This week’s “Femme Voices” feature is Evelyn, creator of “100 Womxn of Color”. This photographer overcame obstacles in her life and emerged with a new purpose. Evelyn took a hobby that had been discarded during darker days and transformed it into her passion and a way to pay homage to others like her who have survived much. With “100 Womxn of Color”, Evelyn showcases the lives of 100 vibrant women of color as well as her own growing talent behind the camera as a photographer and art director. Through this alignment, Evelyn forges ahead to perfect her craft and bring affirmation to her existence and that of others.
Read more about Evelyn and “100 Womxn of Color” below!
Please introduce yourself. What is your name? Where are you located? What are your pronouns and how do you identify?
My name is Evelyn Martinez, I’m located in the Bronx, New York. My pronouns are she/her and I identify as a queer woman.
For those that don’t know, you are the creator of the truly stunning and thoughtful “100 Womxn of Color”. Can you tell us a bit about that and what you do?
My project, 100 Womxn of Color, is a portrait series that helped me reinvent my life through photography. At the end of 2017, months after leaving a religious cult, I sat down on my couch and had a heart-to-heart with myself. I told myself it was time to start doing something for me, not for my job, not for a church — something that I truly wanted.
Up to that point, fear of failure and fear of rejection paralyzed me from taking photography seriously. I bought myself a camera in 2017 but I wasn’t putting in the work to become a master of my craft. So, I decided to start an ambitious project, something with a deadline and a number goal so that I could keep myself accountable on the days I wanted to quit.
That was when 100 Womxn of Color was born. I asked myself, “what if I offer free photo shoots? If I do, who will I offer my labor to?” I wanted to be intentional about my labor and I wanted to create something that I didn’t see for my community. So, I decided to offer free photo shoots for womxn of color in NYC. I gave myself six months to photograph 100 womxn of color and I broke down my goal to weekly and daily goals. I wanted to carve out time and space for womxn of color to feel seen, to feel safe and to feel beautiful.
I got the honor of connecting with womxn of color from all walks of life, womxn who shared their own stories, many of which moved me to tears. This project was the visual documentation of a personal healing process because earlier that year, I’d lost hope in being able to create a life that I loved and felt proud of. This project was a visual documentation of a professional growth process where I taught myself the technical skills of photography as I did the project.
How long have you been a photographer and creative director? How and why did you start?
I’ve been a photographer and creative director for 2 years. I’ve been an artist my whole life.
Does being a creative make you feel like a part of a bigger community? If so, what is your biggest or most important contribution to this community?
Yes, being a creative makes me feel part of a bigger community because as creatives, we can make worlds out of our imaginations – we tell stories that create social change. So far, my most important contributions to the creative community are my stories. I’ve shared my stories candidly so that others can know that they are not alone.
The Glam Femme seeks to explore the multi-dimensionality of queer women and folks of color. In what ways would you consider yourself multi-dimensional, if at all?
I consider myself a multi-dimensional queer woman of color because of the ways I exist in the world. I’m an introverted queer. I’m politically left. I’m a Xicana and I don’t claim to be Indigenous or Native. I’m a middle child. I’m a student of Astrology and Numerology. I’m a lover of Nature. I’m a writer. I’m great at making songs/jingles but I’m a terrible singer. I love music but I’m not musically talented or skilled. I am the embodiment of an organized mess.
When we see ourselves only as our talents/abilities/jobs, we forget to honor the other ways we exist.
What struggles related to your intersectional experience do you face and how do you overcome them?
One struggle related to my intersectional experience of being a self-taught photographer and being a queer woman of color is finding guidance in the form of mentorship. Not having personal or institutional affiliations to people of influence in the world of photography hasn’t stopped my progress. I’ve overcome that problem by seeking out collectives/groups that share resources for womxn of color and LGBTQIA people of color. As a freelancer, I’ve also befriended peers in the industry who share contacts and resources.
What is your favorite or most effective self-care method?
My favorite form of self-care is writing because it helps me process my thoughts and feelings. However, my most effective form of self-care is talking to myself in the mirror. Sometimes with writing, I edit my thoughts or try to make sense of things. When I speak to myself in the mirror and look into my eyes; it is like a raw version of a journal entry.
Just because something is the most effective doesn’t mean it is my favorite. Looking at myself in the mirror, speaking to myself and standing in my truth is sometimes uncomfortable because I see all parts of me and I can’t hide. Sometimes I just cry in the mirror and I pray to God.
What are you most proud of about yourself and what you have accomplished?
I am most proud of choosing myself that day I left the religious cult. I remember the night before, I taped papers on my bedroom walls with a map about me. I remember drawing my options and the potential outcomes for each situation. I remember feeling in my gut that I needed to leave and I told myself, “Evelyn, no matter what, you need to stick to your ‘no’. You need to leave this church behind.”
I’m most proud of how my story has moved people. Not everyone has the opportunity to redirect their life path in a way that heals them. Not everyone gets to leave a toxic situation. Not everyone gets to channel their pain and hurt into art. People’s stories aren’t less valid because they didn’t have some “triumph story”.
Do you have any upcoming projects or goals?
I’m finishing a project with Getty Images that will be ready to view before the end of April. My upcoming goal is to do a solo pop-up exhibit before the end of 2019.
How can we see your work/contact you/etc.?
You can see my photography portfolio at www.xicanayork.format.com
My blog is at www.xicanayork.com
For business inquiries or to contact me, send an email to
xi********@gm***.com