Since 2005, my focus has been to record urban narratives through woven, shaped, mixed-media tapestries, which I create by hand on large floor looms. The translation of thought and memory on and off the woven grid helps usher in a re-negotiation of my past and provides me with a sense of power and perspective that had once vanished. Self-taught through trial and error, I had no rules because I couldn't afford teachers. Today, I'm wildly invested in communicating through the woven structure.

Growing up in Oakland, CA, during the 1980s and '90s. I was surrounded by stunning urban decay, vibrant street art, abandoned apartments and stores, crack houses, diverse architecture, crime, Bay Area subway (BART) adventures/misadventures, Tilden Park, earthquakes, museums, Fairyland, the Oakland Hills fire, the '89 World Series, busted car windows, the best people, all coupled with a foggy Bay Area backdrop. All aesthetics from this time have heavily informed my work.

This generous amount would allow me to order the parts to fix my loom, order wool, dye, and other materials needed, so I can finish a series about my experiences of being homeless in the Bay Area for 6 years. Large, raw, woven, narrative works that raise the vital importance of harm reduction and emergency/affordable housing for the humans who need it. This series aims to challenge stigma at its core. This award would provide stability for my small live/work space, which is everything.