Our Voices

A portrait and audio narrative project that amplifies the lived and living experiences of women who have encountered racism in its many forms. At its core, this work is about listening to the voices often silenced, interrupted, or flattened into stereotypes.

The project began in 2020, in the wake of renewed global conversations about race, identity, and justice. A group of women came together to share their experiences of racism in intimate, honest dialogue. What emerged was a series of personal stories and a collective space of solidarity, reflection, and resistance.

Through these conversations, we shared a perspective that identity is not defined by oppression, though it can be shaped and influenced by it. Identity is expansive and evolving; it holds pain, yes, but also strength, joy, resilience, and complexity. That shared understanding became the foundation of Our Voices.

The result is a collection of portraits paired with audio narratives, offering viewers a window into the participants’ inner worlds.

Our Voices was originally commissioned for the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival in 2021, where it offered a contribution to discussions about the intersection of race, mental health, and lived experience. The work was later reimagined and expanded for exhibition at Fruitmarket in Edinburgh in 2022, reaching new audiences and continuing to grow in impact.