Finding My Voice 3: B FRESH Photography

Fast-forward two years.

One day in Chicago, I was snappin’ some photos with a cheapo camera my dad and I went half on. I was taking random pictures of interesting looking sculptures and masks in my partner’s bedroom. I was quite surprised at the “interesting-ness” of the photos, so I showed him some of the shots I took- he was quite impressed. I began taking snapshots at some of his shows and theater productions, at rallies and of my family. I never took any kind of art class, so I didn’t know much about composition, focal points, F-stops and lighting. Yet, I knew what looked good!

My first real photo shoot was with my roommate in college. We designed posters that said “We Will Not Be Silenced.” We had sheets, lamps- the whole nine. I have to really laugh as I look back because it was a two-day long session. I was encouraged to enter the final collage from that shoot into the B-Girl Be visual arts exhibition: The Art of T&A: Truth and Activism. I was so nervous about applying to be in a gallery, and was almost sure that I wouldn’t get accepted. I was artistically incompetent, right? "Non-artists" don’t get into galleries, period. I got lucky, and was selected as one of 39 featured artists. It was over after that. B-Girl Be changed my life, but that’s another whole blog…

Since the exhibition in 2006, I have been actively documenting the Hip Hop scene in the Twin Cities, and have branched out into freelancing and covering theater, political events, doing photo shoots with up-and-coming models, CD covers- you name it, I do it.

I recall the first show I got a photo pass for. I was in Chicago at the time, and I wanted to take pictures at a show at First Avenue. I did a little research about how to get access, so I immediately sent an e-mail to the Minneapolis record label Rhymesayers requesting access. I didn’t think I would be able toget access since they had no idea who I was and I wasn’t getting them published!! Who is this B-FRESH girl???Nevertheless I got a response from them that granted me access. I sped back (don’t tell on me, please) to the Twin Cities. To my surprise, I got a shoot one of my favorite artists, Psalm One, who was ironically from Chicago. I got to the front counter to get my pass and, little did I know, that I didn’t have to pay for the show because I was press. Not pay for the show? What?! I had no idea because I had such little knowledge of the music and entertainment industry. I simply was a passionate music fan, and was trying to develop as a photographer.

The strong mentorship and amazingly talented group of people that I have been able to work with and look up to have given me the support and know-how to go out there and really use my artistic voice!! To date, I have shot artists like KRS-One, N*E*R*D, M.I.A., Saul Williams, EPMD and activists like Angela Davis and Rosa Clemente. Baiscally, if you’ve rolled through the Twin Cities in the last few years I probably have your face on my hard drive.

Can't wait for my B-Girl Be summit blog? Here are a few samplers that will tide you over until then:

2005 video sampler by Rachel Raimist-


2006 video sampler-


B FRESH Photography 2007 blog

Brother Ali: The Inspirational Truth

Power-house MC Brother Ali motivates me to speak my "Undisputed Truth." Ali leads by example, challenging me to utilize my political power with the intensity of a B-boy or B-girl in a heated cipher. Whether he's calling out the U.S. government for its dealings in the villainous slave trade in "Uncle Sam Goddamn," or riffing on the botched elections and war in "Letter from the Government," Ali effectively relates a shared struggle and striking hope for the future.

Balancing his identities as an albino Muslim from the Midwest, Ali's lyrics encourage me to utilize my unique experiences to address complex topics. As a moving example of civil discourse, he creates genuine discussion about race, white privilege, violence and personal growth. In "Daylight," he divulges his inner-most feelings: "So they ask me if I'm black or white, I'm neither. Race is a made up thing. I don't believe in it ... I know that I benefit from something I hate." Songs like Ali's "Forrest Whittaker," in which he celebrates his unusual physical features, encourage me to be confident, expose my vulnerabilities and wear my insecurities like a badge of honor.

Ali's dialectical whirlwind of personal, social and political commentary places him at the forefront of inspiring and motivational artists.