My name is Justin-Michael Emmanuel and I’m a Trini! (My family is from Trinidad and Tobago). I’m 25 years old and I use pronouns like he/him and they/them. I’ve been photographing for nearly 7 years, mostly where I live, in Hartford CT. I finished my Bachelors degree at Hampshire College in 2018 and am currently an MFA candidate at the University of Hartford.
Officially the work is Untitled, however the working title is “A Facefull of Mangos”
My photography deals with the nature of self preservation. As a child of Trinidadian immigrants and a member of the Afro diaspora my work attempts to decolonize the visual representation of black bodies. It works to dismantle the criminalization of black folk and destroy colonial racialized media. Rooted in my life experience my photographs attempt to bridge cultural identity with self understanding. The images I create attempt to shed light on what love feels like and looks like for Black families in early 21st century United States of America and most importantly, to give hope.
To view more of Justin-Michael Emmanuel’s work please visit their website.