifest my tribe. I've already found an amazing tribe in ACI, but in my artist life, I'd like to have a tribe that can offer me the support I need to enjoy my art and be able to engage with it without it feeling so burdensome. None of us can go it alone so that's very important to me!