Portrait of Cleopatra Acquaye-Reynolds by Ajamu for his Archiving Activists Portrait Project

For his “Archiving Activists Portrait Project,” Visual AIDS / Residency Unlimited’s Curatorial Resident Ajamu photographed 14 young activists of color—Cleopatra Acquaye-Reynolds, Seyi Adebanjo, Janani Balasubramanian, Vivian Crockett, Che Gossett,  Seven King, Leeroy Kun Young Kang, Kia Labeija, Jamal Lewis, Tiona McClodden, Darnell Moore, Martez Smith, Alok Vaid-Menon, and Kit Yan—and interviewed them about their art, activism and objects important to their work. 

Ajamu premiered these portraits and interviews during the closing event of his March curatorial residency “Suitcase Under The Bed: Ephemera Gathering Public Workshop.” All 14 interviews can now be viewed on Visual AIDS’ Vimeo and below. 

Special thanks to Residency Unlimited and Sebastien Sanz de Santamaria for providing space and support for the interview and portrait project. 

Click on the links below to view the video interviews:

Cleopatra Acquaye-Reynolds

Kia Labeija

Seyi Adebanjo 

Alok Vaid-Menon

Leeroy Kun Young Kang

Darnell Moore

Jamal Lewis 

Vivian Crockett 

Martez Smith

Janani Balasubramanian

Che Gossett

Kit Yan 

Seven King 

Tiona McClodden