2 STRIKES

Rosie the Riveter is an iconic female figure. J. Howard Miller’s poster has had a tremendous impact on women all over the nation. It serves as an image to remind women that they are capable of doing anything men in society can do. Originally the poster served as propaganda, part of a campaign aimed to recruit female workers during World War II. Women were needed in industrial workspaces, fulfilling jobs of men while they were fighting in the war. “Rosie” was modeled after Naomi Parker Fraley, who was working in a machine shop at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, when a photographer snapped a shot of her on the job.

 

Rosie’s iconic “We Can Do It” slogan inspired the body of work 2 Strikes. Black women are faced with a world filled with adversity from the time they take their first breath. By being a black person, one faces many hardships in society such as discrimination, inequality, racism, and hatred because their physical features do not coincide with traditional European standards of beauty. Thus, the first strike for black women is being black. Black women face greater obstacles than black men because women in society are not treated equally and face a plethora of unjust social constructions implemented by white men. Hence, the second strike for black women is being a woman. Essentially, black women are born with two strikes against them. The images in this collection are intended to show various relatable black women, assuring them “they got this”, no matter where they are in their personal journey. Similarly to J. Howard Miller’s poster, the subject serves as a vision of empowerment and encouragement. However, in this case, it's specifically focused on various black women. Most importantly, the images promote self-love in the black community no matter what they look like. The heavy saturated and vivid colors create a cartoon-like feel, similar to Miller’s poster. The figures are positioned in intricate yet simple ways in the frame, telling its own unique story.