Celebrating Black History Month Featuring Andrew Harris
Celebrating Black History Month featuring Andrew Harris, Middlesex School
Hello, I’m Andrew Harris, a student at Middlesex School. I am pleased to virtually “exhibit” my photo show with the Concord Free Public Library this February.
The title of the show is MX Fam: My Voice. My Power.
MX Fam is the affinity group for Black and Latinx members of the Middlesex community. Last year I saw a film called “Black is… Black Ain’t” by Marlon Wiggs. His film attempts to answer the question, “What is Black?” and “What does it mean to be Black?”
After watching the film, I had an MX Fam meeting, where one of our members asked the group, “What does MX Fam mean to you?” As we began to answer, I realized our responses were similar to those in Marlon’s film. We all felt that MX Fam is a way to distinctly express ourselves without the social burdens of our non-Black peers. We felt that, at Middlesex, we are often grouped together and ignored as individuals. There is a lot of diversity within the Black and Latinx community; we are all different people with different experiences. While highlighting that, my show also spotlights the power of the group.
I took portraits of all 59 members of MX Fam. These personality shots clearly display the variety of experiences, cultures, and identities that make up the silent minority of Middlesex. The images celebrated each subject’s talents and personality, while also encouraging the viewer to question why these individuals’ stories are so frequently marginalized.
Marlon said, “Silence is our deadliest weapon.” The first step to defining our Blackness is to own our voice. And with all that occurred this past summer, I hope my Black peers never forget the power in their voice. Thank you.
Click here to watch the video and visit the virtual exhibition.
